Changing Jobs Midlife

 If you are looking for a change of direction, or if you lose your  job and you're 50 and over, it is not the end of the world. This could be an opportunity to re-invent yourself. For most of us, the days of a 'job for life' were really already over. Employment is now being extended to late in life, is far more uncertain, and everyone is having to change roles with their employers. This article looks at the options, assistance available, and case stories of some people who might be like you.

It can be an initial shock to be made redundant, a situation you never thought would happen. The fallout from the global credit crisis has happened so quickly, that’s it been hard to plan for something like this. It was only a year or so ago that things seemed on a meteoric rise forever and the resources industry was the golden star thet would carry us all through on a high. We have certainly seen all the good signs of recovery lately, but with a view to some caution in the foreseeable future. 

Maybe you’ve always thought that later on you would like to try something else, at least to say you ‘gave it a go’, but too many responsibilities got in the way of you doing it. Swapping to a new career, something you regretted not doing when you were younger, may not be as hard as you think.

Being close to 50 or beyond is no longer a period of winding down to retirement, some people say 50 is the new 30. Whatever, it’s never too late to try something new. This could just be the beginning of a new adventure in your life. Don't be put off by the thought of going back to the job market again, as you will have many new skills, and a lot more experience than you did the first time around. Getting in touch with a good, targeted job agency is a good start, and there are step by step guides you can follow to make the process easier.

We have independently chosen to review information and literature available from workplace.gov.au, the government website providing information and advice on everything related to work. Follow the link to workplace.gov.au at the end of this article to get more details on the points and excerpts below.

The workplace website provides some tips and hints on how to get started, and covers lots of different topics around re-employment. We have selected some below as part of our review:

Starting over

'Joe is a 52year old Taxi Drive who is not really happy working the long hours and shift work required in his current employment. He has decided to get into the Aged Care sector because he enjoys working with people and sees a good demand for these services in the future. He found out that he needed to become further qualified, and is just finishing his Certificate, which he was able to do due to his flexible hours as a cabbie. He is looking forward to his new career, and feeling safer at work.' 

Motivating yourself can be hard and stressful when you are not in your comfort zone. Tips on how to navigate the journey into a new career when you have limited understanding of where to start can be of help, if only as a rough guide:

http://www.workplace.gov.au/Jobseeker/Careers/CareerJobSearchTips/Matureagejobseeking.htm

http://www.workplace.gov.au/Jobseeker/Careers/CareerJobSearchTips/ChangingCareers.htm

Transfering your skills

'Maria, 49, has had a career as a secretary and then a PA. When her children left home, she went back to study at night in Human Resources Management. Her previous experience helped her gain a more rewarding career as an HR Officer, on successful completion of her Degree.'

Everyone has skills gained over their working life from a variety of settings. It is possible to transfer some and maybe most of them into a new job situation. It may be that the job you are doing has become too physically demanding and that you can transfer some of these skills to a less strenuous area of the profession, or build on to improve the level of skill already there. There are some tips on the link below:

http://www.workplace.gov.au/Jobseeker/Careers/CareerJobSearchTips/Usingourtransferableskills.htm

Writing a resume to present you at your best

'Anne is a 56 year old who has worked casually in Domestic Assistance, including cleaning, for the last 15 years while bringing up her family. She needed a job that provided more permanent hours, so sought the assistance of a professional to help her re-write her resume. She now has a job in a professional kitchen, with reliable hours, and has gained new skills in food preparation and serving.'

Your resume is your ‘face’ when applying for a job before you get the chance for an interview. What’s on paper can be powerful in reflecting your range of skills, achievements, confidence and integrity. A well written resume can get you in the door - it's up to you after that:

http://www.workplace.gov.au/Jobseeker/Careers/CareerJobSearchTips/midlifecareerchange.htm

Job seeking tips for older workers

Age can be a factor in any job you are applying for, but it can be turned to being an advantage, rather than a barrier. There are new careers for Baby Boomers.

A career counsellor could help you to get a clear picture of where you want to go and what your options are. They can help you set realistic goals, and to overcome real and perceived barriers. The following website articles provide some tips for job seeking:

http://www.workplace.gov.au/workplace/Individual/CareerJobSearchTips/All/Matureagejobseeking.htm

http://www.workplace.gov.au/Jobseeker/Careers/CareerJobSearchTips/All/Jobhuntingtipsforover45s.htm

You can find a career counsellor at http://www.cdaa.org.au/emtysearch 

Assistance is out there if you need it. Remember, life doesn’t stop at 50 and neither should getting paid for work you enjoy doing. There are many examples of people over 50 who have had success in their jobs, not just so called ‘professionals, but people who’ve got their truck license, become a nurse, or gone back to study and re-invented themselves. Maybe you will be one of those people, and not just a statistic.

Link for this review

Follow this link to the Workplace website, which is managed by the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, for more information and details on the source of this review.

http://www.workplace.gov.au/workplace/Individual/Jobseeker/Careers/CareerJobSearchTips/All/

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Disclaimer: The information contained in this section should not be used for individual financial or professional advice. Please seek independent financial or professional advice if you have concerns or specific questions relating to your money and situation.