Student Login
Is It Worth Changing Your Career at 40?
Few people know what will make them happy for the rest of their lives when they’re 18 or 22. By the time you’re in your 40s, you’ve undoubtedly learned a lot about yourself and have a lot more clarity about your talents, skills, and personality than you did when you were graduating high school or college. You’re in a much better position now to choose a new potential career that will be more rewarding and fulfilling.
You might feel like you’ll be starting back at square one, but you’ve picked up a lot of skills and experience that you can transfer to your new field. So the transition likely won’t be as jarring as you may think. Many of your soft skills will be just as valuable in a new job as they are in your current one.
In today’s rapidly changing society, people who are flexible and adaptable are best able to take advantage of new opportunities. A survey of executives found that many believe half of all skills people need for their jobs today won’t be relevant in two years. So even people who stay in their current careers will need to learn new skills to remain current. By training for a new career, you’ll be ahead of the game.
Research by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) found that half of people over 45 were hoping to switch jobs in the next three years. It also found that people who changed jobs mid-career were more likely to be employed at 60 and that people who change jobs voluntarily earn more money than those who are forced to change.
The advances in technology, and artificial intelligence (AI) in particular, have eliminated many jobs and created many more. The consequences of this shift won’t be completely apparent for years, but there’s a lot you can do now to be fully prepared. You don’t necessarily need to become an AI developer or make an IT career change at 40, but you should consider what dream career will provide the most staying power and the biggest return on investment for you.
7 Tips for Changing Your Career after 40
Taking a structured approach to transitioning to a new occupation will make the process easier and less overwhelming. It will also offset a lot of the stress that comes with doing something new. Here are seven strategies to lay a strong foundation for career changes at 40.
1. Evaluate Your Current Career Situation and Set New Goals
Before you can plot a path forward, you need to know where you currently are. Start by thinking about your current career situation. Maybe you feel like you’re being forced out of a dying field even though there are things you love about your job, or perhaps it seems like you’ve hit a wall when it comes to advancing. Create a list of all of the things you enjoy about your current position as well as the things you find frustrating.
This is also a good time to consider whether you just want to change roles or you want to switch to a completely different industry. When you’re transitioning anyway, don’t be afraid to dream big.
Once you’ve identified your skills and motivations, set clear career goals. Consider what success looks like for you. Where do you want to be in five or 10 years? People are living and working longer, so starting a new career at 40 or even 50 means you might spend 25 to 35 years in your new field.
2. Identify Your Transferable Skills
Even if you go back to school to earn a degree, you won’t be starting off where you were 15 or 20 years ago. You have experience and transferable skills that can give you a competitive advantage over new graduates.
All jobs rely on a combination of hard skills and soft skills. Hard skills are the technical skills that are often specific to a particular job or industry, such as bookkeeping skills for an accountant. Soft skills are those that can be broadly applied to a range of positions, such as in-demand leadership skills, communication, and adaptability.
Take stock of your current skills and you may be surprised at how many are easily transferable. Start by making a list of everything you do in your job on a regular basis, even the things that seem mundane to you. Seemingly simple tasks that you can handle effortlessly may help you get a foot in the door for a new job. For instance, if you’re a whiz at dealing with disgruntled customers, you might be highly sought after in many jobs.
3. Acknowledge the Challenges You Might Face
Although changing jobs in midlife is fairly common, you probably will face some challenges that you didn’t when you were younger. If you’re already working, you may not be able to take four years off to attend college full time. If you have significant family ties to where you live, relocating for a career change might not be feasible.
Think about what obstacles you might face in switching paths and develop a plan for overcoming or working around them. If you can’t move, you can go to school online and train for a career where you can work remotely, for example. Being prepared will keep these challenges from knocking you off course when they arise.
4. Build a Supportive Network
Creating a strong network for changing your career starts with the people who are closest to you. The transition will probably take some time and effort and will impact your family — whether in terms of less time with you or the need for financial sacrifices until you’re more established. Talk to them about it beforehand and make sure you have their support.
You may also be surprised at how helpful your existing network is. Reach out to acquaintances you already have and let them know you are making a change.
