Good news for midlife career changers
By Juliet Gardner, Adult Career Transition Specialist with Career Jigsaw, Brisbane
Career change for people in their 40s and 50s is often seen as being more difficult than for younger workers. Today, many of the myths surrounding older workers are under attack. We now know that this group is a potential goldmine for Australian employers and one that can no longer be ignored.
If you are facing a midlife career change, the following points may help you through your transition.
Transitions: surviving the ride
Transitions are a normal part of life. They are a time of renewal, an opportunity to let go of some things in order to make room for the new. It is the unanticipated, or unexpected, transitions such as retrenchment, or having to give up work because of illness, that can cause us the most anxiety.
For some, career transitions can be a roller-coaster ride of emotions. In the case of job loss, for example, feelings of anger, blame, fear, shock and shame are all normal. Allow yourself to experience these emotions without guilt so that you can move through them and begin rebuilding your future. They serve as a bridge between hurt and healing.
During times of transition, make sure that you:
- Look after your health by eating sensibly, exercising regularly, and getting plenty of sleep.
- Surround yourself with positive people who believe in you and encourage you.
- Maintain your networks and work hard to extend them.
- Keep up hobbies and interests that relax you and give you pleasure.
Older workers: valuable and viable
It is now recognised that older workers are too valuable a resource to waste. Access Economics confirmed this in its Population Ageing and the Economy report to the Federal Government in January 2001. This report confirmed that mature workers:
- are highly productive
- possess experience and wisdom
- produce above average quality of work
- are loyal to their employer
- have a good work ethic
- have lower turnover rates
- have lower absenteeism levels.
The Australian population is ageing rapidly. Access Economics warns that, because of this, employers need to capitalise on the benefits offered by mature workers. Otherwise, they will pay a premium for younger people with less experience, greater training needs, and higher rates of job turnover and absenteeism.
Hot tips for clued-up career changers
- Be positive. You always knew that mature workers have a lot to offer. So do you. Approach your job search optimistically.
- Define exactly what it is you want to do next. Ensure that it is something that you are passionate about.
- Make sure your job search skills are up-to-date.
- Do your homework. Use the internet, libraries, networks and your friends to research jobs and organisations.
- Be proactive. Don’t wait for jobs to be advertised. Approach employers that interest you, even if they are not advertising.
- Update your computer skills.
- Make sure your resume does you justice. If in doubt, get help.
- Talk to your referees and get their advice. Always treat them with courtesy and respect.
- Make good use of any assistance available to you. If you decide to use a career counsellor, choose carefully. The Australian Association of Career Counsellors’ website (www.aacc.org.au) is a good starting point.
Useful Websites
Good luck with your career transition, and don’t look back!
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