Career change or job change ??

One advantage of looking for a job in the present economic climate is that you are not alone., and in fact you can find quite a bit of support and encouragement on job boards, forums and Facebook and LinkedIn There can be many reasons and factors involved in why someone is job hunting, but these days the situation of an older person having maybe been laid off from one job, but having no option but to look for another is perhaps the most likely scenario , as people have no option but to stay in paid employment much later in their lives.Changing jobs just because you fancy a change is not so much of an option these days as perhaps it was.

Some factors that have made people think about a career change are age, health,stress levels or a desire to make a living out of your hobby. Whatever the reason might be, there are still myriad avenues and options, especially on line, in which you can start your new career. Let us take a look at the best jobs for a career change.

Opportunities for a Career Change
Before we go ahead and divulge some details on the best fields to start your new career in, we would like to tell you that there is a substantial difference between career change and job change. If you are needing a job change, you may be merely changing your current organisation to join a new one which offers you relatively better benefits or indeed a job at all., The experience and skills that you have developed over the years will be still useful to you. In case of a career change, you will be charting into a completely new territory and you will have to do the learning all over again and/or use those transferable skills you hear so much about.

So, it is important that you do a bit of thinking, if you have the time that is, rather than the need to just take a job quickly for financial reasons, about what essentially you are looking for. We can provide you with some ideas of career change in this article, but you are in the best position to judge what will work well for you. Before you start your journey on the new career path, it is essential to understand whether you will be able to do justice to yourself., and if the job is sensible.practical and financially viable. Once you are sure about this, you can take the next step and look for opportunities in your field.

Entrepreneurship
Becoming an entrepreneur is easy, being a successful entrepreneur is a different matter and difficult. If you have got some savings and want to invest it to give you a steady source of income, starting a business of your own..perhaps property investment, since it is a landlords paradise these days with so many people being unable to afford to buy a home, and that not likely to change in the near future, is one of the best options. Becoming an entrepreneur doesn't necessarily mean that you need to have a million dollars in your bank, but what you should essentially have is a great, profitable business idea....something that people want in the way of a product or service..and where you can meet that demand...business is about supply and demand....hence the success at the moment of landlords.

You cannot depend on being accepted for any grant programme and just assume that you will get a grant, but there are lots of support , advice and possible grant options out there that you can approach.

When I say that you cannot assume that just because it is there, and investigating the web suggests that there are loads of grant schemes for budding entrepreneurs, much will depend on your current circumstances. Take my own example...due to my health , I am trying to start an advice based service , developing a website around what I know about, and sharing my knowledge and experience...looking for a job when you are over 50 and perhaps not in good health, The making a profit part comes in when I can monetise the site through sector relevant affiliate schemes. However, along with many others, in spite of considerable health issues, I am being forced by the department of work and pensions ( Job centre) to look for work. I have repeatedly tried to discuss my suggestions for self employment with advisers, and have asked for referral to the governments New Enterprise scheme. However, although quite a few advisers have smiled encouragingly, and promised to telephone through an enquiry for me, when I go for my next appointment, the adviser has been removed from my case, and it is made very clear that I am to look for a job, This might sound harsh...I have a heart condition, high blood pressure, partial sight, arthritis, a vitamin defiency that affects my bones, a history of fractures, and anxiety and depression, BUT, like many others in my position, am denied sickness benefit...therefore I have to look for a job, tough but that is how it is. The Job centre managers have some awareness of my situation, on file I guess, and that I am totally dependent on my Job seekers allowance to pay my mortgage and that due to a history of domestic violence I already have a suspended possession order on my home, which is activated if I cannot pay the mortgage ….an adviser recently admitted to me that the powers that be are of the opinion that I am not in a position to make enough to cover my bills by self employment..therefore they have no option but to force me to comply with job seekers allowance rules and get a paid job, as I am not going to get sickness benefit, and have been told that should I apply I will be deemed fit to work...you must not assume that just because indeed grants are available for those wanting to start self employment , you will be granted access to it....it will depend on appraisals of your situation because you have to be able to support yourself besides the grant, which will not last forever...I have now been referred to the Work programme, where at my induction this week I was told that while indeed self employment could be a future option..it is just that, and I have to first get a job...

There are numerous businesses that don't require huge investment to set-up and the returns are good enough to ensure that you eventually can live a financially stable lifestyle. Some businesses that you can think of starting are -

• Accounting ..if you have that experience
• Computer Maintenance
• Landscaping
• Cleaning
• Event Management
• Catering

Creative Jobs
If you always had a creative urge inside you but couldn't realise your dream due to financial or other constraints, may be now is the time to have a go at it. You need to trust yourself and your skills as a lot of people will disapprove and put you off if you tell them that you are resigning from the post of a sales manager to start a new career as a writer. But as they say, "Not all those who wander are lost", with determination and perseverance you can be successful. Some of the jobs in this field are -

• Writers/Copywriters/Editors
• Painters/Sculptors
• Architects, planning designers, builders, decorators etc...

If you are someone who has got a lot of information and ideas to share,, and has a valid qualification, and experience in eg teaching , a career change as a tutor can provide an ideal platform. . If you have an inherent desire to teach people (and have the required degrees), you can very well start a coaching centre of your own and impart knowledge to students. If you are good at motivating people and at helping them to come out of distress, then you can very well look at a career as a counsellor...if you speak another language there is lots of freelance work on line as a translator, or you can work as a virtual PA, a field in which there are an increasing number of opportunities

As mentioned before, making a career change is not about sleeping one night as an accounts executive and waking up the next morning as a novelist! You should carefully weigh up all the options and factors involved before you take a plunge. We wish you all the best in your endeavour.


Valerie Hedges
looking for a job when you are over 50