However, don’t stop with contacts in your current industry. Develop new relationships with people in your target industry. You can do this through:
- Joining professional organizations
- Attending networking events
- Seeking out mentors
- Talking to recruiters
- Volunteering in the field you want to join
5. Update Your Resume and Cover Letter
You’ll need to revamp your resume when you’re ready to switch positions to your dream job, but that doesn’t mean scrapping it completely. You want to show hiring managers how your skills transfer and why they make you the best choice for the job.
Many recruiters follow the adage, “Hire for attitude, train for skill.” Demonstrating strong soft skills, a good work ethic, and a willingness to learn can put you ahead of others who may have more experience and technical proficiency in the field.
To effectively convey your strengths, highlight projects you’ve worked on in the past and show how the skills you used to be successful can work in the new job. Don’t be afraid to draw on volunteer or educational experience as well. If you go back to school, you can use projects you worked on in your classes to demonstrate hands-on experience.
6. Acquire New Skills Through Courses or Certifications
Making a major career pivot often calls for learning additional certifications or taking on more professional training. An associate’s or bachelor’s degree is a requirement for many positions. If you already have college courses under your belt, you may be able to get credit for work you’ve already done. This means getting a degree won’t take as long as starting from scratch.
You might also benefit from getting an advanced degree. Obtaining your master’s or doctorate can be a great strategy for changing your career at 40 and increasing your value. You can often get a master’s degree in a completely different field — although you may need a few undergraduate prerequisites, particularly for more technical fields. A graduate degree can also allow you to start in a more advanced role than someone coming in with a bachelor’s degree.
7. Explore Alternative Career Paths
Before you commit to a particular path, carefully research your options. Think about where your interests and skills intersect with business needs. Make sure the job market is strong and the average salary lines up with your needs or expectations.
If you’re looking to increase your salary, consider high-demand industries such as technology and computing or healthcare sciences. These fields have a wide range of positions and tend to be less susceptible to economic fluctuations than other options.
What Is the Best Career To Start in Your 40s? Best-Paying Jobs Review
Consider these rewarding and well-paying career change ideas as you research your possibilities.
Data Analytics
All modern businesses make decisions based on data. Knowing how to frame business problems, develop an analysis plan, obtain and process data, and present it to stockholders in an easy-to-understand manner will make you a valuable asset in almost any industry.
A graduate certificate can prepare you to take the Certified Analytics Professional (CAP) exam for work as a data analyst, data engineer, or data scientist, among others. Switching careers with a data analytics degree is a great option for combining your interests with highly marketable skills.
Counseling
If you want to make a difference in your community, studying to become a clinical mental health counselor or professional school counselor equips you with the skills to make an impact. Racial bias, poverty, and other forms of social injustice negatively affect the mental well-being of many people. In your coursework, you’ll learn theory and practice to provide clients with the resources they need to overcome many challenging circumstances.
Cybersecurity
Cybercrime is on the rise, and 91% of business leaders expect there will be a major, far-reaching event in the next two years. Get on the forefront of developing and implementing cybersecurity defenses to protect businesses and other organizations. A certificate in cybersecurity can train you to become a security consultant, IT security engineer, penetration tester, or other cybersecurity role.
Artificial Intelligence
The United States is revamping the entire energy grid to power AI technology. This is just one indication of how widespread and transformative AI will be in society.
You can take advantage of the massive demand for new AI applications by getting your Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence. You’ll learn the foundation, theory, and technical knowledge you need to become a leader in the field of AI.
Education
Education is another field where you can make a significant difference in your community. Whether you want to work at the college level or with K-12 students, you can become qualified with a Doctor of Education in Leadership. You’ll gain the analytical and strategic thinking skills you need to navigate today’s toughest educational challenges. Upon degree completion, you’ll be prepared to assume a senior leadership role in a variety of educational settings.
Take the Leap and Find Your New Career Path With CityU
A career transition doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Making a plan and taking a structured approach will prepare you for a rewarding change of career at 40 or beyond. City University of Seattle offers coursework, certificates, and degrees that can prepare you to begin a new phase in your life. We can help you train for career options in education, health sciences, computing, cybersecurity, and more. Reach out today to get started.
Reviewed by Dr. Harvey Duncan II, Director of Student Services at CityU of Seattle
