In many sports, halftime is when the coach changes up the strategy and can redefine success for the rest of the game. Age 40 is a similar waypoint for reconsidering your career and whether you are in the right position or even the right industry. If you are mid-career or considering a career change at 40, follow these steps to navigate the considerations and challenges of switching up your career playbook.
— Understand your values and strengths.
— Brainstorm career options.
— Research and network.
— Assess your resources.
— Create your plan.
— Craft your elevator pitch.
— Take the plunge.
[READ: 15 Jobs to Consider for a Career Change]
Understand Your Values and Strengths
The good thing about being 40 is that you likely have about two decades of work experience, have received feedback, and have contemplated your successes and failures. Think about when you have felt the most competent in your career. Was it when you nailed a presentation or closed a difficult sale? Unlike a recent graduate who may need to speculate about their strengths and weaknesses, a 40-year-old should know them well.
Next, consider which strengths you want to continue to leverage and what your ideal day at work would look like. Also, think about the impact you would like to have on others.
Brainstorm Career Options
Keep in mind that a career change may mean changing your profession, but it isn’t always that radical. It could also mean a change of function in your current company or industry.
Don’t be afraid to think outside of the box. What is something you would love to do? Write down all of your ideas, no matter how irrational they may seem. You may discover patterns to your ideas that provide focus and clarity or come across a career you have never heard of or considered.
Research and Network
Research is a big part of learning about and making a career change at any age, but especially at 40 or older. In addition to researching online, networking is a great source of information. Aggressive and focused networking is the most effective route to new opportunities. The good news is that you can do this even before you leave your current job.
Consider attending local or online networking events and conducting informational interviews to gain knowledge and insights from professionals in the fields you are interested in. Set a goal to meet two additional people each week, and offer assistance to others as well.
Assess Your Resources
When considering a new career at 40, it’s also important to consider your financial, social and intellectual capital. Financial resources include money and investments, of course, but also obligations. A single parent with limited means who is also supporting an elderly parent, for example, may not have the same risk tolerance as someone in different circumstances.
Social capital includes contacts, friends and family who can provide support or create friction when it comes to your career change. Can the key people in your life give you the proper support you need to implement a change?
Also, take stock of your intellectual capital. Do you have the right degrees, certifications or licenses for the move? Not all fields require these designations, but you need a clear understanding of what might be required early in the process of making a career change.
[READ: Certification Programs for Careers That Pay Well.]
Create Your Plan
After narrowing your ideas and assessing your resources, you can start to define your career change plan. Keep in mind that life and careers are full of tradeoffs. Are you willing to move? How much of a step back are you willing and able to endure? What function, industry, level and location do you require? What do you really want to do?
When creating your plan, aim to make it specific, measurable and actionable. “I want a better job” is too vague. “I want to make a move into sales management at a service-oriented company on the West Coast” is clearer. A specific plan will allow you to create short-term goals that will help you reach your end goal.
Craft Your Elevator Pitch
A clear and concise elevator pitch is key to presenting yourself, telling your story and tying the past to the future.
It’s important to look at your career from varying perspectives. If you can explain your value retrospectively with confidence, you have a much better chance of articulating your value in a new role or field.
For example, your elevator pitch may be: “I have enjoyed success as a salesperson and sales manager. When I think back on the first half of my career, I have noticed that my biggest impact was in the analytical support of my clients and teams. It turns out that I am very good at quantitative and qualitative analysis. This is the reason I want to shift my career into a financial analyst role.”
[Read more: Best Job Search Sites]
Take the Plunge
At a certain point, you must take the plunge. This does not mean hastily quitting a job when you only have a poorly conceived plan. It means breaking the cycle of procrastination. A plan with deadlines and goals will provide accountability and ensure real progress is being made.
Few startup companies stick with the same business model. It’s the same with a career change job search. These steps may be repeated multiple times throughout a career. What you want and how you conceive your goal will likely change and adapt to real-world conditions. For example, a social worker interested in getting into corporate sales might be surprised to learn that there are selling opportunities in the nonprofit world that may not require as radical an industry change.
Career change is challenging at any age, but the 40-something (or older) job seeker has the advantage of greater resources, wisdom and insight.
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How to Change Careers at 40 originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 09/23/24: This story was published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
