ORLANDO, Fla. – Ready for your second act? Americans 45 to 54 are leaving one career for something entirely new, seeking meaning, flexibility, and purpose. Job tenure is at its lowest in two decades, signaling a growing willingness to pivot.
From the comedy stage to the world stage, Volodymyr Zelensky became Ukraine’s president at 41.
Julia Child swapped copywriting for cooking fame in her 50s. Arnold Schwarzenegger traded Hollywood for the governor’s mansion at 56.
An ‘encore career’ isn’t a comeback, it’s a reinvention and it all starts with knowing one thing.
“Understand that you are a brand,” said Betsy Gardner President & CEO, Winter Park Chamber of Commerce.
That means translating hard skills you already have and pairing them with the soft skills you’ve built on the job.
“Understand what differentiates you from another person who might be your age, race, gender, background, expertise, all of that,” explained Gardner.
Then move, before you feel “perfect.” Start small, test your pitch, and let the market respond.
“Try it out with your neighbor. And keep refining that elevator pitch as you keep telling people what you’re all about. It’s better to start than to wait to be perfect,” said Gardner.
And finally, tell yourself and everyone else, you’re ready.
“More often than not, these are incredibly talented people that people are like, well, ‘I’ll find a place for her if she’s ready because she’s fantastic,’” explained Gardner.
Because the next chapter of your career could be the best one yet.
Research shows mid-career changers in their 40s and 50s see an average seven percent pay bump and boost their odds of staying employed longer. And while many worry about the cost of retraining, only 37 percent of successful midcareer changers spent money to do it. Sometimes, your best next move starts with the skills you already have.
Contributors to this news report include: Marsha Lewis, Producer; Bob Walko, Editor.
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