If you’re thinking of making a midlife career change you already know that there are many variables to consider.
The main reason you’re making the move is probably that your work doesn’t align with who you are. Your talents, skills, values – the essence of you goes untapped and leaves you feeling like a robot at work.
Even if it’s work you used to enjoy, at this point you’ve outgrown it.
But at midlife, there are more things to consider than how much you’ll like the work. It’s a huge – maybe the most important factor to consider – but not the only one.
So let’s look at some of the top factors that will make your midlife career change a success.
Midlife Career Change Success Factors
As I’ve mentioned, the biggest factor is how much you’ll enjoy the work. But it’s not as simple to figure out as it sounds. If it were, I wouldn’t have a coaching practice. 🙂 No, because it’s not just about fun. Let me give you just one example.
I’m working with a great client right now. He’s really smart, but he’s also what you might call a “jock” – very outdoorsy and into health and fitness.
For a while, he was thinking about work that might appeal to his “fun” side – the side that loves the outdoors and loves to play. But what we realized is that this type of work didn’t hold enough for him intellectually, and that eventually he was probably going to get bored.
Good to know that kind of stuff before you make a move.
So when you think about enjoying the work, think about it beyond being fun. Think about what your other work requirements are, such as intellectual stimulation.
Another angle to consider is your home life. This might include things like travel, the number of hours you could dedicate to a new endeavor, or the amount of risk you can take on.
These things might dictate what kind of a company you could work at (maybe a start-up is out) or if you are in a position to start your own business.
Third of course is finances. Can you afford to take a pay cut if you need to? It’s entirely possible that you won’t have to at all. In fact, you can decide that you are not willing to. It might restrict the choices you can make, but you don’t have to lower your salary at all.
To have a successful midlife career change you should be very clear on your financial situation going in. What do you need to make? If you’re starting a business, what can you afford to invest?
Clarity is power.
What’s Holding You Back From A Midlife Career Change?
These are some of the factors that will make your midlife career change a successful one. To uncover more that are related to your particular move, ask yourself, “What are the the things that are holding me back in my move right now?”
I’d love to hear your responses in the comments below!