There is a lot to consider when changing careers
There are many options available to today’s older job seeker. Large company or small. Profit vs non-profit. Consultant or self-employed, etc.
One thing that many older job seekers have considered – and are struggling with – is changing careers. That “change” can take on many forms. Different job. Different skill set. Different industry. Again, that list can go on and on.
Not surprisingly one of the major obstacles facing the job seeker is: How can I change to a new career when I have no experience or contacts in the new sphere? The simple answer here is to take a good, hard look at your skill set. What kinds of things did you do in your past job(s) that can be applied somewhere else?
Take sales for instance. If you truly understand and appreciate the sales process and you know how to sell shoes, you probably can learn how to sell nuclear power plants. That may be an extreme example, but the point is clear. In most cases, selling is selling – regardless of the product.
But what about switching industries? If you’re unhappy in the niche you most recently had, the first places to look for something new is right next door. Look at the companies to whom you sold product. Or, look at the companies from whom you bought product.
In both cases, you have some familiarity with those markets which should give a leg up over someone coming in from left field. Sometimes one needs to look beyond the obvious.