Welcome to Mind Tools
Posts To Help You Think, Do and Feel Better
Let’s Talk About Re-Careering
Many people in their 30s,40s, and 50s are facing similar experiences. They may have decided that their careers are no longer fulfilling, been laid off, or been terminated. As a result, they face different challenges and opportunities than their younger counterparts.
Architect your new career around you. As the earth revolves around the sun, your re-careering strategy should revolve around you. You’ve earned the right to be selfish regarding your re-career choice.
Take pen to paper (literally, electronic notes don’t count), and brainstorm the following:
Design your personal mission and vision statement and write it out. This helps you identify what is most important and will help you to laser-focus on what this stage of your journey will look like.
What type of environment would you like to work in? What would your ideal workplace culture represent?
Are you pursuing another full-time position or part-time? Are you interested in WFH positions, hybrids, or on-site reporting?
Think about specific tasks or projects that you worked on in the past that brought you fulfillment. Which of your skill sets did you use? How could you incorporate these into your new career?
What did you like, dislike, or find challenging in your past role? Were your job and your values ever misaligned? You want to approach this as a fresh start, so it’s essential to dig deep and unearth these factors.
Get honest with yourself and identify your strengths and weaknesses. Then, step it up by asking a trusted and valued colleague to assess your strengths and weaknesses (this can make for a more accurate assessment). Use the information to create a SWOT analysis to identify what you’re best at.
Determine whether your strengths are transferable to the position you are leaning towards.
A well-designed strategic and tactical plan will help crystalize ideas and identify challenges and possible resolutions while keeping you encouraged and motivated.
As a later-life career changer, you’ve skillfully amassed a career arsenal that can only add value to you in the eyes of your future employee.
Play the hand you’ve been dealt skillfully by leveraging the knowledge and wisdom that exposure and time have afforded you.
If you need help with re-careering, feel free to reach out to me, and prepare to soar!
Keep Evolving.
Beatrice Faulkner, CEG M.S.
High Performance Coach
