Navigating a Midlife Career Change at 45

A career change at 45 is challenging, but certainly not impossible. At this age, most people have financial obligations, and changing jobs means you’ll have to spend time and money to learn new skills. However, if you’re in this situation, this guide to finding a job after 45 can help. Job seekers can leave their current roles and find high-quality potential employers.

If you feel stuck in your current job, a midlife career change can give you a fresh start. A change of career at 45 can be transformative, gratifying, and lucrative. The majority of midlife career changers are delighted with their new jobs. Below, you will find a step-by-step guide to help you change jobs with ideas for new careers at 45, including options for a tech career change.

Table of Contents

Key Takeaways
Is 45 Too Old to Start a New Career?
Best Ideas for New Careers at 45
How to Change Your Career at 45: Step-by-Step
Top Tips for Finding a Job After 45
How to Find a New Career at 45 With No Degree
Signs You Need a Career Change at 45

Key Takeaways

• Changing careers at 45 is challenging but possible. Most midlife career changers seek new positions for reasons like improved flexibility, financial incentives, work-life balance, and personal fulfillment.
• The best career change jobs are positions that highly value transferable soft skills and life experience.
• To change your career successfully at 45, evaluate your skills, develop new ones, prepare your finances, leverage your network, and present your age as an advantage during job applications.
• Embrace continuous learning, be open to entry-level positions, and involve your support system to make the career change process smoother.
• It is not too late to change careers at 45. Analyze your skills, connect them to your interests, and fill in skill gaps through education or training. Many high-paying careers do not require a degree.

Is 45 Too Old to Start a New Career?

No, 45 is not too old to start a new career. The common reasons people want new careers at this age are flexibility, financial incentives, employee perks, a better life-work balance, and fulfillment in the workplace. A 2021 survey from CNBC and gender equity firm Catalyst shows that 50 percent of workers in the US want to change careers. 

Starting over at 45 doesn’t have to be intimidating, especially if you have good soft skills like leadership skills and organizational skills. When you start a new career at 45, you probably won’t need to start as an entry-level worker because you already have plenty of work experience.

Best Ideas for New Careers at 45

Sales Manager

A sales manager’s job duties are to motivate and guide a sales team to achieve its objectives. This includes hiring and training salespeople, setting quotas, reviewing and modifying performance, and developing sales processes. These management skills are highly transferable from other management roles, which makes a sales manager a good career change at 45.

According to PayScale, most sales managers are happy with their jobs and rate their job satisfaction at four out of five stars. Many sales managers say balancing work and their personal life is challenging, but they accept it as part of the job. Many sales managers also must travel regularly.

Personal Financial Advisor

A personal financial advisor’s primary duties are to assess individuals’ financial needs and help them make decisions about investments, taxes, and insurance. Advisors can assist clients in achieving both short and long-term objectives, such as budgeting for education and investing for retirement.

Personal financial advisor is a good idea for a new career at 45 if you have some background in business or finance and like working directly with lots of different people. This role relies heavily on goal-setting skills and organization skills. Plus, this is one of the best career change jobs because being older in this profession is an asset. People are more likely to take financial advice from advisors who have plenty of life experience.

Web Developer

A web developer’s job responsibilities are to create and test websites and web applications. They troubleshoot any issues, update and maintain websites, and keep an eye on the website’s traffic. They need to learn how to code in HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP, and other popular coding languages. Most mid-life career changers learn these skills in online classes or coding bootcamps.

Most web developers are happy with their jobs, thanks to a high income and work-life balance. Most web developers also have a high annual salary and good medical insurance. Learning web development might seem like an intimidating goal when changing careers at 45, but learning how to code isn’t any harder than learning any other kind of skill.

Writer

Writers are responsible for writing, editing, and proofreading text. They also conduct research, collaborate with other experts, promote and share their work, and seek out publishing deals. You can work as a freelance writer or search for a copywriting position at a digital marketing firm.

Writing is a good field for a career change at 45 because, at this point in your career, you’ve probably already had to write some reports, blogs, or newsletters for work. You can use these documents as part of your professional portfolio when finding your first writing job after 45.

Real Estate Agent

A real estate agent’s primary duties are to assist clients in selling houses and finding houses for buyers. They organize open houses and give clients tours of homes they may want to purchase. Real estate brokers help clients through the negotiation process to ensure that they get the best price for their homes.

This is one of the best career changes at 45 jobs because it doesn’t require a lot of education. To become a real estate agent, you’ll need to research your state’s license requirements and prepare for the license exam. If you are an excellent communicator, connect well with different kinds of people, and love browsing real estate listings, this could be a great career for you.

How to Change Your Career at 45: Step-by-Step

Leaving an industry where you have spent a large part of your professional life can be stressful. However, you’re not alone in your desire to change careers at 45. If you are wondering how to change your career at 45, consider these steps to help you make a successful career shift.

1. Evaluate Your Skills

Make a list of your strengths and weaknesses and look for ways you can make the most of them. If you’re having trouble with this step, you might want to consult a career coach. It’s important to figure out how to connect your existing skills to your interests and career goals. The best way to start a new career at 45 isn’t to start from scratch, but to repurpose your existing skills.

When it comes to making a midlife career move, focus on the transferable skills you already have as you consider new career options. These will include soft skills like organization, teamwork, creativity, and leadership. Consider other jobs where these abilities could come into play. If you are not sure where your strengths lie, take our free tech career quiz to help guide you.

2. Develop New Skills

When seeking a new career, you should be open to learning new skills and participating in on-the-job training. Don’t let one missing skill deter you from pursuing your dream job. Make an action plan to deal with any gaps in your experience or skillset. When you find a job post that appeals to you, carefully consider the qualities, requirements, and experience the post calls for.

