How to Have a Successful Career Change at 30, 40, and 50

Career change at 30, career change at 40, and even 50+ is possible!

Many people start their careers by focusing on what will best fit into their lives at the time, what someone else expected of them, or what is most practical. And sometimes we really did pick what we thought would be the best for us at the time.

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However we got started, we sometimes get to a point when we realize we are in the wrong career, and want to make a switch to something new. I’m sharing some key tips to help you transition to that new career you’ve been secretly dreaming of, without fear of starting from the bottom again or taking a huge pay cut. You can do this even if you are thinking of a career change at 30, dreaming of a career change at 40, or longing for a career change at 50 years old (or older).

Trust me, you’re absolutely capable of a career change in your 30s, 40s, or 50s. There is no time limit on seeking out other opportunities in life. Keep reading for steps you can take towards leveling up your career and taking the leap to follow your dreams.

Thinking About a Career Change at 30

First off, if you are worried about changing careers in your 30s, you need to reframe your mindset!

Changing careers at 30 might not be the most comfortable of moves, but it’s beyond doable. You likely have about a decade of work experience so far and that experience will be extremely valuable to you, no matter what new career you are thinking about.

If the industry that you are looking to move to is wildly different from your current industry, you need only get a little bit creative with your resume.

And if you’re looking for an easily customizable resume that will help you organize all of your transferable skills into competencies that will work for your new career, you can find a FREE one here.

With over three decades left until you reach the current retirement age, you have plenty of time to establish yourself in a new career that aligns better with your passions and interests.

Admittedly, a career change in your 30s may be a bit easier for you than a career change later in life (though, as I discuss below, we can make it happen at any age!), so if it really is your heart’s desire to switch career in your 30s, don’t wait! Take the opportunity to reach for your dreams sooner rather than later.

Consider your transferable skills.

Think about the skills that you have that are transferable from your decade of work experience. You can afford to get creative with them. As an example, if your current career has anything to do with people, you will likely have customer service experience. This can translate to other industries such as healthcare, sales, business, marketing. Anything people-related will require people skills.

Even the smallest or most basic skills from your career can move easily into a new career at your age. Positions that are designed for those with your amount of work experience will likely have similar requirements that are adjacent to the career, though not necessarily exact.

Spend the time and do the research to rework your resume to reflect this in order to try to make a lateral move into a new career at 30.

Think about how much of an investment you want to make into a new career.

When considering a career change at 30, you have a little bit more time to look into degrees and certification programs. You might want to consider if adding a degree or certificate would be worth it while you’re already looking into making a change.

Depending on the career move that you are planning, you might not need to add additional education to your resume. However, it is worth the consideration if you would like to significantly jump income brackets along with this move.

And of course, certain careers – like, say, becoming a doctor or a certified public accountant – will require that you have the necessary degrees or certifications.

Explore your previous connections.

This is a great piece of advice for anyone at any age. You’re highly likely to be able to find a job in a new career through your connections. In your 30s, you’re probably still pretty close to your high school and college friends and acquaintances.

Think about the people that you may know who already work in the industry you’re hoping to break into. Will they be willing to meet up for a chat about the status of the industry? Could they possibly have an opportunity at their current place of work that is available to apply to?

Even if not, people know people and people talk. You just might find that an old college friend from nearly a decade ago can be the perfect ‘in’ to your new career.

Thinking About a Career Change at 40

You may be feeling caught in the middle when considering a career change at 40.

This is completely understandable! You’re roughly 20 years out from college and high school and another 25-or-so years out from the traditional retirement age. However, you don’t need to remain in you’re current career just because you’ve invested time into it.

In fact, you’ll be able to use that time that you’ve dedicated to your current career to your advantage when making a career change at 40. As well, you can be assured that you will have at least 20 years in your new career before retirement.

For those in their 40s, it is the perfect time to start serving yourself and reaching the goals that you want to reach.

As a first step, you should consider tapping to some unique ways of job searching, because the search for a new job in a new career in your 40s will have some unique challenges. Most likely you’ll need to explain why you want to change careers.

Plus, you’ll need to be ready to work a bit harder than usual to show that you have the skills you need to succeed in your new career. In addition to the tips you’ll find here, the ones below will be very valuable for your career change.

Career Change at 40: Explore your current connections.

If you’re thinking of a career change at 40, you can first remind yourself that, at this point in you’re working life, you’re likely to have a ton of business and personal connections, that are likely have a variety of business and personal connections of their own. You just might find that you are close with someone who at one point had specialized in the career you are looking to dive into.

