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Starting your career over at any age can be intimidating, and as you get older, these worries can become even more prevalent. But starting a new career after 50 isn’t as overwhelming—or as difficult—as you might think.
Deciding what you want to do and how you want to get there is the first important step. You’ll also need to figure out what you can offer a new employer and how you can show them that you’re the right person for the role. We’ve got some tips that can help you start your new role.
Note:
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How to Change Careers in Your 50s
1. Determine What You Want to Do
When changing careers, it’s important to consider the type of lifestyle you want to live and how your job change will support that lifestyle. Many prefer a new career at or after 50 with more work-life balance or a career that will help them minimize stress and spend more time enjoying personal hobbies and interests.
Before you decide, though, think about the lifestyle you hope to support with that career, and you’ll have a better sense of what you’re looking for in terms of salary and flexible work options like working from home and flexible scheduling.
2. List Your Skills
Transferable skills are essential when changing careers. That’s why it’s crucial to create a long list of your best workplace skills. This should include everything from computer skills and specialized knowledge in your current field to skills like communication and listening.
The next step is to compare these skills to the ones needed in the new career field. Highlight on your career change resume and cover letters the skills you already have that translate to your new career.
And don’t forget to emphasize tech skills. While it’s an unfair assumption, many employers worry that job seekers over 50 won’t have the technology skills to keep up.
“What job search ageism is really about is the employer’s fear that a professional will be out of touch, or not interested in learning new things, or set in their ways. Job seekers over 50 need to show that they’re comfortable with technology, comfortable working for managers who may be significantly younger than them and that their extensive experience isn’t going to stop them from getting in and getting their hands dirty, so to speak,” share the FlexJobs’ career experts.
3. Seek Support
When you’re thinking about reinventing yourself—and your career—you’re going to need support from friends and family. Let them know what you’d like to do and enlist their help. They might be able to help you write a great cover letter specifically for older job seekers or reach out to their contacts who might be able to help you network. Or it might even be as simple as providing emotional support as you navigate these new waters—and find a job that you love.
If, however, you’d like some additional support and advice, consider meeting with a career coach. The career experts share some of the benefits of meeting with a coach: “One of the most common topics people are concerned about is ageism and being an older job seeker.”
They continue, “Coaches can help job seekers identify what they’re already doing well and pinpoint areas for improvement to guard against ageism. For many folks in this position, they haven’t had to search for a new job in a long time, and things have changed quite a lot.”
Career coaches can help people get fully up to date on job search trends and what employers expect to see from applicants today. Especially when it comes to ageism, it’s helpful to have your coach as an independent set of eyes to go through your application materials, LinkedIn profile, and other things, looking for small changes that can make a big difference in how an employer sees you and the first impression you make.
4. Consider More Education
After you update your resume, take a good look at the job listings in your desired career field and see what skills and experience they are asking for.
If you lack some of the skills and expertise the company wants in a viable candidate, it’s a good idea to brush up on your knowledge. That way, you’ll meet the qualifications when you’re ready to start seriously job hunting.
“Job seekers over 50 need to show employers that they are interested and open to learning new things and that they regularly engage in learning on their own. Independently taking a professionally related class or earning a new certification can show employers that you’re self-motivated to do the continuous learning that they prize,” suggest the career experts.
5. Rebrand Yourself
Job seekers of any age in search of a new career field should make a significant effort to rebrand themselves. This involves updating your LinkedIn profile and resume.
“Small things like having a current profile picture on LinkedIn, using a popular email platform like Gmail, or addressing your cover letter with ‘Dear Team at ABC Company’ instead of ‘Dear Sir or Madam’ can help employers continue on to the important pieces of the resume without getting distracted by age red flags.
Including a Technology Skills section on the resume that showcases the programs and platforms you’re familiar with can help show employers you’re comfortable with technology and learning new things,” the career experts point out.
6. Target the Right Companies
While some companies may be averse to hiring someone over the age of 50, not all are. Research companies to connect with ones that openly seek experienced job seekers and have the resources in place to support them.
The Age-Friendly Institute is a great place to start. And if you’re interested in flexible companies that hire older job seekers, check out this list of flexible employers.
7. Prepare for the Tough Questions
Part of a job search includes preparing for the interview. And of course, that means preparing for tough questions.
When you’re searching for a job after age 50, you may encounter questions that directly or indirectly ask about you being overqualified for the role or will quickly be bored by the job. This could indicate that the hiring manager is concerned about your age.
Prepare answers that focus on why you’re excited about the job or the company. Talk about how your past has prepared you for this role or career path. You can also talk about why you won’t be bored in the role (you’re looking for something more flexible or that allows you to take a step down in your career).
8. Network
Though people find job search success using job boards, more people find their jobs through networking. This is especially true when you’re searching for a job after 50.
Tapping your network can help you connect with the hidden job market and find openings you may not have otherwise known about. And applying for a job with someone in your corner can help you overcome any ageism you may face as an “unknown” applicant.
