How to Make a Successful Midlife Career Change in Your 30s, 40s, or 50s

Last Updated on July 17, 2023

Are you feeling restless in your current job? Are you tired of not feeling fulfilled in what you do? If so, it might be time for a midlife career change.

Making a big change at this stage in your life can be daunting, but it’s definitely possible to make it work if you’re prepared and take the right steps.

Here are some tips to help make your career change successful.

1. Figure out What You Want to Do

This may seem like an obvious first step, but it’s important to take the time to really think about what you want to do with your life.

What are your passions and interests?

What kind of work do you see yourself doing long-term?

One of the easiest ways to start figuring out exactly what you want to do is to get back to the basics and design a career mood board.

The idea with a career mood board is to draw, write or paste anything at all on your board that is an interest, passion, or something that you want to do.

You will then use this mood board as an inspiration to begin thinking about work and lifestyle ideas that will help you move towards living out the life you see on your mood board.

It is a great starting point to just to gather your ideas.

Action: You could buy an A3 pad and use that for writing terms, ideas, and drawing or pasting pictures on.

Alternatively, you might want to buy a pinboard or whiteboard.

2. Research Your Options

Once you have an idea of what you’d like to do, it’s time to start researching your options.

What types of jobs or careers are a good fit for your skills and interests?

Which companies or organizations are hiring in your field? Or what self-employed options are there in your chosen future field?

Take time also to detail and think about what transferable skills you have and how you can use these skills to your advantage.

If you’re going to be applying for jobs in a new field, it’s important to update your resume or CV to reflect your new goals.

Highlight any relevant skills or experience you have, even if it’s from a previous job or an unrelated field.

You might not need to seek work from others if you decide to go down the self-employed route.

If you like to be creative and are self-motivated there are numerous jobs you can do from home or from anywhere, including being self-employed or freelance:

• Artist
• Computer programmer
• Writer
• Designer
• Teacher or freelance trainer

When we are in our 30s, 40s, or 50s we all have numerous skills, experience, and expertise that we take for granted.

These skills are ones we could easily teach other people whether in person or online if you might want to be a freelance trainer/teacher.

Think about, for example, what do you know now that you didn’t know 5 years ago. There will be many things!

Computer skills, gardening skills, ways of creating art or design, technical skills, cookery skills, language skills, etc.

As long as you have knowledge that someone else would want to learn then why not teach it?

The great thing with the Internet these days is that you can teach people worldwide and from the comfort of your own home.

Starting your own online business has never been easier and you can see here how Valeria built a 5-figure business online from the UK.

The beauty of Valeria’s business in fact is that it can be run from anywhere in the world as she travels!

3. Network

Whether building your business online or offline, one of the best ways to find a job is to network with people who are already employed in your field of interest.

Ways in which you can connect include:

• attending industry events
• connecting with professionals on LinkedIn
• reaching out to friends and family who might be able to make introductions
• finding related groups on Meetup.com and other local community groups
• connecting with people who might mentor you or who are interested in your skills and being taught

By reaching out to the community based on your work interests, you can begin to:

• build opportunities
• get ideas
• get help from others

4. Seriously Consider the Freelance and Consultant Route

You are not a school or college leaver now and hence you will have built up several years of experience and skills, both in the workplace and also in your spare time with hobbies and your passions.

So why not give serious consideration to going down the freelance or consultant route?

Why not take control of your own time?

These resources might help you to begin to go down the freelance route:

• Freelancer.com – this is a fantastic site for finding freelance jobs. There are literally thousands of opportunities and many digital nomads (those who work online as they travel using freelancer.com)
• LinkedIn – for finding freelance opportunities, LinkedIn can be extremely good. Several friends and acquaintances of mine have found very well-paid freelance roles via LinkedIn. (Make sure to read the LinkedIn post I wrote earlier!)
• Upwork – Upwork is another great site in that it brings together freelancers with those who need the skills that freelancers offer.
• We Work Remotely – in the last few years working remotely has become a big thing and WeWorkRemotely list thousands of remote job opportunities.

Benefits of a Career Change

There are many benefits of a career change, both professional and personal. Here are just a few of the reasons why you should consider making a move:

1. It Can Lead to Greater Job Satisfaction

If you’re unhappy in your current role, a career change could be exactly what you need to boost your job satisfaction levels.

Doing something you’re passionate about and enjoying the work you do on a daily basis can make a huge difference to your overall happiness.

2. Chance to Earn More Money

In some cases, a career change can lead to an increase in salary.

If you move into a role that is in higher demand or requires more skills and experience, you may be able to negotiate a better salary.

3. It Can Provide You With New Challenges

If you’re feeling stuck in a rut or like you’re no longer being challenged in your current role, a career change can help.

Doing something different and exploring new areas can keep your mind active and help you to avoid boredom.

4. Helps You to Learn New Skills

A career change is a great opportunity to learn new skills and gain valuable experience in a different field.

This can make you more employable and give you a competitive edge when applying for jobs in the future.

5. Gives You a Fresh Start

Sometimes, all you need is a fresh start.

If you’re looking to leave your current job for any negative reasons (e.g. due to redundancy or conflict with colleagues), a career change can provide you with the clean break you need.

6. Can Help You to Progress in Your Career

A career change can sometimes be the best way to progress in your career.

If you feel like you’ve reached a dead-end in your current role, changing careers may give you the opportunity to move into a more senior position or earn a promotion.

7. Provides You With New Experiences

A career change can open up a whole new world of experiences.

If you’ve always wanted to travel or work abroad, changing careers could be the perfect way to make your dream a reality.

8. Can Help You to Meet New People

A career change can also be a great opportunity to meet new people.

If you move into a new company or industry, you’ll have the chance to network and build new relationships.

9. Gives You a Sense of Achievement

Making a successful career change can be a very rewarding experience.

Achieving something you never thought possible can give you a real sense of pride and satisfaction.

10. Can Help You to Find Your Dream Job

And finally, a career change could be the key to finding your dream job.

If you’ve always wanted to do something specific but haven’t had the opportunity to pursue it, a change may give you the chance to make your dream a reality.

If you’re considering a career change, these are just some of the benefits you could enjoy. So, what are you waiting for?