Hop on LinkedIn and take a look at the backgrounds of your colleagues and who they may be connected to. Or, if you feel comfortable doing so, bring the topic up while you are out for lunch or coffee.

Career Change at 40: Evaluate your financial situation.

This is not unique to 40-year-olds, but it might be most applicable to those thinking of a career change at 40, due to mortgages, college tuitions, still paying off student loans, possibly also supporting older parents, etc.

Don’t give up on your dreams of changing careers based on your financial situation, but do make sure that you know what your salary standards need to be and how much wiggle room you have before you quit your old job.

Maintaining an awareness of your current financial situation will help you make a right decision in your next move, and also help you stand your ground in what you will accept from your new employer.

Career Change at 40: Look at our tips for 30-year-olds and 50-year-olds.

Finally, depending on your life choices so far, if you’re focused on a career change at 40, you might find yourself relating more to one age group than the other. You’ve been in the workforce for at least a decade and still have many of the obligations that those at 30 have, but you might feel more like the advice for those at 50 relates more to your circumstances.

Perhaps you’ve found yourself working in senior positions in your current field, you may not need to consider additional education, but rather you can leverage your prior work experience on another level rather than nickel and diming transferable skills.

Take a peek at the other tips on this list and decide what speaks to you.

Thinking About a Career Change at 50

You are not alone in your desire to change careers at 50! In fact, it’s becoming increasingly popular for people to consider these changes in this age group!

If you feel like you have always been meant for something different, you should not sell yourself short for fear of pushing up against an invisible deadline. Life is too short and you deserve to happy and fulfilled. You still have years before retirement, as well as years of experience that will help you to achieve your goal of making a career change at 50.

Use your years of experience to your advantage.

In your 50s, you have decades of valuable experience, even if it may not be entirely applicable to your new career move. You can absolutely leverage your commitment to your current career to your advantage and show hiring managers that you have been an asset to your current industry.

Hiring managers will be impressed by your dedication and history, even if you may not have the relevant experience to what you are passionate about.

As well, this experience is something that your younger competition will not have under your belt. If you’re worried about competing with fresh faces that are just out of college, you can take solace in knowing that your roughly 30 years of work experience will make their four-year degree look a little less impressive on paper.

Turn your passion into your drive.

With your added years of waiting to finally make the move and seek out what really motivates you in life, you have a distinct advantage over the younger people that you will be competing with for job opportunities.

Your passion is your greatest asset when making a career change at this age, so use it!

Do not be discouraged by the fact that you will be re-entering the job market, instead, use your interest and patience to your advantage. It’s time to stop waiting for your chosen career to find you and to start taking the steps to change careers in your 50s.

Even out the playing field by leaning into technology.

The world of job hunting is turning more and more digital with every year. Between Glassdoor, Indeed, and LinkedIn, using websites in order to both apply for jobs and host your resume online are becoming increasingly popular. Don’t disadvantage yourself by avoiding engaging in these useful tools for job seeking.

Overcome any fear of the unknown and appear competitive with your younger counterparts by embracing technology. If your primary hesitancy behind seeking a career change at 50 comes from being afraid of being unable to compete with the younger generation, this is the perfect move to help you leap over that hurdle.

Meet the younger generation where they are at and wow hiring managers by maintaining a professional presence online.

Handling any real or perceived ageism.

Whether you’re in your 40s – but especially if you’re in your 50s – when you’re looking for a new job (or new career), you are going to face some actual or perceived ageism.

For starters, you need a resume that is modern and doesn’t project anything one way or another about your age. Here’s a free resume template and cheat sheet that’s perfect for that.

Once you get recruiters’ attention, and land interviews, make clear that you are willing to learn (this is a career change after all) to preemptively address any concerns about you being stuck in your ways or being untrainable.

Highlight your technical skills if they are pertinent to the job. Get in a mindset of confidence and don’t project that you have any concern about your age being a factor in the hiring decision.

Still, be ready to divert possibly inappropriate comments related to your age and redirect to focus on your excitement for the work and the company, and your passion of this new industry you are pursuing.

Conclusion

I hope this article shows that you’re capable of changing your career at any stage in your life. Whether you are 30, 40, 50, or even 60 years old, you’re worth taking the steps to pursue your life’s passions. If you’re hesitant to make the leap, remind yourself that you only have one life in order to make your dreams come true.

You have the power to control your own working life, and you should do what makes you happy.