Career Change After 50 – A Risk Free Strategy

I am one of the most qualified persons to write on this topic, because I’m exactly 50 and I have a successful career change. Career change after 50 is possible though not easy. However if I can do it, so can you. Don’t expect overnight changes, you do need some preparation work before approaching 50.

My name is Anna. I am a headhunter and I offer career change help to my candidates. I have been making good income out of headhunting very senior investment bankers. However towards my late 40’s, I realize I need a middle age career change for myself for two reasons.

I want to retire by 55 and I don’t want to exchange money with time for the rest of my life. My job requires me to work round the clock and across different time zones in order to speak with clients/candidates all over the world. This is the life style that I don’t want to continue.

Less Work and More Money – Research for Something Risk Free

As my age grows, I tend to take on less risk. Therefore ‘risk free’ is important in my career change plan.

As far as I know, many people are making handsome income from internet marketing. During my researches over the internet, I came across many ‘get-rich-quick’ schemes. Unfortunately, those who sell these schemes make money, but not those (including me) who buy them.

Down the road, I read a book call “Work Less Make More®”. This is where I come across the idea of not to exchange money with time. This is not a book telling people to get lazy. Instead it brings up the idea of restructuring our ways of making money. Let me elaborate this a little further.

How I Finalize My Career Change Plan

Take myself as an example. I am a headhunter and I want a career change after 50. I have considered setting up a headhunting firm as my first choice. Alternatively, I can set up a resume writing service. I am perfectly confident that I can do both well.

However both of these involved some risks and do not agree with the idea of Work Less Make More®. I am still exchanging money with the number of hours I put in, and the number of placements I do, or the number of resumes I write. What if I want to take a year off? No way. Business will die.

Next, I can write a book to educate people how to operate a headhunting firm. This looks more promising as people will keep on buying my book if they like it and want it. They won’t care whether the author is working or not. This idea sounds good but not perfect. Why? The world is changing. Things work today might not work tomorrow. My book would need a lot of updating and it’s not fair to ask my readers to keep buying my updated editions.

To improve the idea, I can write an eBook instead and build a website to sell it. Readers pay once and entitle to a life-time update. Perfect? Not yet. This brings up two important issues.

First, how to build a website? Don’t worry, if I can do it, so can you. Read my bio for some proof.

Next, how many people would be interested in buying a book to learn to operate a headhunting firm? I doubt it. Market size might not be big enough to have a business survive. What about an eBook that educates people how to become a successful headhunter? Bingo. However I didn’t build a headhunting website, I built a travel site instead, because I love traveling.

Do Things You Love To Do

In order to have a successful career change after 50, start with some research and evaluation of yourself. According to Ken Evoy of SiteBuiltIt!, everybody knows something about anything. Turn that something into a website that sells. Ask yourself what are you good at (in my case, headhunting), what do you love to do (traveling for example) or what is your favourite pastime (tennis for example). Pick a broad topic at the beginning, narrow it down, refine your ideas, until you come up with a theme that you feel love and confident to build a theme-based website which generates income.

With such income, career change after 50 works for me. Actually Ken’s theory works for almost anybody who wants a career change for any reason at any age. My website is now generating income and I am on my way to quit my full time job.

A major concern about career change at middle age is to do something you love to do as well as risk free. Building a website wont’ cost a lot of money and there isn’t much risk to take on. All I spend is $25/month for my web host SBI. Make it a go and start on a part-time basis.