It’s never too late to make a change, even if you’re in your 40s or 50s. In case you’ve been considering a career shift for some time now, now is the time to make the leap. Listed below are five helpful hints to get you started on the road to discovering who you are and living a life you love.
1. Get clear on what you want to do next
The first step is to be clear about what you want to do next. For example, if you’re unhappy in your current role and want out, it’s important that you know what kind of work environment or industry will make you happy instead.
Ask yourself what’s missing in your life: If you can’t pinpoint what’s missing, it’s time to take a serious look at yourself. The answer may be obvious (e.g., work-life balance), but it can also be more subtle and hard to identify (e.g., feeling trapped). Don’t rush this step — the more time you take to reflect on what’s missing, the better chance you’ll have of finding a solution that works for you.
Once you’ve got an idea of what that looks like, start exploring options that fit this criteria. The more specific you can be about what kind of role or company makes sense for your next career move, the easier it will be to find it.
2. Do some research: Use the Internet, friends and family members as resources to find out about different jobs or careers that interest you. The more knowledge you have about what’s out there, the better prepared you’ll be to make an informed decision.
3. Develop the skills needed for your new role
To succeed in any new position, whether it’s in your current industry or not, it helps if you have some specific skills that are relevant to that job function. Asking yourself: “What skills do I need?” can help narrow down the field and focus on areas where your experience might be lacking.
