Career Change: It's Never too late!
Do you fit into one of these scenarios?
o 50+ and have been in my position for more than 15 years with no growth. Bored.
o 5 - 10 years from retirement and I’m tired of what I’m doing, I’m past my time for change.
o Afraid to change.
o I’m too old to learn something new.
o My resume hasn’t been updated in more than 10 years.
o I don’t have a college degree.
o My computer skills are lagging.
I’ve heard these and many other reasons that people think it’s too late for a career change. I’ve got news…IT’S NEVER TOO LATE! Period! Never! If you have a desire to change…you are halfway there. If any of the scenarios above resonate with you put them out of your mind and get to work on preparing yourself for your next career move. The key is preparation, determination, and consistency. If you want to change your career, you must first prepare a plan for the desired change. Here’s how:
Desire for change. Recognize that inkling inside of you that tells you it’s time for a move. Don’t ignore that little voice that tells you that you want and deserve more, different, a change. Recognize and move on to planning for a change. If you have the desire, you must now develop your plan. Give yourself some grace and realize that change takes time.
Plan for your change. This may sound overwhelming but basically it means to begin thinking about what’s next for you. You may need to do a skills assessment to discover or remind yourself of what you bring to the table. Take inventory of what you’re good at and decide where you would like to use those skills. Do the research on career possibilities and what skills, training, or education is needed to make a strategic career move.
Resume Update. Make sure that your resume reflects all your experience and accomplishments. Be sure that you demonstrate how you will be an asset in a new company or new position. Make sure that your resume is focused / geared toward a desired position. Remember resumes are not “one size fits all”; you must tailor it for the desired role. Hire a professional resume writer if necessary.
Action. Make connections with people in your industry, in your church, community, family and friends to ensure they know that you are in the market for a career change. Do some research on companies you may be interested in to learn what skills and education are needed and see what positions they have available. Join a professional organization in the industry to make connections. Follow companies that you are interested in on LinkedIn. Apply for positions you’re interested in. Be consistent in your putting your search into action. Volunteer, if you must gain some experience.
Be kind to yourself. Don’t beat yourself up for thinking you’ve waited too long to make a career change. The time is now and it’s right on time. It’s never too late to make a change so long as you get started.
Surround yourself with encouragers. Check your audience and make sure that you have people in your corner who are kind, truthful, and encouraging you to keep going – even when you feel like giving up.
It is never too late to pursue your dream – so go on and turn that hobby into a side hustle into a business, pursue that college degree, update that resume, take that trip, apply for that job…whatever change you desire to make – start today by taking small steps to achieve that goal…and remember don’t be hard on yourself – small steps are still steps.
Take a chance to make a change!