If you’re unhappy in your current job and want to make a career change late in life, it’s important to make a thorough plan first. More than half of U.S. workers want to change careers, a
number that will likely increase as time goes on. People are living longer,
retiring later and looking for a sense of purpose in their careers, leading
them to pursue career changes later in life. The days of pension plans and
employer loyalty are all but gone, and workers are thinking of their careers as
an extension of their passions, not their employers’ needs. Women especially
may seek a career change as they transition in and out of the workplace to care
for children or aging parents.
Embarking on a brand-new career late in life can be more
difficult than starting when you’re young. Sometimes it’s hard to teach an old
dog new tricks, and the logistical barriers—not to mention age
discrimination—make it easy to stick with the status quo. But if you’re truly
unhappy with your career, or if you’d like to pursue a passion you’ve been
neglecting thus far, now is the time to get started. The average career change
takes around 18 months, and every day you wait puts you that much further away
from your dream of career satisfaction and financial freedom.
