You need to assess the real you, when transitioning your career after 50
Self-assessment: identify skills, strengths and passions
“However, many older workers who changed careers found that they did not need to pursue a new degree in order to successfully begin their new roles.”
(American Institute for Economic Research Study, 2015)
So you have been finding your job applications are being rejected or worse ignored?
I get it.
If you want to move forward in your life, you may be looking at starting out on your own.
In fact, with few other options due to corporate policies, or hiring managers opinions surrounding your age and suitability for a role, you may have no other choice.
Been there got the T-shirt.
I still send out applications just to test the waters, for positions I can do standing on my head. I rarely hear anything back.
So where do you go from here?
Here you must recognise the real you. Looking inward is never easy.
But it is vital that you take stock of yourself, and your situation.
Here is what you need to ask yourself:
What am I good at?
By that I mean, what are your life skills? The things you need to know and understand to do anything. These are your soft skills, of the cerebral kind.
Examples would be, time management, calculating the bills, creativity, running a meeting, interviewing people, managing a team etc.
Think about what you could talk about all day?
What do people naturally ask you about?
What do they consider are your strengths? —Making you their first point of call for answers.
If people are asking you specific questions, on certain subjects, and hoping for clear answers, then it is because they know what you are good at.
They are revealing their opinions on what your strengths are—as far as knowledge and experience goes. This is a good indicator of your credibility, in certain areas.
It also means, you have transferable skills.
You need assess yourself to discover your true talents.
Discover the one thing you are passionate about.
The thing that causes you to wake up in the morning feeling inspired by your own vision and dream
Mixing your talents with this one thing you are passionate about is key
Whether you are the type who is risk adverse or a fly by the seat of your pants risk taker, you are now able to move forward with that One Idea.
Low risk in this instance, would be a business start-up. When I say, low-risk, I am not saying there is no risk. But compared to someone with an entrepreneurial mindset, business owner needs to look at a low risk strategy and growth over time.
Whereas the entrepreaneur is seeking to maximise growth in as short a time as possible, and that carries with it a higher element of risk.
No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path. ~Buddha
So to begin, make a list of your transferable skills.
This will help you approach your new path without staring a blank sheet of paper.
Your skills may include things like, problem solving; interpersonal communication; public communication; reading comprehension; customer service; basic computer; mentoring, managing, or teaching; math and quantitative analysis; and business or management.
For those who have had a life of labour, skills may include teamwork, manual tool skills, working at height, confined spaces, safety equipment, keeping logs & data, health & safety, working with chemicals, dangerous structures, visual inspection, audits, etc.
Even manual workers will have a product, or service they have used, or have a deep understanding of, that they can emulate.
Then ask yourself:
• Can I do it better, faster or cheaper?
• Can I make it work better, safer or save costs?
• Can I teach others how to use it, do it or work it?
• Am I experienced enough to coach people, in what I know?
The possibilities are many and varied. The key is to be passionate about it.
More ideas to add to your list of transferable skills:
• Basic computer skills
• Interpersonal communication skills
• Math, quantitative, or analytical skills
• Reading comprehension skills
• Problem-solving skills
• Heavy lifting or operating machinery
• Knowledge of business or management
• Bilingual ability
• More advanced computer skills with programs like Excel or PowerPoint
• Communication skills for interacting with the public
• Managing, teaching, or mentoring in others
• Customer service skills
• Client management skills
• Social media skills with programs like Facebook, X, or LinkedIn
To walk this new path and discover what opportunities are available to you, ask yourself:
• What do I find easy, that others find challenging?
• What is a problem people have, that I can solve?
• What can I provide, that will reduce someone else’s pain or difficulty?
• What ignites my passion?
Ask friends, family, even former colleagues the questions:
What do you think are my best strengths, what am I good at, in your eyes?
What knowledge, or experience do you consider approaching me for?
You may be surprised with the replies.