Changing
Careers at Age 50 and Beyond
All it takes is the
right blend of realism and enthusiasm!
If you’re over age
50 and looking for a job, you’ve probably gotten the message loud
and clear that you’re too old.
It’s written on the
faces of those who interview you, especially if they’re younger
than you. It’s part of the philosophy at numerous companies that
push out older employees to make room for youth. Even folklore is
against you. Doesn’t the adage warn that "You can’t teach
an old dog new tricks?"
That may be true for
old dogs. But when it comes to experienced workers, don’t believe
it.
People across the
country are proving every day that there’s a career future after
age 50. They quit jobs to go into business. They go back to school.
They take early retirement, then try totally new fields. In short,
they pick themselves up at the end of one career only to launch into
another.
Consider the case of
Enid Adler, a veteran of public relations who at age 50 was
reorganized out of the public agency she had served for years. After
serious introspection and advice from family members, she enrolled
in college and obtained her degree in 1988.
Not that
it’s Easy -- Making a
career change late in life can be exhilarating. That doesn’t mean
it’s a piece of cake. Switching careers at any age requires a set
of unique personality traits and characteristics, including:
Self
Confidence. After 25 years at
a newspaper, I decided to change careers and return to school in
social services. The typical reaction from my friends and
acquaintances was, "You deserve a lot of credit for going back
to school at your age. I couldn’t do it. What about your memory?
Do you think you can still study?" I not only thought I could,
I proved I could. But there isn’t much support from a society that
believes gray hair means impaired gray matter.
Risk Taking.
This is especially difficult later in life, when there isn’t as
much margin for error. Younger people with fewer responsibilities
and lighter financial obligations can afford more daring moves. But
once you’ve settled into a work pattern, with a mortgage to pay
and a child or two in college, you become highly risk averse.
New Ways of
Thinking. Like it or not, you
probably harbor some of the same stereotypes you’re trying to
overcome. By broadening your thinking about persons over 50, you
create new options for yourself.
Just because you’ve
done one thing for 25 years doesn’t mean you can’t do something
else. Let your mind soar in search of new opportunities. There’s
absolutely no evidence that men and women in their 50s or 60s are
unable to master new skills. Perhaps we have trouble retaining as
much or learning as fast as when we were young. If so, we must
simply work harder.
One you feel you meet
these three career change prerequisites, ask yourself: Why do I want
to make a move?
- Are you simply
tired of what you’re doing?
- Does your work
offer no challenge anymore?
- Are you about to
lose your job because of a merger, takeover, downsizing or clash
with your superior?
- In the back of
your mind, have you always wanted to do something else - like be
a mechanic or own a business?
If you answer yes to
any of the above questions, you’re a serious candidate for career
change. Career change offers a new beginning, an end to the old rut
and the opportunity to learn new skills. Best of all, it provides a
new chance to prove yourself.
A warning, however:
Boredom alone may not be a strong enough reason to risk a career
change. There may be a more interesting job in your field of
expertise. Many companies publish internal newsletters listing job
openings and requirements. If not, check with your friends and
colleagues in other areas of the company for possible openings.
This strategy allows
you to maintain your salary and utilize your acquired expertise (and
age may be less of an issue) perhaps as a consultant. More about
this later.
Doubts and
Fears -- "What if I
Fail? Perhaps I’m too old?" Such questions are likely to
assail you as the time for action approaches. You can’t afford to
ignore them, but don’t let them paralyze you, either.
Take the first
question, for instance. Failure at anything is always a blow to
one’s self-esteem. Yet there’s no shame in it, as long as you
know you’ve done your best. Ask yourself, "What’s the worst
thing than can happen if I fail in my new venture? Will it wipe me
out financially? Will I lose my house or savings?" If failure
means financial disaster - and you’re over 50, with fewer years to
recoup potential losses - you may want to reconsider your move. The
risks may be too great.
In terms of feeling
over the hill, that depends on the field you’re targeting. For the
self-employed, age is a factor only when their health is affected.
Leopold Stokowski conducted the world’s top orchestras well into
his 90s. Arthur Rubinstein concertized until his death in his 80s.
And George Burns had nightclub bookings through his 100th birthday.
Far-thinking
employers are recognizing the labor-force implications of the
graying of America. Older workers, they realize, will be a valuable
source of expertise. In my case, McNeil Pharmaceutical and McNeil
Consumer Products (both Johnson & Johnson companies) jointly
hired me as an employee at age 56.
As mentioned above,
consulting is another option. While consultants typically receive no
benefits, the pay tends to be very good. Consulting is most
attractive to those with generous early retirement packages - or
those with working spouses who provide the full range of benefits,
in addition to a steady income.
Do Your Homework -- A
major factor in successful career changes is research. If you want
to go into business, start by checking with the local office of
Small Business Administration. Next, talk to the loan officer at
your bank. Consult with others in the field. Is there demand for
your proposed venture? Do you have a clearly defined market niche or
other competitive advantage?
If you want to enter
another profession, check the current supply and demand. What’s
the unemployment rate in this field? Contact members of the relevant
professional organization and check with prospective employers. Ask
yourself if you’d be willing to relocate.
Would the new
profession require retraining? If so, is a college education or an
advanced degree required? In such fields as insurance and stock
brokerage, certification courses are offered while on the job. Other
fields require courses lasting several months in special schools.
For information that
will help you make realistic choices about retraining, check with
your local college or university. Many have departments of external
services to help you decide about continuing education. Most also
offer vocational guidance centers that provide career counseling and
testing.
If full-time
retraining isn’t a viable option for you, consider attending
evening or weekend classes. Many employers are willing to pay for
advanced education, especially if the employee is able to use his or
her newly acquired skills on the job.
Returning to college
can be a tough but extremely satisfying experience. Competing with
people many years your junior forces you to truly recharge your
batteries. Success or failure depends on your attitude.
Re-entering school at
age 52, I constantly reminded myself that although some of my
classmates were sharper and faster, I had an ingredient they lacked:
a lifetime of experience. Learning new skills, acquiring the latest
information, even simply sitting in a classroom - it all made me
feel young again, filled with energy and curiosity, excited at the
prospect of building a new life. Graduation was one of the happiest,
proudest days of my life. I was 54.
In other words it’s
never too late to make a career change. The key is to approach the
transition with the proper blend of enthusiasm and realism.
Reprinted from National
Business Employment Weekly.
Sourced from:
http://live.looksmart.com/cgi-bin/framer?http%3A%2F%2Foutreach.missouri.edu%2Fcareer_options%2Fjob.htm%23CHANGING
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