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Hi Julie,
I am in my forties and feeling a bit unhappy in my teaching job. I want to make a career change…but I have no clue where to begin! Who would want an old duck like me?! I have worked as a teacher for my whole professional life…took some time off to raise the kids and am now doing 3 days a week. I want to make a transition into a field like nursing or life coaching (I haven’t decided on the particualrs yet!). What I know is that I just don’t have the passion or the drive for teaching anymore. I’m worried about keeping my income up while I find work I love. My husband and I are financially stable and we could do without a second income for a while, but not forever. I’m worried that if I throw away my job I will just end up worse off in a year or two. What can I do? – Leanne
Hi Leanne,
A career change at any age is a difficult transition to make – but it is particularly daunting as we get older.
This link leads to an article that I wrote on achieving a career change after 40. I want to use this post to elaborate a bit more on why career changes are so sticky!
A couple of factors are generally at play…
Number one is the practical side of things. As adults we have a family that relies on us, as well as a certain standard of lifestyle we would like to maintain. When you’re 23 and unattached, quitting your job and rolling with the punches doesn’t carry the same consequences as it does when you have family and a mortgage in the mix. A career change often means that you also need to invest in education and training, and working your way back up the ladder. This time commitment and financial sacrifice can make anyone feel a little light-headed!
While you mention that you are financially stable at present, there is still a lot of planning to go into your career change in terms of your everyday costs, as well as your super and savings. Nursing and life coaching each require qualifications before you can dive into the workforce. Research the training, time commitment and costs involved in these options. If you decide to pursue life coaching, you may also need to investigate what it takes to establish your own small business. Compare all of these details to your lifestyle at present and think on how you can make it work.
Sometimes, the answer won’t be so pretty. Until recently I was working full time as General Manager of a global IT company while building and running Clarity Road. This meant a lot of late nights, early mornings and jam packed days – but it also allowed me to reach a point where I can focus on my passion without sacrificing my family’s financial security.
With this in mind, I want you to make sure that the path you choose is one that inspires and excites you. A career change later in life means a lot of hard work and long hours. Without a strong passion for what you are doing, it can be easier to throw in the towel and decide that it’s too late. To stay focussed, you need to pursue something that you love.
The second factor at play is our confidence. That little voice in your head that says you aren’t tech savvy or flexible enough to be considered by an employer can halt you in your career change stride.
But after teaching for decades, you have undoubtedly built up a bank of knowledge and experience that can only work in your favour. You may have shown loyalty to your employer, excellent organisational skills and empathy toward your students. All of these skills are highly transferable to life coaching and nursing alike. Everyone has to start somewhere – in this respect, you have a leg up on the competition. So stop doubting yourself!
A bit of planning, a lot of hard work and a truckload of self belief will have you on your way to a career change in no time!
With every good wish,
Julie
