What Mistakes can Ruin Your Midlife Career Success

Are you no longer satisfied with your current job? If this is your situation during your midlife stage, restarting again and working on another career can be a daunting experience. You may be uncertain about finding positions that work for you and whether you can still keep up with younger peers.

Some can succeed in their midlife career shift despite these uncertainties and thrive even better than before. Others meet some form of success, while a few cannot. Why do these people fail to succeed in their midlife career shift? Down below are some mistakes you may be making that are affecting your success in your midlife career:

You Didn’t Prepare Yourself

Are you having trouble getting a new job after being retrenched, or has your work been made redundant? When this occurs, it is always recommended to research what positions are open that you can take and what skills are in demand. For instance, you can update your resume, practice interview questions, or take online courses to enhance your skills. But, if you fear that you are lacking and don’t do the necessary preparations before your next job search, you will find yourself lost and unable to plan how you will succeed in your midlife career.

You Are Not Active Enough

Sometimes, we feel that we’re not happy with our current work and that there’s no opportunity to utilize our talents. While for some, this feeling is temporary, others may not be so lucky. You are never happy going to work, and the quality of your work shows this lack of zeal. If you want to avoid this mistake, it is best to take the first step in changing your current mood and finding the right motivation to succeed.

You Are Not Branching Out

Another mistake you can make that can affect your success rate in your midlife career is your reluctance to branch out to new roles that will challenge your skills. Branching out means not limiting yourself to roles that require the skills you already possess, but instead, exploring new roles that may require you to learn new skills. If you want to succeed in your midlife career, you should not be scared of new opportunities and learning new skills.

You Are Afraid Of Not Doing Something But Staying In Your Current Industry

If you genuinely want to be successful in a career shift at any age, you mustn’t be afraid to try something new. You can find success in a different industry or a more advanced role that is a step up from your current one. But, if you feel like you are not taking advantage of what is available and staying in your current industry, you are not doing yourself a favour. You are also restricting yourself to jobs that don’t make you happy and feel fulfilled. Succeeding in any career requires people to welcome challenges and be satisfied with their jobs.

You Are Fixated On Finding The Perfect Job

Many of us dream of finding that perfect job because it would remove any concerns we have about being happy and fulfilled in our careers. Once we find that ideal job, we can see it as a sign that the career shift is the best move we can make. However, it is a mistake to be fixated on finding that perfect job or waiting for it to drop into our laps. Trying to find it will consume your time, ruin your career, and stop you from growing.

Trusting The People Around You When They Are Also Uncertain About Your Success

Midlife career shifts can be scary, and you will need all the help you can get through all the challenges they can bring. However, if the people around you are also uncertain about your success and scared of the changes it will bring, you may lose confidence in yourself, affecting your outlook immensely. To overcome this fear, you can reach out to those also taking the chance in a midlife career shift or your peers for support and guidance. You can also seek professional counseling or read success stories of people who have successfully navigated midlife career shifts.

You Are Letting Your Age Stop You

If you want to succeed in your midlife career moves, you must stop thinking that your age will prevent you from finding opportunities or learning new skills. Age means experience, and if you can frame your application to showcase these experiences, you may be surprised by the job opportunities you can get even at your age.

No matter what age you are, the slightest mistake can be detrimental to one’s career if you fixate your focus on them. Take the time to sit down and review your current career progression to see what mistakes are affecting your career success. Once you have identified these mistakes, changing your strategy and increasing your chances of success will be easy.

Want to read more about mid-life careers?
Mid-life Crisis: Finding Purposes in Your Work
Things No One Tells Your About A Mid-Life Career Change
Why Switching Career In Your 30s Can Be Exciting And Invigorating

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