If you are looking for a career change late in the game, here are some solid tips about the best jobs if you are above 50.
People in their 50s change careers for a variety of reasons. One of the most common ones is stress reduction. The current job is getting progressively more and more stressful and people are unable or simply unwilling to deal with that, so they look for a way out before it starts having adverse consequences. Besides, if you are at the age when retirement is looming over your head, why would you want to spend your time at a job that is taking a toll on your health and fill you with dread each morning? Even though the pay is probably good, this is one of those examples where money isn’t everything and if peace of mind can be bought by taking a wage cut, it seems like a logical solution.
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Other reason may be a need to try something new, perhaps learn new skills or pursue a passion they never had a chance of following, until now. Perhaps you are stuck in an office job and you have always wanted to work with people (we have some great jobs below that allow you to interact with people in various manners). Maybe you have been an executive type your entire career, but your dream is actually to make something with your hands. There are all sorts of unfulfilled dreams that are just waiting for the right opportunity to become reality.
And of course, sometimes we just need a change of pace, regardless of how great our current job is. Seeing the same faces day and day out for years can get old and a change of both scenery and colleagues can really freshen up your life. And there is always a chance of meeting someone new that can make your life far more interesting than it is. Simply put, perhaps it is time for something (or someone) new.
If you are thinking of changing your job for whatever reason, there are some things you must know. First of all, don’t pay attention to people around you telling you that it is too late. It isn’t. We are witnessing medical breakthroughs almost daily and human life span is increasing with every new statistic. At 50, you have 15 or maybe 20, perhaps as much as 30 working years ahead of you. Don’t let nay-sayers depress you. If they are your age, they probably want to change their job, but lack the courage to actually pull the trigger. In fact, 80% of people over 50 are thinking of career change, but only 6% actually go through with it. If you want or need a career change in the 50s, it is absolutely doable. Heck, some would go as far as to say it is desirable.
With all that being said, changing career in the 50s can be intimidating. The job market is always evolving and jobs exist today that couldn’t even be imagined back in a day when 50-year-olds were attending college. Social media manager and cyber security expert are just a couple jobs that come in mind and that have been created in the last two decades, long after a 50-year-old has been out of school. We don’t have such occupation on our list of best jobs if you are above 50. Instead, we focused on jobs that require minimal training (nobody wants to have to go to a college again in their 50s just to change their career) and are quite traditional, having been around for a long time.
Transitioning into a new job when you are 50 is a very specific situation. Unlike people looking for Best Jobs if You are Leaving Military, you don’t get much in a way of government assistance, but you have plenty of experience (and hopefully some cash stashed away for rainy days) to help you out while you get your feet under you. In order to find the best job opportunities for people above 50, we consulted two sources. The first is the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP). On their site, they have several good suggestions that meet our criteria. The other one is found on Forbes and it is a list of suggestions compiled by Linda Singer, a co-founder of Workhoppers, a job-seeking site. Hopefully, you will find something that matches your needs below.
