It’s never too late to make a career change, especially if your current career isn’t giving you the kind of fulfillment you expect to have at this stage of your life. You’ll know it’s time for a career change when you find yourself needing a new challenge or when you start feeling unhappy because you realize you are not passionate about your present career.
Making a career change at 40 isn’t always as scary as it seems; especially when you do it right. You may face some doubt and opposition from a few friends and family members but there’ll be some others who’ll be willing to help you make it work. Be prepared to take advice from former colleagues, mentors, and teachers on the internet. Here are a few career choices one could make at 40 to earn some good money.
Manufacturing
Manufacturing careers are in high demand. Manufacturing provides a consistent and stable income. It also offers economic resilience. In the manufacturing industry, there is no off-season. This means that you can earn a stable income all year round. Most employers in the manufacturing industry employ people of all ages and offer their employees a steady schedule. They also get paid holidays and health benefits with a chance for career progression. The benefits of manufacturing are numerous. According to a team of transformer manufacturers at Amgis, “manufacturing promotes national development and leads to self-sufficiency. There’s almost no downside to choosing to make a career change to the manufacturing industry.
Consulting and Freelancing
If you’ve worked very hard at your 9-5 job for many years, maybe it’s time to step back and enjoy life a bit while still earning some good money. You can do this by delving into consulting or becoming a freelancer. Many self-starters find tremendous success when they become entrepreneurs. So, if you’re able to work with little or no supervision, then freelancing or consulting might just be the field for you at 40.
When you are making a career change to this field, you may not need to go back to school as you’ll just be channeling your current skills to your new business. Before you begin, you should ensure that your skills are in demand, otherwise, your potential of getting hired will be really low. Next, seek out potential clients while also researching other ways to grow your new business.
In this type of business, you can enjoy the benefits of social media by advertising your business online. To make things easier for you, become a freelancer or consultant in a field you’re passionate about. Common fields include copywriting, interior décor, software development, blog writing, etc. Be ready to always update your skills and explore related issues in your field of specialty. If you do your homework right, you’ll always find people who’ll hire you to provide the service you’re offering.
Project Management
At 40, the chances are you’ve gathered more than enough experience in your field to lead projects, so what better time to take up project management as a career? Project management requires you to oversee all aspects of a project. Depending on the industry, you may need to go back to school to acquire basic technical knowledge. Most importantly, you must have financial management skills, great leadership skills, and good time management and communication skills.
Common fields where you can apply your project management skills include IT, construction, health care, or some government establishments among many other industries. The most common pathway to becoming a project manager is to get a Bachelors Degree, choose a specialization, become certified, then gain some real-life experience in the field.
Interior Design
This field is great for creative individuals who are artistic and passionate about design. It’s also great for people who have a lot of experience managing people. It usually involves designing properties in a way that clients would love. Interior designers often need good communication and financial management skills. They’re expected to know various materials needed for interior design and their costs. An eye for detail is also a very important skill for an interior designer.
Interior designers have various specialties, some of which include business properties, residences, leisure spots, temporary exhibition locations, healthcare, and hospitality. A person in this field should expect to frequently meet up with clients and potential clients, draw budgets and availability schedules, draw designs and proposals and know building regulations in the areas where they do business. They are also often expected to be in charge of hiring suppliers and contractors and monitoring costs and timelines to make sure they’re not exceeded.