9. Watch Your Language
You’ll want to tailor your cover letter and resume for every job you apply to. As part of this customization, you’ll incorporate keywords from the job description in your application.
However, there are parts of your resume that you won’t need to customize. But make sure those areas use up-to-date language.
For example, instead of stating that you have 17 or 22 years of experience, say you have “over 10 years of experience.” Likewise, most hiring managers expect that you know how to operate a computer, so it’s not necessary to state that in your skills section.
10. Consider Alternatives
While you might be in the market for a full-time or even part-time job, consider alternatives to help you bridge the gap while you look for something permanent.
People hiring for contract and temporary roles often care less about your age compared to your experience (and track record for showing up!). These roles can help you keep your skills fresh and demonstrate to other hiring managers that you would be a valuable addition to their team.
11. Test the Waters
It’s not enough to want to have a new career after 50; you should also try it out before committing. So look for ways in which you can test out your new career, such as getting a (paid) adult internship or even a part-time or flexible job in your newfound area of interest. That firsthand experience will help you determine if this job type—and industry as a whole—is a true fit for you.
The Best Careers for Career Changers Over 50
While you absolutely want to choose a new career that appeals to you and even uses some of your previous experience and skills, some career fields are more primed for older workers than others.
Below are some of the best fields for career changers over the age of 50.
1. Administrative
An administrative position may not sound like a flexible job, but there are plenty of remote and flexible administrative roles. As a virtual assistant, you can work from the comfort of your home office (or wherever you work best) and for only the clients you choose. And whether you want to work five or 40 hours a week, you control your schedule.
Working in the administrative field doesn’t mean standing at a filing cabinet all day. Many administrative professionals book travel, coordinate marketing and social media efforts, or even act as project managers.
2.
Teachers and trainers share information with an audience to help them learn new information. And though teaching makes a great second (or even third) career, for many, the thought of teaching in a classroom is not appealing. Thanks to technology, though, the education and training field is no longer limited to traditional, in-classroom jobs. And with the uncertainties around the pandemic, these roles are likely to stay online for the near future.
You could work at a college as an adjunct professor, teaching one or two classes a semester. Or, you could teach through an online school, instructing students while never stepping foot in a classroom.
Tutoring is another great way to help students in need. Working in a one-on-one setting or with small groups can help students understand and retain the knowledge they need.
Companies also need teachers and trainers. Whether it’s educating leaders on how new legislation could impact their business, or helping staff understand and navigate new information about their profession, trainers are necessary to help people learn what’s new in their field.
3. Writing
Writing is an excellent career choice for people who desire flexibility, the freedom to work from anywhere, and the ability to choose who you want to work for. What’s great about changing to a writing career is that you don’t have to have any “special” training or certifications. All you need is the desire to write and the ability to write well.
Writers create documents that serve a variety of purposes. They can entertain, inform, or even teach. For example, technical writers create technical documents about how to operate machinery or how to troubleshoot something. In copywriting roles, writerscreate copy that not only informs readers about the product, but also motivates them to buy the product.
4.
Though changing to a career in accounting and finance could require additional education and certifications, it can be the perfect career for those who love to work with numbers and want flexibility and control over their work life.
For example, as a bookkeeper, you could work one or two days a week helping local companies with their profit and loss statements. Or, you could become a tax preparer and help people file their taxes in April and throughout the year. In either case, you have control over how many clients you want to work with, giving you the flexibility to work when you want and for whom you want.
5.
Like the accounting and finance field, changing to the medical and health field likely requires additional training or extensive experience. However, if you’re willing, you can train for a new field that gives you freedom and flexibility.
The medical and health field offers a variety of direct service roles. However, that doesn’t mean you have to work in a hospital or doctor’s office. For example, as a nurse, you can work as a nurse manager or coordinator. You can even work remotely, traveling to patients’ homes to provide services, or virtually, providing online consultations and advice.
However, direct care isn’t the only opportunity in the medical and health field. You can also work in medical coding and billing as a medical transcriptionist or medical scribe, work in the front office scheduling patient appointments, or even work as a dental assistant. To learn more about becoming a medical scribe, read What Is a Medical Scribe? Average Salary, Skills and More.
6.
Mortgage and real estate jobs are perfect for career changers of any age.
To start as a real estate agent, all you need is a state certification. Beyond that, no formal education is required. And with the ability to choose how many or how few clients you take in, you are in complete control of your schedule and workload.
In addition to real estate agents, the mortgage and real estate field has other opportunities for career changers. There’s more to buying a house than picking out the one you like. Appraisers and home inspectors, for example, help home buyers during the purchasing process.
But many people don’t want to buy a home and prefer to rent one, which opens up more career change opportunities. For example, leasing agents show prospective tenants’ homes and apartments. And property managers make sure the house, apartment, or building stays in shape and fix problems as they happen.
Finding a New Career After 50 With FlexJobs
Starting a new career at or after 50 puts you in a unique situation to utilize your life experience and professional background to find a career you’re passionate about.
