Whether your decision to make a career change at midlife is influenced by boredom and ennui in your present work, financial reasons, or wanting to follow your true passion, the first important step that you should take is to acknowledge the fact that you are making a decision that doesn’t fall short of life-changing. There are, after all, lots of factors to consider; all the more so if you already have a family to raise, as you would definitely have to consult them as well.

If you are looking for some midlife career change ideas worth remembering, then you need only to read the advice we have listed below. Not only could this help direct you towards the right direction that your life should take from this point onwards, but it could also clear any doubts that you still have about going on with this truly important life decision.

1) Take some time off

You would definitely need a lucid, stress-free mind to make such a critical decision so be sure to invest time in thinking about your future prospects and plans. Preferably, this should be done alone, in a place where you are certain you can find peace and solitude. It won’t take long for you to discover that, with a mind that is at peace and unburdened by everyday problems, you won’t find it hard to begin looking at things more clearly and positively.

2) Be realistic

One of the most overused, banal sayings about the topic of career change is that you should “do what you love”. While this is something that most of us would, as much as possible, not want to label as mere wishful thinking, it’s simply not always the case in real life. This is why when weighing your decisions, you should always lean more towards something that would be feasible, without sacrificing the things that ignite your passion. This is why “Learn to love what you do” could prove to be the better maxim.

3) Be open to taking career assessment tests

These tests are specifically designed to help people who want to get the career that they’ve always wanted, so never hesitate to take them. They would surely help you get a better view of all the options that you have, as they are tests that involve finding out your skills, personality strengths and weaknesses, and, ultimately, your real passion. What’s good about these types of tests is that they are also available as self-assessment tests online, and you can take them anytime you want.

4) Take action

By this time, you are probably already quite aware and confident of the things that you’re good at This is why if you decide to do something or embark on a new endeavor, always make it a point to equip yourself with the necessary knowledge and skills to start taking action as soon as possible. Experience, after all, is the best teacher. Don’t allow yourself to get stuck at the planning and analyzing part. Most of the time, it’s only when you dive into the water that you begin discovering new opportunities and possibilities.

5) You’re not alone

Seek the help of others, may they be your friends or professionals. Your loved ones are always there to support you. You are not limited to your social circles as well, because there are trained professionals such as career coaches who are ready to help give you other good midlife career change advice, which could very well demystify and reveal opportunities that you hadn’t thought of and noticed before.

Always remember that if you really have a positive outlook and the willpower to undergo such a major change, then you can practically do and get anything that you strive for. By simply keeping these tips in mind, even if you encounter setbacks (and more often than not, you most assuredly will), you can always shake off the mud from the battleground of life and triumphantly continue on until you reach your goal.

By Steve Bohler

Create a plan of action for when your current career just isn’t cutting it.

You’ve chosen your career path.  You’ve been networking, attending interviews, and may have even landed a position.  You can have a career in your industry and still believe that it isn’t working for you.  There are a variety of reasons to decide that your career path isn’t working out.  The very first thing you need to decide is why it isn’t working.  From there you can decide on the best course of action, whether that be to stick to the path you are currently on or to try to switch to another career.

There’s no growth opportunities at your current position.

You may feel like your career isn’t working out because there is no opportunity for advancement.  You may have been working at this job for several years and have not been promoted, received a raise, etc.  You need to find out if this is a common trend for the entire industry or just your current positon.  If it’s the latter, then it’s time to find a new job.  Start putting out applications for new positions, continue networking, and prepare for interviews.  If you know now that your current employer is a dead-end, then get out.

You can’t find a job.

You’ve finished school, gotten a degree, and have continued getting as much training as possible.  But when it comes to finding a job, you are out of luck.  This is the time to look at the statistics for the industry you’re trying to break into.  Are there many job openings at the moment? What qualifications do you need to land a job?  It could be that you don’t have what employers are looking for.  A good way to continue to gain experience is by volunteering at relevant positions.  If you’re trying to break into a dying industry and simply can’t find open positions, then it may be time to switch career paths.

You feel unfulfilled.

Many people simply fall into a career path.  Maybe you were offered a job and just never left.  You followed a family member in their footsteps.  Whatever the reason, you never got the chance to explore different careers to figure out what you want out of a job.  Because of this, your current career path may not feel fulfilling or enjoyable.  You can look at your current career and see if there are projects or assignments you can take on that would make the job worthwhile.  However, if you are set on wanting a different career, then look at the steps necessary to make a career change.

Your degree isn’t good enough.

Sometimes, just having a degree isn’t good enough.  Certain employers look at the type of degree you have, where you got your degree from, what your educational accomplishments were, etc.  If your degree is what is blocking you from getting into your chosen career path, then you have a few options.  Try to get some experience—the more experience you have related to the industry, the less your degree matters.  You can get more experience through volunteer work or getting an internship.  You can try to pad your degree with added qualifications.  Take certification programs, attend workshops, and go to seminars.  If you really think your outlook is bleak, you can consider returning to school to get a more appropriate degree.

Your current field is drying up.

In today’s economy, a lot of industries are shrinking.  Business are closing, employment is being outsourced, and current employees are being laid off.  If you are one of those current employees, you may be seeing your working days at your current company coming to an end.  In this case, you have to work quickly.  You can try to move to a company that is steadier and likely to survive the shrinkage without letting go of employees.  To do this you want to start networking and attempt to make connections within that company.  If you think it would be best to remove yourself from the industry, you can try to find a career that closely relates to your current skills—one where your skills can transfer over.  This will be easier than switching to a career path that is vastly different.