How to Navigate a Change of Career at any Age

Feeling dissatisfied with your current job? If so, you definitely are not alone.

Research shows that 85 percent of full-time workers are unhappy with their current job, which is a lot of people! There are many reasons why people become dissatisfied with their careers; from becoming disillusioned with the industry that you work in, through to finding your day to day tasks tedious. Thinking about why you have fallen out of love with work is crucial so that you can do something about it. Considering which parts of your job that you do like and which parts you would happily ditch tomorrow will help you to begin to move forwards towards a career that you find rewarding.

Making a Change

It is so easy to stick with a stagnant career year after year, dreading Monday mornings and wishing away the week until Friday comes around once again. Alternatively, you could take action and start to plan a way out of this career fog. 

Many people are put off changing careers because they feel that it is too late to make the change. While there are some careers that are restricted by age, this is not true of all. Making the decision to become a professional footballer at the age of 50, may be overly ambitious, but there are many careers where age is not an issue. 

Consider Your Options

When changing career it is essential to consider your options carefully to help you find the perfect job choice. Establish which aspects of your current job that you love, and which you are not so keen on. Consider the work environment too, do you want a complete change of scenery? Perhaps you are bored of being in an office-based role, and long for the freedom of being out on the road each day? Or, maybe your current position requires you to be on your feet all day and you are longing for a job which is less physically demanding. 

Establishing what you are looking for from a career will help you to find your perfect job match and is a much wiser option than simply wandering into another career without knowing what you want from it. 

Minimize Risk

Going in a new direction when you already have an established career can feel like a risky prospect. Therefore, it is essential to minimize the risk involved in changing careers, whatever your current age. 

Choosing an industry that is always in demand is essential, for example, becoming a driving instructor, as people are always going to need to learn to drive. Your next step would be to research reputable driving instructor training courses to give yourself the best start in your new career.

Minimizing the risk of a career change requires you to choose a job where demand won’t fade.

Successfully changing careers at any age requires planning and research. It is vital to choose a job that matches your skills and strengths and provides you with the job satisfaction that you crave.