If the job calls for a specific qualification, there are various ways you can get one. These include short courses, additional training, self-study learning, and online bootcamps. If you’re interested in breaking into a new job market because it comes with a high average salary, you should be conscious of the demands and additional strain that the job may place on you.

3. Prepare Your Finances

Changing careers at 45 is daunting because it usually means taking a pay cut in the short term. Creating a safety net before you take the plunge can help. Put some money aside and create a financial buffer so you won’t be as stressed when the time comes to change careers.

If you’re in your 40s, it might feel riskier to change jobs because you likely have a lot of financial responsibilities. To avoid extra pressure, make a list of your expenses and determine how much money you’ll need to cover them. You might also want to assess your lifestyle and determine what your priorities are.

4. Make Use of Your Network

According to a LinkedIn global survey, nearly 80 percent of workers believe networking is critical to career success. One of the best ways to change careers at 45 is to reach out through professional contacts to land your first job in a new field.

Talk to previous business associates, bosses you still get along with, and acquaintances you’ve met in your past roles. Find out what companies are recruiting, learn about the work culture, and decide whether your talents and expertise would be relevant to the company. 

5. Present Your Age as an Advantage

When applying for a new job, you should focus on all of the positive aspects of your previous positions, explain what you can add to the company, and be proactive. Don’t be afraid to pull from your life experience and soft skills. Communication skills can be a particular advantage when switching careers at a later stage of life.

Employers are prohibited from discriminating against workers aged 40 and up under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act. Although age discrimination still happens in the workplace, there is no legal requirement to reveal your age on your resume. Concentrate on your previous roles and use your experience to your advantage.

Top Tips for Finding a Job After 45

One of the most important things to remember if you are making a midlife career change is that, in many ways, you have an advantage over other applicants. Even so, the process of starting a new career in your 40s may feel overwhelming at times. Here are some quick tips to keep in mind to make your career change as smooth and stress-free as possible.

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1. Set a Reasonable Timeline

Many people who decide to make a midlife career change pressure themselves to make the transition as quickly as possible before they get any older. This can lead to unrealistic expectations and increased stress. Figuring out the right career path and building new skills takes time, and that is normal. 

2. Don’t Forget to Value Your Strengths 

Even if your previous career was in an unrelated field, you likely have a level of maturity and natural instincts that younger applicants lack. Many of the best jobs for a midlife career change value this knowledge very highly. It is easy to focus on all the skills you need to learn and forget how much you have to offer. 

3. Embrace Continuous Learning

There is a stereotype that older people get stuck in their ways and find change difficult. Show employers that you are prepared to keep learning and evolving in your new career. The willingness to adapt and grow will make you more marketable.

4. Be Open to Entry-Level Positions

A lot of the best career change jobs are mid-level positions that don’t necessarily require in-field experience, but this isn’t always the case. Sometimes gaining hands-on experience in your field for a few years can make all the difference. You may have a much easier time applying for mid-level roles down the line if you invest a some time in an entry-level job, internship, or apprenticeship.

5. Involve Your Support System 

Discuss your roadblocks, goals, and successes with your friends and family. Not only can this help reduce tension down the road, having the support of your loved ones can be extremely beneficial when you get overwhelmed. Additionally, you may have peers who are going through similar experiences.

How to Find a New Career at 45 With No Degree

The need for a degree deters many people who want to change careers at 45. Although reskilling can be daunting, some rewarding jobs require less than six months of training. There are also jobs that don’t require a degree at all. Below are some tips on how to build a new career at 45 with no degree.

• Arrange informational interviews. These are interactions with people in your ideal career who can help you acquire information on prospective occupations before you leap into one.
• Define your transferable skills. Match your skills with the skills required for your target job. You’ll notice how much overlap there is, particularly among the in-demand soft skills.
• Fill in your skill gaps. Don’t be discouraged if your existing skillset falls short of the new job’s criteria. In some industries, closing that gap can be done in a relatively short time frame. 
• Get some experience. Gaining relevant work experience will strengthen your chances of launching a new career. Try freelancing or volunteering to add some experience to your resume.
• Keep upskilling. Building a new career at 45 with no degree doesn’t mean ignoring education completely. Look for community college classes or coding bootcamps that can help you improve your skills.

Signs You Need a Career Change at 45

Changing careers at 45 may feel risky and stressful, but it can also be exciting and rewarding. You might be limiting yourself unnecessarily if you think 45 is too old to start a new career. Below are some of the most common signs that you need to change your current career.

• You avoid talking about your job. If you never want to talk about work or find yourself complaining when you do, you might be in the wrong position or even in the wrong industry.
• You have job burnout. This feeling of physical or emotional tiredness comes with a sense of diminished accomplishment and a feeling that you’re losing your identity. 
• Your work tasks and responsibilities just aren’t for you. You might be good at your job, but if you don’t like it, it won’t bring you any fulfillment. 
• You are not satisfied with the outcomes or your work. Maybe you chose your current job to please others or took a promotion that came your way, and now you feel stuck and confused.
• Your dream job is realistic. If your professional objective is not only feasible but also sensible based on your interests, skills, and willingness to work, you should go for it.

Is It Too Late to Make a Career Change at 45?

It is not too late to make a career change at 45. At 45 you have a wealth of skills that you learned from years of work experience that can be applied in a wide range of new fields. Many midlife career changers are able to successfully transition to a new job. Pursuing a new career at 45 can be fulfilling and rewarding.

Before making a decision, you should analyze your skills, connect your existing skills to your work interests, and fill in the skill gaps with education. Keep in mind that many high-paying careers don’t require a degree. Plus, there are various online resources, courses, bootcamps, and self-study websites that can help you reskill in no time.

Career Change at 45 FAQ