Has anyone changed career paths after age 45?

RGBoston·Oct 17, 2020

I have spent the majority of my career in customer marketing, mostly for B2B Saas. I also spent a few years in partner marketing and product marketing. I like what I've been doing, but am wondering if I could apply my skill set to a different job. I am currently unemployed and not seeing a ton of jobs that I am qualified for on the job boards. There are many demand gen marketing jobs, but my skills will not translate to that role.Any advice how to think about my skills and what other job/career I could do? Part of my fear is that I will need to take a step back in seniority/pay if I change now. Has anyone else made a change like this and have any advice to share? Thank you.

iris777·Oct 19, 2020

I went from web developer to UX Architect. Admittedly during my work as a developer I always had one foot in design but I have never been a full blown UX designer, and UX architect is still a very different type of job. I never had to step back in seniority or pay, on the contrary. Suddenly I stepped into the world of UX with a world of experience in development. I was now someone with (initially) maybe only mediocre experience in UX and design, I had so much experience in the technical part, that I was suddenly a unicorn and people were eager to hire someone like me. (as a lot of UXers do not have a lot of technical experience the way I have)You have a lot of experience already, how your skills translate in a new role is up to you really, you have to define it and market it. When you are looking at a new role and you have a bit of a different background than others in a that role, this can be an advantage; you'll have to see it that way in order to let whomever is hiring you also see it that way. Think about how you stand out to people that do have a background in the role you want, how you can re-use your background and skills so they not only fit into the new role you are looking for, but they actually make you more valuable; enough to make up for the lack of experience you initially might have. You have a career in marketing, now it is time to market those skills :)You must also not forget that someone with a lot of work experience in something slightly different is more interesting than someone with less experience but in the "correct" field. Since you have skills in everything else that comes with any job. New "technical" job skills are easily picked up, experience in actually working in a company, in a team; that is very valuable and not something that can be learned quickly.Please don't fall into the trap a lot of women tend to fall in: undervaluing yourself because you dismiss the skills you have over the skills you think you don't have. Good luck!

RGBoston·Oct 20, 2020

Thank you. This is helpful.

Christiane143·Oct 20, 2020

I made a career change at 40 from startup leadership to social impact marketing. When I considered changing careers I worked with a career coach to prioritize what really mattered to me. The truth is that as you get older your options will be different. If you're like me you may prioritize the I made a career change at 40 from startup leadership to social impact marketing. When I considered changing careers I worked with a career coach to prioritize what really mattered to me. The truth is that as you get older your options will be different. If you're like me you may prioritize quality of life over the novelty of a new field. I knew that no matter how interested I was in some sectors, I wasn't willing to start at the bottom. That meant that I had to find roles that commanded a specific salary range where my skills were transferable. Evaluate your skills and find out where they have the most value. There's a feeling these days that all marketing can be reduced to growth hacking type roles which isn't true. What industries still require your skillset or your networks? I suggest using your networks and looking as broadly as possible. Good luck!

RGBoston·Oct 21, 2020

Thank you.

KeshawnHughes·Oct 21, 2020

Hi Rebecca, I’m 41 and transitioned from working in product marketing and project management to neurocoaching and consulting. I’ve done so much over 19 years and felt confused about how to focus my experience in a way that aligns with my lifestyle and goals. I worked with a career coach to get an objective understanding of my career story and it helped tremendously! The process has felt scary, awkward, and uncomfortable and I doubt my choices a lot, however, I have a strong community of supporters and trust my decisions and make strategic choices aligned with my goals. I’m proud of myself and enjoy the new career experiences I’ve had thus far. We are what we habituate. Building habits aligned with new career goals feels unsettling in the beginning but strengthens over time. You can do this! Feel free to reach out to me if you need a listening ear. Career transition at this stage is definitely possible and rewarding.

RGBoston·Oct 21, 2020

Thank you!