Career Change At The Age Of 50

• Introduction
• Make a list of your skill
• Do not hesitate while seeking support 
• Be ready to work with younger people
• Take a self-assessment test

Introduction

Age is just a number! 

We all have heard this at least once in our lives, and that’s true. All one needs is the willpower to make a decision. Career and relationships are two of the most important decisions a human being makes in their life. 

Career change at the age of 50 might sound a bit shocking to society. Still, career shifts and change are personal decisions because happiness and satisfaction in your professional life add happiness to your personal life. 

If you are not happy with your career, it becomes important for you to make a career change or even a change of field that offers you new challenges but adds satisfaction and happiness to your life. 

It’s alright to make a career shift, but it becomes important to prioritize your goals and reason to do so. Prioritize your goals whether you need a work-life balance or minimize your stress and want to follow your interests and hobbies. 

A better idea about your goal will help you find the flexible work options and salary you are looking for while making your career change. 

In this article, we will be discussing all you need to know while changing your career at the age of 50. After reading this article, you will learn the advantages of making a career change and how to minimize the disadvantages.

Whatever may be the reason for your career change, the points discussed here can for sure help you in this switch. 

Make a list of your skill

At the age of 50, one at least has experience of 15 to 20 years, and if you are looking to survive in any industry, you must have the required skill. 

List down all your transferable skills. Transferable skills are one such skill that is not industry-specific, and you can transfer this skill from one job to another easily. 

Examples of transferable skills are – communication, writing skills, problem-industry-specific. 

In general, there are two types of transferable skills – Hard and Soft. 

Hard skills are industry-specific. It will help you while changing your job in the same industry. For example, if you are from the tech industry and want to change the organization, coding, analytics, data science, data analysis, and marketing are considered hard skills. 

Soft skills are not industry-specific, it will help you in professional as well as personal life too. No matter what job and career you choose, soft skills will always help you bring your best. 

Skills like creativity, leadership, time management, communication, and empathy are necessary if you want to be a valuable employee or employer. 

While making your career change, change your resume as well. In addition to your work experience, highlight all your hard and soft skills. At the age of 50, your skills will matter in any industry you choose to work in. 

Also Read: 7 Signs It Is Time For A Career Change

Do not hesitate while seeking support 

Career change at the age of 50 is like reinventing yourself, and your family and friends can help you a lot while making your decision. Seeking help from your friends and colleagues will help you in networking yourself. Their referrals can land you in your dream job. 

Sometimes we don’t notice some of our abilities, but our family, friends, or colleagues notice them, which can help you build a stronger resume. 

So never hesitate in seeking help and support. 

Be ready to work with younger people

A decent percentage of employees in an industry will be youngsters either in their 20s or 30s. So, keep your energy young to work with these youngsters to reach your goal. Someone who is on a higher post can be younger than you but keep aside the age factor and try learning from him/her and respect his positive or negative feedback.

The current world is about startups, and the founders of most of the startups are of Gen Y and Z. In addition to a hard-working young team, they need a person with experience in the industry who can boost their startup. You can be one if you are ready to work in that young environment and add value.

Update your skills and identify what’s important for the new career 

The world has changed a lot in the last two decades. You will find something new every day in the technological world. If you want to work and create an impact in your 50s, then keep a learning mindset and positive approach towards discovering new things. 

If you are shifting a career from one field to another, then go through deep research to find out what’s important in that particular field or industry. The research will give you a better idea about the impact you will create and the work you will perform. Identify the skills required and find out whether you have that skillset and, if not, whether you are willing to learn those skills.

Take a self-assessment test

A self-assessment test will assess what you can do and what you should do next in your career. In this case, a counselor can be your guide. 

A self-assessment test will let you know how flexible you are with your work and what skills you have to help you in your desired career change. 

At the end of this test, you will be assured of what career or job change you should make to make your upcoming life better. 

Be ready to rebrand your image; a career change will ask you to rebrand your image as you reinvent yourself.

Advantages of making a career change at 50 

You start thinking beyond money 

At 50, it’s obvious you are financially independent, and now you want to add value to this world. 

While making a career shift, money should not be your priority. Rather family, personal satisfaction, health, the impact of society should be on your priority list. 

Reduce stress 

At 50, a low-stress environment can be a boon for your health compared to a high-paying salary with a high-stress environment. 

New learning opportunities 

Learning is a lifelong process! You must have heard this proverb, and it is true. Every day we should be open to learning new things which can improve our inner self. 

A new position, new job, new industry, or maybe a new organization, all these places will provide you a new learning opportunity which will help you to rediscover yourself. 

Your Passion 

You can make a positive career shift only if you are passionate about pursuing it. If you are passionate about pursuing a new career, it won’t seem boring and will add happiness to your personal life.

If you are making a career shift in your 50s, then do it with your passion. 

How to overcome disadvantages of a career change at 50 ● Be ready with your learning mindset 

Always keep a learning mindset, keep yourself updated with the field, attend industry seminars, try maintaining a connection with industry experts. 

When you are eager to learn and grow, people around you will witness that learning vibe of yours which can be valuable to the organization and industry. 

Keep a positive mindset

When you make such big decisions at the age of 50, it’s obvious to receive a troll from society, but a positive mindset will not let your motivation down. Be confident with the passion you will pursue, and don’t let any negative vibe affect your positive essence. 

We hope this article has helped you understand the importance and factors related to career change at 50. 

Keep exploring until next time! 

Great Learning offers various courses on domains like data science, AIML, cybersecurity, cloud computing, and more. These courses can help you in your career transition.