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Is 50 too old for a career change? We say no! Transitioning to a new profession is never too late. There are many lucrative and exciting occupations you can start today. What skills do you need to succeed in the current job market? What are the top career change ideas at 50? Find out!
Have you been dreaming about a change but are afraid to do something because of your age? Career change at 50 can be scary. After all, you have built a solid foundation in your current occupation over the years. But think about it this way: would you be okay working your boring, unfulfilling job, where you aren't appreciated until retirement?
If even the thought of staying in the current work makes you feel depressed, it doesn't matter how old you are or how many years you spent climbing the professional ladder, you deserve higher pay, more exciting development opportunities, and to discover your dream job.
People of all ages decide to change careers and find happiness in the unknown. But we want to make this transition as easy as possible for you. For that, we prepared top skills like no-code development to help you stand out in the talent pool and 18 best career change ideas at 50.
Leaving a boring job where you’re underpaid or just upskilling and climbing the professional ladder can give immense benefits. So why might it be better to change jobs in your 50s?
Regardless of your current occupation, you have a lot of professional experience. Many skills are transferable. When you decide to change jobs or pivot your career completely, you won’t be starting from scratch.
Although we all are figuring out life as we go, by now, you should have a strong sense of your boundaries. You know what you like about your professional prospects and what grinds your gears. It can help you put clear goals for future transformation.
After being in the job market for over 20 years, you should have a decent net worth. You might have savings, investments, or real estate to make you feel safer about starting a new chapter in your life. Having a safety net and savings equal to 6 months of your salary should be enough for most people to start building a new career.
In your 50s, your kids are grown up or less dependent on you. Most people have their mortgages paid and more financial freedom to make drastic changes.
Monotonous work, unappreciative superiors, and a meaningless career are stressors. Prolonged stress affects your mental health. Chronic stress is linked to decreasing cognitive abilities, higher psychological stress, and poorer memory later in life. No pay or benefits can replace your well-being.
Career coaches can help you determine your professional goals to find the best match for your personality and experience. It's good to hire a coach because no matter how well you think you're prepared, somewhere in the way, you'll feel like giving up and returning to your old job. A consultant will keep you on track and help you stay focused.
Why do you want to make the change in the first place? Do you want a more meaningful job, pursue your hobbies, reduce stress, earn more, or just get rid of a terrible boss? Clear reasons will help you stay focused and avoid getting into the same position.
It's important to have guarantees when you decide to quit or make a change. Make sure you aren't compromising your social and financial commitments. Prepare to provide for yourself and those who depend on you during the transition period.
A plan will give you guidelines and inner peace. When you have clear steps to follow, you'll be more accountable. You can develop this plan together with your career coach and the people you have shared responsibilities with.
By now, you should have a large professional network to help accelerate your career change at 50. Don't be afraid to contact influential people and tell them about your transition. You would be surprised how many of them are happy to recommend or hire you. To ease the networking part, create a LinkedIn account to find and connect with those in your desired field.
When was the last time you updated your CV? Chances are, it's been a while. To stand out in the current job market, you must be creative. Update your CV with the skills you've gained through the years, and make it look professional and neat. Forbes has a guide on how to write a winning resume.
If you're looking for one top skill to add to your resume, you should look into no-code development. What is no-code development? No-code development is a set of tools and methods that allow you to create impressive websites, mobile and web apps, databases, marketplaces, and more without writing a single line of code.
No-code is so lucrative because you don't need to spend years learning to program, you can do it after a few weeks of mastering no-code development. It's an essential skill to upgrade your current career, start a job in tech, or become self-employed and start living on your terms.
No-code brings value in every field. Nocode Institute will guide you through the learning process. Our No-code Foundation program teaches the fundamentals of no-code development. Call center and retail workers, bankers, entrepreneurs, unemployed build their dream careers with no code, and so can you.
If you think starting an IT career in your 50s is impossible, think again. There are great opportunities to pivot your current occupation to tech, earn a better salary, and have many exciting opportunities. Citizen development is an excellent career choice for those who want to have a thrilling career in IT at any age.
Citizen development is an umbrella term describing jobs like data analyst, process improvement consultant, software developer, etc. Such professionals build programs, apps, and other digital infrastructure using low to no code techniques with approved development tools. It means that you can create complex digital products without actual coding.
You can earn up to $172,000 a year.
It would be a lie if we said that you could transition immediately and start making 6 figures in your first week. But it's not that hard, either. All you need to succeed is determination and willingness to learn new skills.
Essential skills for citizen developers:
And you can learn all this with one super skill — no-code development.
To become a citizen developer at 50, we recommend you not to waste your time and enroll in the No-Code Foundations course. Nocode Institute can help you reinvent yourself at any age with a 7-week easy-to-follow program. It's a part-time course that consists of lessons and practical tasks that help you get the idea of no-code development and position yourself for success in the digital economy.
