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Is It Possible To Think About A Career Change At 40?

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Kavita K
Is It Possible To Think About A Career Change At 40?

Career change at 40 for some may be a matter of choice, but for others, it is a reality. A daunting task that may seem impossible at first is actually possible if you chose to go about it the right way. So, what is the right way to career transition in your 40s? It is this question that we address in this article.

Career change at 40 - The Good and The Bad

No matter what your reason for wanting to change your career in the 40s, know that you are at this point it is crucial to weigh in the good and bad of this reality.

Let us start with the positive:

  1. There is no point being stuck in a dead-end job. By shifting your career and opting for something that makes you happy is going to ensure a happier and more fulfilling professional life in the future.

  2. It may feel weird to start training for something new at the age of 40, but you have 20 more years to go before you officially retire and many more years after that when you decide to stop working.

  3. Remember that you are no longer a fresher, by now you have gathered a host of experiences, which make a strong and confident contender for any position in the market.

  4. Every skill that you have learnt in your existing career can be leveraged as a transferable skill to meet the responsibilities associated with the career transition.

 

Now for the not so positive part:

  1. Change is always tricky and it is more so if you have added responsibilities like you are married and are the sole breadwinner. It especially becomes tougher when you have children who are growing.

  2. Things are only getting costlier with time. Also, you may be already enjoying a certain lifestyle that matched with your existing paycheck. The difficult part will be to transition into a new career that matches your current financial situation.

  3. Before entering a new career, you may need to gain extra skills, which would require you to take a break. This is a risk for anyone, but a necessary risk. Or you may have to manage your career search while being full time employed, which makes the transition even more arduous.

  4. Lastly, every year a fresh batch of candidates enter the workforce. When you decide to make a change, you are not only competing with the existing workforce, but the incoming one.

The right way to career change at 40

As you now have weighed both the good and troublesome side of deciding on a career transition in your 40s and still decide on going ahead with it, here is how you should go about the process.

  1. Get rid of negative thoughts and stay patient: The first thing that you need to do is prepare yourself for the new situation. Shut down any thoughts or doubts that may derail you from continuing on the new path. Talk to your family and friends and always be of the mindset that it is possible. You also need to be patient as these things may take time to culminate.

  2. Do a self-assessment: Before you start looking for options, you need to do a self -assessment to understand your current skill set, aspirations, and interests. Such a test will help you to rediscover your personal strengths and professional takeaways. This will help you in identifying potential occupations that match your interests and abilities. You will also be able to identify all transferable skills and find skill gaps. On finding the gaps, search for courses to equip yourself with the latest skills.

  3. Be informed: When deciding on starting a new career, it is critical that you inform yourself about the skills required, responsibilities, average pay, growth opportunities, and so on. It will enable you to weigh in whether the career transition is right for you or not.

  4. Start networking: To gain access to a new sector or a new role, it is important that meet and talk to people in that industry. This is why, when preparing for a career transition, it is vital that you start building contacts and networks. So when the moment arrives, you can spread the word about being open to new opportunities in the market.

Conclusion

Alternatively, you can also connect with a career transition coach. The coach who is an expert in guiding individuals through this process will use tried and tested methodologies to transition into a new career successfully. Therefore, yes, it is possible to make a career change at 40 as long as you are prepared to try.

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Kavita K
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