Is it too late to change careers?

Do you find yourself feeling bored at work and daydreaming about working somewhere else? Perhaps you’re being overlooked for promotions or can’t be promoted any further. If your current career isn’t exciting you any more, it could be time for a career change.

After all, you probably spend over 1800 hours at work each year, and that’s a lot of time to feel dissatisfied with your job.

Changing careers might mean that you need to study for new qualifications. For instance, if you’d like to work as a Mortgage Adviser, you’ll need to pass CeMAP or an equivalent qualification. Simply Academy’s courses are ideal for anyone considering a new career in Financial Services, but maybe you’re feeling nervous about starting again in a new sector.

It’s normal to feel anxious about a big change like this, but is it ever too late to change careers?

Am I too old to change careers

The days of a single job or career for life have gone, and it’s now very common for people to have multiple careers during their lifetime. One reason for this is simply because people are living longer and therefore working longer.

It used to be normal for women to retire at 60 and for men to work until 65 in the UK, but now the state pension age is 67 years old. So there is plenty of time to start a new career at 40, 50 or even older.

Another reason for the increase in career changers is that people look for different things from their work at different stages of life. For instance, when they have young children, they may need a job that allows them to work close to school or take time off during school holidays. But once their children have grown up, they can be free to choose a career that includes travel or irregular hours.

So a career change in midlife or older is definitely possible, but there are a number of factors to consider. These include:

Are you happy to start at the bottom?

You’ll probably have to start a career in a new field with an entry level position. And if you’re starting a new career after the age of 40, there’s a good chance that you’ll be working for someone younger than you. Think carefully about whether you’ll be happy to do this before you make your final decision.

Do you have any transferable skills?

Although you’re beginning a new career, you might not be starting again from scratch. You may have developed skills in your current career that are also useful in your new profession. Make sure that you include these in your CV and cover letter and point them out at interviews.

What training will you need?

It’s likely that you’ll need some training or education to land a job in your chosen field. This could be expensive but it’s worth checking if you can spread the cost of your qualifications. Simply Academy offers Buy Now Pay Later plans for our Financial Services training courses with payments starting from just £10 per month.

Can you afford to transition to a new career?

It may take a while to find a job in your new chosen field, and you could well start on a lower salary than in your current job. You might need to cut your expenditure or rely on savings to plug the gap for a while.

Taking an online course like our CeMAP e-learning course is a good way to get the qualifications you need before you leave your current role.

You need to think carefully about the advantages and disadvantages about changing careers, and it may be worth seeking career advice online or in person.

Is it ever too late to change your career

It’s true that there are some careers that will be difficult to start at a more advanced age but many people find that a career change at any age is a good move. You may have to accept a lower salary in the short term, but the increase in job satisfaction and happiness will make it all worthwhile in the long term.

After all, even if you start a career at the age of 50, that will still give you 17 years before state retirement age. If you’re willing to work hard and you’re passionate about your new role, it’s never too late to change your career!