Navigating a career change later in life

Or maybe you’re worried about what a move will do to your pension, your 401K, or your Social Security benefits.

It might feel silly to consider switching things up when you’ve already put years — or decades — into your current profession, but trust us, it’s not.

So far in 2023, 96% of Americans have considered switching careers, mainly because of the rising cost of living, but also because they felt like they’d hit the metaphorical glass ceiling.

No matter what your reason for wanting to ditch your cubicle, we’re here to tell you: It's never too late.

Here’s a look at the logistics of switching careers later in life, plus some tips on how to make the transition go smoothly.

Taking that leap of faith

Change can be daunting, but it’s often the best way forward — a lesson we often lose sight of as we get older.

During the “Great Resignation” of 2021, 53% of Americans didn’t just quit their jobs, but switched their careers, according to CNBC. Almost half of those who jumped ship were over 30.

This shift has a lot to do with the way the workforce landscape has evolved in the wake of the pandemic.

The Harvard Business Review reported that in 2023, hybrid work environments became the rule, rather than the exception; more organizations turned to non-traditional channels to add to their talent pool, and higher levels of flexibility for employees became more common.

You could almost call it a golden age for career switchers, with more opportunities than ever in many U.S. industries.

Improving your chances of a smooth landing

Making a career change later in life will naturally require some careful planning.

Beyond identifying your long-term goals, there are concrete steps you can take to make sure you’re as prepared as possible.

First, update your resumé to include your “soft”, or transferable, skills, like solid communication, adaptability and problem-solving, along with any technical expertise you may have picked up at your current job (e.g. Photoshop, Google Analytics, Salesforce).

Next, upload your revised resumé to online job boards like ZipRecruiter, Monster and Indeed, and start applying for every role that seems like it might be a good fit.

You may also want to ask your younger peers to give you “reverse mentoring”: Learning current recruitment trends and workplace perspectives may help you land your dream job.

If the job search process takes longer than you expect, don’t get discouraged.

In his best-selling book The 10x Rule, Grant Cardone suggests setting goals that are 10 times higher than what you expect. To translate that to the job search, if you expect you’ll need to send out 25 resumés to secure an interview, the “10 times rule” prepares you to send out 10 times that amount.

So rather than waiting for the proverbial phone to ring with that magic job offer, keep filling out applications and practicing for your next interview.

Crunching the numbers

Even once you’ve found a promising lead, It’s completely valid to be concerned about your pension and your 401K.