A new profession at 40: why it's not too late and how to decide to change jobs

Why is it difficult to decide on a career change after 40 years

1. Stereotypes get in the way

The 40th anniversary is often perceived as a kind of milestone of achievement: a person has already received an education, most likely started a family, advanced in a career. Therefore, society is wary of decisions that break the usual way of life. The reason for ageism is discrimination against people because of their age. It may seem to a person that against the background of young active colleagues, he loses. But such prejudices have no real basis. The results of recent research show that the more diverse the team by gender, age and origin, the it is betterDiversity wins: How inclusion matters / McKinsey for business.

2. It's scary to change

As a rule, such fear is experienced by those who have not changed jobs for a long time (or never). Uncertainty paralyzes, and you really don’t want to leave your comfort zone. Indeed, in the existing reality there are mortgage payments, vacation plans and strong friendships with the girls from the accounting department. However, the negative from the work itself outweighs the salary and the atmosphere in the team. In such cases, it is worth considering what is more terrible - to learn a new profession at the age of 40 or to do something that does not bring pleasure all your life.

3. Pity the time

You have already spent years getting a profession. And now, all again you need to start from scratch. But the time of carefree students has passed - the calendar is packed with important things for the weeks ahead. To acquire skills sufficient for employment in many specialties, courses are enough. After some of them, you can look for a job in a few months. But even if you have to allocate a couple of years to learn a new profession, you should consider this time as an investment in yourself.

4. Unemployment scares

She is sometimes on the news. And yet, it seems, everyone has a friend of an acquaintance who left his job five years ago and still cannot find a new one. In fact, you may exaggerate the real risks due to cognitive biases. For example, people inclinedWhy do we focus on items or information that are more prominent and ignore those that are not? / The Decision Lab pay attention only to the information that is meaningful to them. If you are afraid of unemployment, you will memorize stories of career failures and skip stories with happy endings. In order not to worry in vain, go to any site with vacancies and check for yourself how high the demand for a particular specialty is.

Should You Change Your Career at 40?

In fact, the answer to this question must be sought without regard to age. Russians spend at work until 40 hoursLabor force, employment and unemployment in Russia / Federal State Statistics Service in Week. This is a large amount of time, and you want to spend it usefully at 30, and at 40, and at 60 years old. You should consider changing careers if:

• You don't have enough money. When salaries are generally low in the industry, a raise or a move to another company will not improve your financial situation.
• Work negatively affects personal life. You constantly stay late, cancel meetings with friends and answer calls of colleagues even at night.
• There was a feeling of stagnation. You automatically do the same tasks every day and feel like you hit a ceiling of opportunity.
• Thinking about work causes apathy. In the office, you look at your watch every five minutes, and the mood rises only before the weekend.

How to change careers at 40

It will be easier to get a new profession if you draw up a clear plan of action.

1. Explore the Market

Some interesting specialties have appeared recently. When you graduated from high school, you obviously didn’t hear anything about targetologists, digital marketers, or game designers. Explore the market: what professions are in demand, how many vacancies are there, how much money is offered at the start.

Go to a couple of meetups or open lectures. This will allow not only to “try on” a new specialty, but also to acquire useful connections. Subscribe to thematic channels or groups in social networks. If you regularly read industry news, it will be easier for you to imagine how she lives.

2. Assess your skills and desires

Try to pay attention to specialties in which already acquired skills will be useful. Let's say you used to work as an accountant. So, you can try to retrain as a tester - perseverance, attentiveness and love for numbers will also come in handy there.

Think about what annoys you about your current job. Can't stand coming to the office at nine in the morning? A profession in which a flexible schedule is possible is suitable, for example, an SMM specialist or a copywriter. Don't forget about soft skills. If you do not like intrusive communication, you should not start a new career in team projects.

3. Find a direction for development

Make a list of the skills you lack. For example, many positions require English - start learning it today. Look for courses or internships and estimate how long it will take you to change careers. If possible, take small part-time jobs during your studies. This will allow you to gain the necessary experience, and money is not superfluous.

4. Get to grips with your own schedule

Combining work and courses is a task with an asterisk. And if family care is added, it becomes very difficult. Allocate specific time for classes in your personal schedule and explain to your loved ones how important this is for you. On study days, delegate some of the work: for example, ask your partner to sort out dinner in advance, help the children with homework, and walk the dog.

Properly distribute the load - studying materials at night hardly helps to assimilate the material with high quality. If you need to turn in a project in a course, don't delay the deadline until the last day. In order not to procrastinate, find a convenient time management method. Lists, mobile apps, even a huge alarm clock on your desk—anything that can help you connect your studies with your personal life will do.

5. Update your resume

Your data, education, work experience, additional competencies - everything should fit on one page. By the way, there are many online designers on the Internet that will help you prepare a memorable, but concise resume.

Think about what achievements from a previous job can help you find a new one. Let's say you want to become an HR professional. You should not crumble in vague formulations about sociability and ability to work. Burn the facts: write how you negotiated with clients or organized a corporate party for 300 people.

6. Start your job search

Tell on social networks that you are actively looking for a dream job. Explore specialized sites. If you dream of working for a particular company, try contacting a recruiter directly. Explain how you can help and send a link to your resume. The firm may not have open positions, but when they do, you may be remembered.

Prepare for every interview. Look for information about the company you were invited to. Plan your answers ahead of time. In addition, it makes sense to create your own scenario of "interrogation" of the employer. For example, it is worth learning about the salary bracket and the system for evaluating the performance of employees.