Midlife Career Change...

Midlife career change means many workers leaving jobs before state pension age have little option about the timing of retirement. Those workers who are in professional and managerial jobs over 40 or after 50 years old tend to enjoy much greater choice and control over how and when they leave the workforce than those in less privileged occupations. And whilst the default retirement age in the UK remains at 65 for male workers, that looks set to change soon.

I describe how I made my own MidLife Career Change at the bottom of this page.

This may be a fact but, midlife career change is a real possibility, not just for over age workers, but for most people.

Some even view it actively as a considered career option when they wish to down-shift to other jobs after 50 for instance. Are you over 50 and looking for a job?

But with age prejudice and age discrimination affecting both junior and senior workers, it is the oldest who are typically hardest hit. There are so many different options for working how do you know which ones are likely to be best for you? Here are some things to consider.

What about Writing as a Career? Take a look at Writing As a Career and find out how you can succeed as a writer.

You could also look at how to make money online without having to sell, as a way forward in your career or join the growing number of people who work at jobs at home.

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We have lots of links to job finding services on our find a job page plus links to job search engines for midlife career change you may not have found yet!

Over 50 and Changing Careers? You'd Better Have a Plan

Like it or not, if you're over 40 or over 50 and changing careers, you're going to face some challenges that younger workers aren't accustomed to. There's an unspoken bias out there against older workers - at least in many companies - and unless you plan ahead and are prepared to meet that bias head on, you could be in for a long and frustrating job search.

For many employers, "older" workers mean trouble. The perception is that workers over 50 will have more health problems, will miss more work days, will be more forgetful and make more mistakes on the job, and will cost more to insure. There's also the belief that an employer will have to pay an older worker more, and that they'll get less for their investment when the worker retires or moves on.

And perhaps the worst bias that older job seekers have to face is the idea that they're "dinosaurs," or some kind of museum relic that's out of touch with the needs of modern business. And what's surprising is that many of the employers who feel this way are over 50 themselves!

Now an employer isn't going to come out and tell you that you're too old for the job - that kind of discrimination is illegal, after all. You're more likely to hear something like "You're overqualified for the position," or "We're looking for an entry-level worker to fill this post."

And this comes at a time when people are living longer, more productive lives than ever before. A man or woman in good health today can expect to live to be 76 years old. And with the elimination of pension plans in most corporations, and the fall back of the stock market in recent years, many employees will have to work well beyond the traditional retirement age of 65.

So what are older job seekers supposed to do? Well first off, you need to acknowledge the challenge but don't let it discourage you. Many companies are hiring workers over 50, and some of them actually prefer "mature" employees because of their experience and dependability. So you can still make a midlife career change and find a job, but it will probably take a little longer than you were expecting.

And many older workers are skipping the job search all together in favor of starting their own businesses or moving into freelancing opportunities. Some are turning long-time hobbies into full-time businesses. In fact, a lot of these folks see a career change late in life as an opportunity to explore their passions and do things they've always wanted to do.

No matter which path you choose to take, you'll need to sit down and formulate a plan of action. If you decide that you want to seek a new job instead of starting your own business, here are some tips to help you get started:

-- Look for openings at smaller companies. Smaller firms tend to be more open to hiring older workers, and your experience may be more valuable here than in a larger corporation.

-- Network. This is just as important for older job-seekers as it is for younger ones. Spread the word that you're looking to change jobs or careers. Tell family and friends. And search on the Internet for companies in your area that look promising.

-- Use your resume to your advantage. If you have college degrees, list them, but don't give the date when they were awarded. You only need to go back 15 or 20 years when listing past jobs, and it's best to only include experience that pertains to the job you're seeking.

-- Be positive during your interview. Highlight your experience and positive attributes. Be sure to tell the interviewer about your past accomplishments. Project an air of youthfulness, and make it clear that you intend to work for the company for a long time: it is a midlife career change.

And most of all, don't get discouraged. Just remember that Colonel Sanders didn't launch his fried chicken empire until he was 65 years old, and George Burns re-invented himself as a movie actor at age 80. There are lots of opportunities for older workers, you just have to stay positive and keep trying.

Kent Johnson - author, publisher, career coach.
"Helping people realize their dreams one career at a time."
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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kent_Johnson

Midlife career change, then can be an option for most people, but means you will have to work at it more than younger up-and-coming applicants. You must make more of your network of contacts, along with their contacts. People who know you directly or from a recommendation are more likely to consider your abilities and competence, than simply your age.

Although your skills and experience may be much greater than the person who interviews you, you will be perceived as more of an asset than a threat if you acknowledge their superior position; show how you will support them and help them to further their career.

You can learn everything you need to know in order to make a successful midlife career change by referring to the material on this site. Find out how to describe your key strengths, to write covering letters and prepare Your CV; and how to prepare for interview questions.

Midlife Career Change Resources

www.laterlife.com

This UK site is designed specifically for those of usover 50 who want to make the most of later life and those of us who want to plan and enjoy an active retirement lifestyle.

www.skilledpeople.com

Skilled People.com is the one stop shop for experienced people with skills and know-how who are seeking full time employment, part time work or voluntary positions.We specialise in finding jobs for the over 50s with employers who recognise the value of experience.

www.maturityworks.com

MaturityWorks aims to promote better recruitment practice amongst employers and give the mature worker access to the best job opportunities available.

Quite simply, MaturityWorks puts companies and mature workers in touch with each other for their mutual benefit.

My Mid-Life Career Change Success

I made my career change at the age of 52 when I started working from my own home office. I am able to measure my career success by the way that I can reach people needing careers advice in every corner of the globe. My website (Your Career Change) helps me provide the careers information and related services that my visitors want, without me having to worry about the technical stuff to do with building a website.

When you realise that I have clients in so many places, for example, I have written CVs and Resumes for clients in The UK, USA, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Ireland, Hong Kong, Singapore, India, Dubai, Australia, New Zealand, China, Montenegro and Monaco, you start to see how valuable a professional website is to any business.

Many of my clients do not have English as a first language but still need a good English language UK CV.

With this website, I am able to work from my home office, be with my family and still concentrate on my clients by letting the built-in tools take care of the technical issues that come with any website. And it only costs $29.99 per month to build a business like mine!

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