Midlife is the best time to change your career and here's why

For many of us, turning 40 is a major milestone. It’s an age that comes with a plethora of expectations and pressure to have found ‘success’. Defined by a mix of maturity, experience, and a growing sense of self-awareness, the ‘midlife’ period often prompts a reassessment of personal goals and ambitions. However, this decision can be both daunting and liberating. In a rapidly evolving job market, the concept of a lifelong career is increasingly seen as a relic of the past. More people now than ever are finding themselves contemplating a significant career change in their late 30s or 40s. But in India, changing careers at midlife represents more than a shift in employment—it requires courage to defy societal norms, resilience to navigate challenges, and clarity of purpose to pursue one’s dreams. 

The why of it

What’s common between Arianna Huffington, Falguni Nayar, and Stan Lee? All three showed the world that it’s never too late to embrace change and pivot your career to a new direction. Huffington’s life is a story of the possibility of reinvention. In 2005, at the age of 55, she created the Huffington Post, rewriting the rules of print media for a digital world. Nayar, on the other hand, quit her job as a managing director to become an entrepreneur at the age of 49. She founded India’s leading e-commerce platform for beauty products, Nykaa, in 2012. Lee created his first comic, The Fantastic Four (1961), at the age of 39. He went on to create the legendary Marvel Universe in his 40s.

People change careers for many reasons. It could be stagnation, boredom, or the lack of challenge. “People who have worked for more than 10 years in an industry are usually the ones who have this sudden realisation that they don’t want to be doing what they’ve been doing for a long while. This arises from multiple places and it’s majorly from a need of change,” says career coach Dhairya Gangwani.

New Delhi-based counselling psychologist Divija Bhasin explains that change is the only constant in everyone’s lives. “As circumstances change, people also evolve. Sometimes that means they stop getting satisfaction (financial or emotional) from their careers, and that’s when they decide to change it,” she adds.

Bhasin—who is also the founder of The Friendly Couch, an organisation that offers therapy—says that midlife career change is ought to be seen as a new beginning. “People who change their careers midlife are often perceived to be confused or immature. Being stable is considered the key to a good career. But stability is only good if you are content with where you are. Being in a career that makes you unhappy can feel draining and affect your mental health,” she warns.

Navigating challenges 

Let’s face it—changing careers can be intimidating at any age. You might leave behind professional networks, social connections, your reputation, and skillset. All of this is magnified when you’re in your 40s, having worked hard to establish yourself and with more responsibilities to consider. 

Gangwani suggest that before one contemplates a career change at midlife, they need to consider the potential obstacles, such as ageism, financial risks, and the emotional toll of leaving a long-established career. She adds that one has to be 100 per cent sure that they don’t want to continue what they are doing. “It is only then your mind will be open to explore other opportunities.”

Bhasin recommends having a back-up plan. “The most important thing would be to ensure you have monetary resources to be able to live comfortably, and without completely changing your lifestyle overnight if you quit your job, as there might be a chance that you won’t be earning for a while,” she reminds us.

Both Gangwani and Bhasin say upskilling and being practical is key to a smooth career change. “Talk to people who are in the industry where you want to move to,” suggests Gangwani. Understanding one’s strengths, passions, and values is crucial, she adds. “It is important to highlight that you have transferrable skills. You have to drive the narrative in that direction and concentrate on the efforts you are taking to move to a new domain.”

Unbox yourself 

According to a study published in The International Journal Of Ageing And Human Development in 2021, a midlife career change often result in a positive emotional outlook, despite the challenges.  According to a LinkedIn report published in 2023, a whopping 64 per cent of people in the age group of 45-54 are looking to switch jobs. But Gangwani reminds us that when you switch careers, your ability to learn new skills and pick up new habits is put to test. “So, be open and ready to pick up new things,” she suggests. It is quite possible to start a new career at ‘midlife’ albeit it might take some extra effort. But it’s never too late to set new personal and professional goals, and live a more meaningful life.

Here’s to new beginnings!

This story originally appeared in the June-July 2024 print edition of Harper's Bazaar India.

Lead Image credit: Getty Images 

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