What do Ronald Reagan, Andrea Bocelli and Colonel Sanders all have in common?
Clearly, yes, they are in the public eye. But, perhaps a lesser known fact is that they all changed careers later in their lives.
Indeed, the 40th President of the US was first elected to public office when he 55, the famous tenor was a well-respected lawyer and the KFC mogul opened his chicken franchise at the age of 65.
The message?
Just because you have been at one career for 10 or 20 years, doesn’t mean you are too old to change. With hard work and persistence almost anything is possible.
For example, you could think about making that hobby you enjoy into a small business. Or consider getting involved in meaningful work in the voluntary and community sectors.
There are a number of tips I would suggest:
- Be persistent — Older workers need to be focused and committed in their job search process to persevere in today’s competitive jobs market.
- Passion counts —You need to defuse any perceptions that your age may hold you back performance-wise.
- Go back to school —At a basic level, this might be familiarity with new technology. Counter the assumption that older workers are out of touch.
- Act your age —Leverage your experience and achievements for competitive advantage.
Ultimately, the critical success factors boil down to how well you convey a sense of suitability, accomplishment, enthusiasm and dedication towards the opportunity at hand.