Life Transitions for Women over 50
Mid Life Career Changes
Changing your career can be stressful at any age but for women over fifty the prospect can feel even more daunting.
A mid life career change will be very different from those you make when you are younger. Your values and priorities will have changed as you realign them alongside limited mortality. You may be more or less confident than you were in your twenties and thirties, depending on your life experience. The pressure to create a meaningful life will also be greater and you may have concerns about age discrimination, losing additional leave and the financial incentives you gained from long service.
For some of us a career change in mid life will be something we plan. A conscious choice to head for unchartered territory in pursuit of enhanced income, improved job satisfaction or work life balance.
For others we may be caught up in the increasing tide of redundancies that are occuring in response to the downturn in our economy.
In common with other major life transitions, redundancy can bring new opportunities for women over fifty, who may have been in a long standing career feeling ready for a change and needing a nudge to take action. Sometimes being catapulted out of our comfort zone can be just what we need to get a better job or life for ourself!
At the beginning you are likely to experience shock, denial and disbelief. From my own and others experience this can be described as a period of numbness. Everything feels muddled and fuzzy and it is diffult to concentrate.
During this time we use a range of coping mechanisms to protect us and may try to convince ourself and other people that it really doesn’t matter. ‘We didn’t want the job anyway’. Some people use anger to mask their feelings, as it is often easier to get angry and blame others. Others play the role of victim.’ I don’t deserve this’ (Oh dear this feels a bit familiar!)
After the initial period of shock and denial, reality sinks in and the fact that life will never be the same hits home. Feelings of sadness loss and anxiety are common at this stage and you need to be on the look out for depression. Concerns about how the rent or mortgage will be paid and whether there are jobs available for women over fifty also come to the fore.
The final stage involves planning new beginnings and your new career/business/life.
There is a lot you can for yourself, such as drawing up a detailed budget and looking at how you can reduce your outgoings. Have a look at www.moneysavingexpert.com.
You can also research the Internet for help to write your CV, get an idea about jobs that are available, interview tips and get an idea what employers are looking for.
Or you can ring me now and see how we can plan the journey to your new career together.