Your 50s are the best time to become self-employed. This type of work gives you the freedom to work on your terms and spend more time pursuing your dreams.
Earning potential: between $44,146 and $57,480.
If you have good people skills, a virtual recruiter is an excellent occupation. Many international companies hire virtual recruiters to help them find and hire the best talents.
Earning potential: between $84,612 and $111,468.
App developers create mobile and web apps with different functionality. It's a highly profitable and in-demand field that you can enter with no-code skills. Many no-code tools allow you to develop apps without programming by using drag-and-drop functionalities.
Earning potential: between $110,000 and $146,500.
Data analysts analyze business data to identify the key points for the company's strengths and weaknesses to improve business operations.
Working part-time gives you more time to enjoy your leisure, spend time with your loved ones, and develop yourself.
Earning potential: $15.71 hourly.
Gardeners take care of gardens and landscaping. They mow lawns, trim and prune bushes and perform similar tasks.
Earning potential: $12.41 hourly.
Pet sitters take care of people's pets while they are busy or gone. They feed, walk, clean, and play with furry friends. Spending time with pets has plenty of benefits against anxiety, depression, and it gives you the reason to be more physically active.
Earning potential: $16,868 annually full-time.
Spending quality time with kids can bring a lot of joy and satisfaction. If you have experience with kids, you can start a part-time job as a nanny.
Although, in most cases, volunteers don't get paid, some organizations pay for their expenses and accommodation. However, volunteering gives a sense of contribution to society and other causes that are important to you.
Earning potential: $40,416 and $59,000.
Teaching can be a great way to advance your career or pursue a new field of your interest. If you have the right experience, you can teach at universities or pick a more modern way and teach online or join private schools that teach different subjects.
Earning potential: $32,091.
Mentors help others improve their lives and careers to achieve goals. There are many fields you can get into to start your coaching practice. But after working in your field for a few decades, you can mentor others on how to follow your professional path.
Your 50s is when you should enjoy your life and maybe turn your hobby into a second or primary source of income.
Earning potential: $31,420 per year.
If you have a sawing machine and a good sense of fashion, you can start your tailoring practice. Tailors make and fix clothing based on an individual customer. But you can take it up a notch and start creating your own fashion line.
Earning potential: $68,690.
Creating and selling art has never been easier. If you're a talented artist, you can create your online marketplace or sell your art pieces on eBay, Etsy, and similar platforms.
Earning potential: $45,825 to $60,176.
Creative writers write novels, poetry, scripts, screenplays, and other types of content. If you love storytelling and know how to captivate the reader, you may be the next Frank McCourt (he published his famous book Angela's Ashes when he was 66).
Life is too short to ignore your creative ideas. Many jobs pay great salaries for creative people, so why not tap into your greatest asset — creativity?
Earning potential: $30,930 to $99,070.
Interior designers plan and create designs for houses, apartments, offices, and other properties to make them look great. If you have good taste, you can start by designing your friends' houses to build your portfolio.
Earning potential: $74,700.
Graphic designers make visuals such as logos, thumbnails, social media illustrations, icons, etc. And the great thing is that you can work remotely or become self-employed.
Earning potential: $103,757 to $135,919.
Marketing is a highly creative field that requires innovative and clever ideas to attract customers. With no-code development giving you tools and techniques to become more tech-savvy and your creativity, you can become a successful marketer.
You don't need to launch a fancy startup to call yourself an entrepreneur. Many professions and skills allow you to start your business.
Earning potential: $24,000 to $155,000.
Do you love cooking or have a great vision for a dining place? Opening your restaurant can be a way to combine your passion for gastronomy with great professional prospects.
Earning potential: $67,069.
Have you ever thought about turning your real estate into a small business? Bed and breakfast innkeepers can make great money hosting guests. And with platforms like Airbnb and Booking.com, hosting is easy and safe.
Earning potential: $67,250.
Event organizers plan and prepare various events — from weddings to office parties. It's an excellent occupation for someone who's organized and loves dealing with challenging situations to find solutions.
If you're not sure where to start, no-code is a great place to begin. Nocode Institute created an effective program to get you started with no code to enter lucrative IT jobs. All you need is to have a computer and internet.
In these 7 weeks, not only will you learn the most important techniques and tools for no-code development, but you will also begin building your digital portfolio. The whole program is created for people without any programming or IT background. Hundreds of people have already changed their boring jobs, pivoted careers, and entered lucrative fields because of no-code development.
Change is never easy, but it's rewarding. You shouldn't waste your precious time doing something you hate. There are many ways you can improve your professional life. Learn no code and enter the IT industry or tap into creative work or your hobbies to finally find the true meaning in influential and joyous work.
And for now, our applications are already open, so take the first step toward your dream career.
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