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Feeling Stuck in Your Career? It's very normal and you most certainly are not alone.
You’ve worked hard, gained expertise, and established yourself in your industry. If you're like many of our members, you'd objectively say you've built a 'successful career', but lately, you’re wondering: Is this still the right path for me?
The most common triggers are feeling disengaged, burnt out, or like you’re no longer growing. With age, our priorities change— we need more flexibility, we want to feel a greater sense of purpose and we want the chance to learn new things.
If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. We surveyed more than 6000 people over 50 (feel free to download the report here) and the most common barriers are:
- 73% of professionals aged 50+ consider a career change but have no idea where to start.
- 41% feel ageism is a problem and more than 80% of our members have indicated they feel recruitment is broken (it is by the way - you are welcome to read our other blog post on why this is the case)
- Many highly experienced professionals hesitate to switch careers due to being financially trapped.
- Men seem to have a particularly hard time. Over 40% of our members are men and they feel the burden to provide financially for the family. Many are scared to discuss this with their wives and friends.
But here’s the truth: Your 40s, 50s, and 60s are the BEST time to rethink your future.
Why midlife is the Perfect Age for Career Reinvention
🔹 You Have Transferable Skills: Decades of experience mean you already have valuable leadership, problem-solving, and communication skills that employers (and clients) need.
🔹 You Know What You Want (and Don’t Want): Compared to when we were in our 20's, we have clarity about what truly matters—whether it’s flexibility, impact, or a new challenge.
🔹 Companies Value Experience More Than Ever: With the rise of remote work and freelance consulting, midlife professionals are in demand—especially in industries like coaching, advisory roles, and entrepreneurship. We've seen more employers approach us asking to speak directly to our members.
🔹 The Job Market is Changing: The traditional "one-career-for-life" model is outdated. Today, people pivot multiple times—and those who take control and build their career development skills and network will and do thrive.
I go into more detail in this Episode of the FT working It podcast - from around 12 mins in
The #1 Mistake People Make When Changing Careers in Midlife
Many professionals stay stuck in analysis paralysis, unsure whether they should make a move.
Instead of taking action, they:
❌ Scroll job boards endlessly trying to find inspiration.
❌ Think am I too old to change career in my 40's, 50's or 60's? (we know people who've started successful businesses in their 80's - in fact, here is a link to prove it!) Starting a business in your 80's - meet Peter who is loving every minute.
❌ Spend time googling 'what are the best jobs for a midlife career change'!
🔹 The reality? Mid-career professionals succeed when they take small, strategic steps toward their next role.
3 Practical Steps to Start Your Career Change (Even If You Have No Idea Where to Begin)
✅ 1. Identify Your Core Strengths & Interests
Ask yourself:
- What problems do I care about and or what people do I want to help?
- What tasks energize me (vs. drain me)?
- What skills do people naturally come to me for?
👉 Pro Tip: Get niche. The older we get, the more experience we have, but sharing everything gives a potential hiring manager a headache: you're asking them to find the links. You should be doing the work and be crystal clear on why you are the best fit for them. Use this mantra: Don't make anyone think. Do all the legwork and draw all the dots together.
✅ 2. Leverage Your Network (the Right Way)
According to LinkedIn (yes the platform that sells recruitment advertising) admit 85%of job opportunities aren’t advertised—they come from connections.
But here’s the key: Instead of asking for a job, (way too big an ask and people will want to ghost you) reach out to people in roles or industries you’re curious about.
Say:
📩 “I’m exploring a career shift and would love to hear your insights about [industry/role]. Would you be open to a quick chat?”
🔹 Why this works: People love to share advice, and casual conversations often lead to unexpected opportunities.
✅ 3. Get Expert Support & Structure
Career change doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Many successful professionals work with career transition programs like Brave Starts, where they get:
✔ Practical guidance from experts who understand midlife career shifts.
✔ A supportive network of professionals on the same journey.
✔ Access to workshops, coaching, and insider industry insights.
Importantly, we ask you to help and support each other - it's often in the coaching of others you realise and see your own mistakes. Don't take our word for it - the evidence is on our side
Ready to Take Control of Your Future?
This is not an exercise you can do alone in your own head. When you think in your head, that's one level of depth. When someone asks you a question about what you're interested in and why, you have to answer and articulate. That's another cognitive process and it pushes your thinking deeper. At Brave Starts, we specialize in helping professionals 45+ navigate career transitions confidently—we aren't starting from scratch, we've had the benefit of 5 years of building up the research and evidence to prove our model. That's the benefit of being a non profit: instead of trying to provide a return to shareholders or investors, our main concern is doing the right thing.
💡 You can join one of our 'being part of the solution' workshops. Become A Member Events.
👉 Because your next career move should be on your terms.
