Mid/late career professionals who are considering leaving the field often ask me if they can transition into a career in a completely different profession. I also often hear people in mid/late career say something like, "If I leave my current job, it has to be now – I am reaching 40, and this is probably my last chance" or "I am over 50 – I am going through this career transition when I should be thinking about my retirement!"

People change their careers mid/late life for various reasons. For example:  

• Our values change/shift over time, and the career choices we made in the past may not serve us anymore.

• It is normal that we outgrow our current job over the years. If more challenging or interesting opportunities are not available/accessible in the same organisation, we may need to seek opportunities outside of our current employer or create a new opportunity of our own. While it may be comfortable, there's a risk in staying in the same organisation or in the same position for a long time.

• As we have learned during the pandemic, the world can change very quickly. Some companies/jobs will emerge, some will disappear, and some will flourish. There's no guarantee we can stay with the same job or company even if we want to.

We live much longer than previous generations, and many of us will want or need to work beyond traditional retirement age. So, if you are in your 50s, you may still be able to enjoy many more years of your career if you decide to do so. But how would you know what your right next life/career move would be?

Read on to learn about setting priorities in line with your current values, building on your strengths, reality-checking your new opportunity, negotiating your offer, and prioritizing self-care as part of your career journey.