Career Reinvention After 40

Career reinvention and transition after 40 (or 50) is certainly challenging. Many of us would rather stick to the time-worn routine of applying to job after job, even if it meets with continuous rejection, than change our strategy.

On Elena Paweta’s IDEAS + LEADERS podcast, we dive into a number of these challenges and address real solutions. Admittedly, the environment and, indeed, the prospects for career seekers in mid-career appear to be more limited.

Ageism is definitely a significant factor. But rather than getting swept up in the endless discussion and outcry around the evils of ageism (which are certainly real), it will be more productive to shift your focus to being more proactive about finding a better way to connect with prospective employers and communicate your value. When you redefine your value proposition around a narrow niche set of deliverables you offer, it may feel like you are limiting the opportunities available to you.

With all of your experience and insights, surely you should aim higher or more broadly. Unfortunately, employers don’t see it that way. They view your generalist profile as unsuited to the specific solution or problem they’re focused on.

So by narrowing your focus, you actually increase the chances that a niche-focused employer will be open to your application. If you’re committed to addressing what they need, they will focus on that “fit” and their lame, ageist excuses may just fade away.