How to make a late career move

With people routinely working into their late sixties and even their seventies, what sort of options are available to those who want to make a shift near the end of their careers?

Why make a late change? For many people it's because their working lives are winding down or they want to give something back. But there are other rationales too. "A lot of people have been in a single organisation or career type since they were 21, and just want to do something different," says Frances Cook of human resources consultancy Penna.
What should I consider?"Think about the generic skills you have that are transferable, such as decision-making and the ability to motivate people," says Peter Shaw, a partner at coaching consultancy Praesta. "Often, people in big organisations have skills they take for granted, but these skills can have a huge impact in a smaller organisation."
He advises that you also consider what gives you joy, fulfilment and energy: "Knowing what you know now, what would you do if you were starting out?"
What sort of options are available?"People often decide they want to work for a different kind of organisation such as in the public or third sector," says Ms Cook. "Going from being chief finance officer of a FTSE organisation to being CFO of a charity can be a natural thing to do."
Another well-trodden path is the portfolio approach. "This doesn't necessarily mean a clutch of non-executive directorships, as many senior people assume. You could be a trustee of a charity, a school governor and do some consultancy or freelance work," says Ms Cook.
Many people in their late careers are still ambitious. "Particularly in the US, you now see a lot of people becoming entrepreneurs in their fifties and sixties," says executive coach Geraldine Gallacher. "Some CEOs go from running PLCs to private companies because they want the freedom."
What are the difficulties?"You probably need to network and research the areas you're interested in as it's unlikely you're going to get a job through a want ad," says Ms Cook. "If you're going for a role, you'll need to construct a narrative too in order to get others to understand what it is you want and why they should consider you. Convincing people that you're committed can be harder if you're older."
Ms Gallacher says that if you're moving from somewhere you've been a long time, "you may need to brush up on technology and get used to things like working remotely".
Are there any limits?Ms Cook says: "People are fitter and living longer. Being over 50 and learning new skills is quite normal now. Even retraining to be an accountant wouldn't be ridiculous."
Mr Shaw notes: "There are physical constraints but older people often have more emotional resilience."
The writer is author of 'The Careerist: Over 100 ways to get ahead at work' More News From Financial Times
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