Career Change Late in Your Career: Focus on Your Strengths Rather than Your History

You’re never too old to pivot in your career.

That’s the advice of career coach Patrice Lindo, CEO of Career Nomad, a consulting firm, in an online article from CNBC Make It. We’re learning that the pandemic created a sea change in the way people think about and manage their careers. From wanting more work from home flexibility to challenging previous career goals and values, workers from all generations are making changes. Roughly 22% of workers across the nation have considered changing careers, according to a recent Zippia report.

It’s natural to think that career change later in life will be a challenge, and data backs that up. Hiring managers report a strong preference for candidates who are 30-44 years old – mature enough to have advanced experience and skills, young enough to have fire in the belly and plenty of time left in their careers. No surprise there.

It does take skill and strategy to persuade a company to invest in an employee that may have less than a decade of serious career growth in front of them. The key to success is to show your commitment to constant growth in your career, no matter your age. 

It’s also important to demonstrate that you don’t come to a team with a know-it-all attitude or other toxic baggage. You’ll need to draft a compelling narrative about why you want to pursue a new career path or industry and the thought and commitment you’ve put into the decision. If you can show that you’ve done your homework, understand the company, role, and/or industry you’re pursuing, and your commitment to lifelong learning, you’re hitting the right notes.

Emphasize what you bring to the table: depth of transferrable experience and skills, maturity and commitment to this phase of your career (it’s unusual to see 55 or 60-year-old job hoppers), a passion for mentoring – and openness to learning from your peers, no matter their age or seniority.

What’s perceived as ageism is often code for legitimate concerns from recruiters and hiring managers. They’re tasked with finding workers who can fit in with an existing team’s culture and energy while contributing in a significant way to productivity and growth.

So there are objections you’ll need to overcome, some voiced and others implied. Be ready to show how flexible you are, how comfortable you are with technology and interacting with remote and diverse teams. (If you’re not, you may not be considered by many companies.)

I’ve written before that workers with a lot of experience can opt to make their resumes more like proposals. Resumes focus on what you’ve done in the past, while proposals outline what you can do for a client – or an employer. Focus on your capabilities and use your research to apply ideas to solve your potential employer’s most pressing problems.

We know that the qualities employers value most are ageless: Deep experience, reliability, resourcefulness, and a solid work ethic. You can pivot any time you can demonstrate these are what you’ll be bring to your new role.