Career change - making it a mega boost and not a mistake

The myth of being too old to go for uncharted waters impedes your perception of what you are capable of, and you'll never make a successful career change. Unfortunately, while young workers are encouraged to explore different career paths, older workers are pressured into staying put, especially when changing jobs appears to be pure folly.

Changing careers when its seems totally unnecessary is never easy. More so when you are no longer in your early twenties when your youth can afford to scoff at and dump your monthly wage packet and spurs you on to find your dream job - even at the cost of being broke for months on end.

But merely hinting at a career move when you're 30-plus and beyond is asking for clawing knives to get you. Practically everybody thinks you're going cuckoo, taking a whimsical risk and jeopardising the financial stability that you and your family depend on. I've even heard people equating a mid-life career change with the mid-life crisis. I'm no psychologist, nor old enough to be menopausal.

Yet the satisfaction I got from the U-turns I've made in my working life have more than eclipsed the bumps and occasional bleak periods. And any regrets are those of not having acting earlier, which are useless to dwell on, but useful to share with anyone in the throes of a hateful job.

Now the obstacles of age discrimination, new technology or a salary cut are real and definitely not to be glossed over. So I can fully appre-ciate people's fear and concern. I can also understand the impression of a rolling stone that most of us get of those who cannot settle in any job.

But the greatest hurdle is the mind that is too scared to take the plunge and pursue a more appealing career. Stuck in a rut, you're bored, burnt out and close to losing your marbles.

How can being mired in such misery, ever be assuaged by the safety net of your employment? How can the ensuing emotional toll not poison you and life all around you? This simmering pot of loathing, dread and desire cannot be understood by those blessed enough to have hit upon their career choice early in life and made it a reality.

Nor would people who never dare question the degree of their job satisfaction. Hankering after a dream job takes a good dose of soul searching. Being past your twenties gives you a history of professional and personal experience to draw from when determining your natural strengths.

Knowing what you don't want is an ideal point of take off. It helps you understand why you want a change, what you want and how to get it. It also gives you the conviction to stand up to others' disapproval and more importantly it opens up a new and well thought out direction to follow.

Keeping focused means keeping your expectations grounded into your acquired skills, plus the new skills you are capable of acquiring for in-demand jobs. Opting for a viable retraining programme or fully fledged academic course entails an overhaul in your family and social life as well as your financial budget.

So you need time to let the dust settle on the shock waves of your decision and time to discuss and plan with your nearest and dearest? Their support, especially emotional support, is crucial, even if they cannot fully understand your desire for change. Moreover, you yourself will need time to adjust to going back to your books or to switching to a new profession.

Decide what you really want to do and research your options thoroughly by reading, doing on-line research and approaching placement agencies, rather than being lured by friends and acquaintances who are doing well in a particular sphere which does not suit you at all.

It also helps to consider networking to get the scoop on different fields. But thread carefully even with colleagues you have grown to trust. A blabbing co-worker is the last thing you need in your vulnerable state. Money is important, but don't let it be the deciding factor. No amount of blank cheques undo job dissatisfaction, and stress is the number one health problem for working adults.

Besides, a career move does not automatically translate in starting over at the bottom. As a mature employee, you are not a fresh-faced newbe entering the job market for the first time. Use your time-honed skills plus the professional wisdom and perspective which only time can give to negotiate a salary grade that's high on the earnings scale.

Not always easy and it's frustrating to see that a prospective boss is only interested in the cheapest take. But turn disappointment into positive thinking and action. After all this kind of boss is not worth having in the first place. A well-thought-out career move is not a dangerous leap in the dark but one the most invigorating boosts of your life.