How to Change Your Career When You’re 30 or 40

READ TIME - 5 MINUTES

You’re 40, have been working for 15-20 years, and now need a change.

In your head, you might be thinking it’s too late to make a change—no one will accept you, it’s too late to build a new skill set, and companies won’t be willing to take you on.

I was in your shoes a few times in my career, and reality proved me wrong.

I’m 45 years old.

I started my career in retail, moved to finance for 10 years, and, at the age of 33, switched from banking to supply chain (railroading). Then, at 43, I made another switch to sports. Different jobs, different responsibilities.

What most people overlook is that at the age of 30 or 40, you still have 25 to 35 years left in your career. Think about that again.

You can still start from scratch and even build another career if you choose to.

The good news is you don’t need to start from scratch.

In this newsletter, I’m going to remind you of a few things you can do to make the change, just like I did—and even better.

STEP 1: Change the Story in Your Head and Be Willing to Take a Step Back

We need to stop thinking we can’t and start believing we can.

At 30 or 40, you have another career ahead of you.

You have the option to start from the ground up again if you choose to.

Stop focusing on what you can’t do and think about the experience and knowledge you have now that you can bring with you.

You are way more valuable than you think. Not being happy where you are doesn’t mean you’re not contributing or worth it.

It just means you need a change—period.

If you don’t embrace this mindset, don’t bother reading the rest of this newsletter because 80% of any change you need to make starts with your mindset and how you view the change you need to make.

Now that we’ve got this out of the way let’s talk about the rest of the things you need to consider.

STEP 2: Do an Inventory of Your Skillsets and Experiences

Most of your knowledge and skillsets are universal, and you can use them in different places.

70% of my skills, knowledge, and experience moved with me from one job to another.

These are your tools: project management, people leadership, learning new things, influencing people, being organized, telling stories, managing initiatives, etc.

These are my tricks and tools, and they go with me everywhere.

You might need more, so take classes or earn certificates.

So many free courses are available to help you gain the skills you need.

Don’t go too far—open an account with LinkedIn, which offers many free courses on thousands of topics. YouTube is another excellent tool.

Invest money if needed, but don’t let a lack of knowledge or skills stop you.

STEP 3: Package Your Story in Your Resume, Cover Letter, and LinkedIn

Now, write a few different resumes, cover letters, and value propositions to help you sell yourself to various audiences.

Yes, this sounds like a lot, but it’s not.

Drop your resume and the job description for the job you’re posting into ChatGPT and ask it to rewrite your resume based on the job description.

It will take just a few minutes.

I have over 10 versions of my resume for different jobs and used ChatGPT.

To assist you even more, download this free interview guide once they call you for one.

STEP 4: Leverage Your Network or Build One to Help You

This is my favorite one.

Your network is a great tool to help you transition from one career to another.

Honestly, it’s been my biggest one thus far.

When I moved from banking to supply chain, I leaned on my network to get me the interview.

I did the same thing when I moved to sports.

Your network is a huge asset. I’ve talked about networking a lot in the past, but it’s one of the biggest things that can help you advance your career.

If you don’t have someone to help you, then build one.

Nothing is easier than networking in this day and age.

I build connections on LinkedIn every day by simply sending messages to people to kick off genuine conversations, and things progress from there.

Final Thoughts

At the end of the day, your career is something you have complete control over.

You can change it, advance it, or let it stagnate. There’s no time limit or rules when it comes to changes.

If you look around, companies are looking for people to challenge them and bring new ideas, skills, and perspectives to the table. That could be you.

If you have to take a step back or accept a demotion to move around, don’t discount this option.

I took two step-downs in my career to get here, and if I could go back in time, I would do it again.

Your career is never straightforward.

It’s a map you draw every time you make a choice. Make it count.

Whenever you're ready, here are 4 ways I can help you:

(Course) Advance Your Presentation Skills At Work: Go from anxious to confident presenter and engage your audience in every pitch. Join 1,000+ professionals and executives to transform your presentation skills and boost your career. In this course I will share the exact strategies I used to move from an anxious presenter to a confident speaker in every step of my career growth.
(Book) The Unwritten Rules of Advancing Your Career: In this book, I share 10 critical rules for career advancement that your boss might never mention. These are lessons I learned the hard way, but they have since helped thousands of readers worldwide. Available in over 30 countries, this book could be your guide to climbing the career ladder.
(Book) Entrepreneur vs. Corporate: Choosing between the entrepreneurial path and a corporate career can be daunting. In this book, I explore both worlds to help you determine the best fit for your ambitions. Beyond the simple entrepreneur vs. corporate debate, I introduce essential questions that guide you toward fulfilling your career potential.
Schedule 1:1 Call with Me: Having assisted hundreds in advancing their careers, I am confident in my ability to help you, too. Schedule a personal call with me to take a significant step forward in your career journey.

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