Jobs for Over-50s: How to Navigate a Career Change

It’s normal to get comfortable in a job, especially in the later stages of your career. You might have steady pay, good work friends, a great lunch spot around the corner – but as Steve Jobs once said; “never settle for average.”

There are lots of reasons to be considering a career change in your 50s. One of the biggest drivers is a better work-life balance; the chance to swap a frustrating commute or rigid work hours for more flexibility.

Unexpected redundancy is another common reason to be making a career change. Redundancy can come as a shock and leave you feeling adrift, but there are always silver linings to be found. It’s a chance to reset, evaluate what you’re passionate about and spend the next 20 years doing something you love.

Alternatively, many people over 50 are simply looking for a new challenge. You want something that makes you excited to get out of bed in the morning that shakes up your daily routine.

The good news is that once you’ve decided to look for a new job, you’re over one of the biggest hurdles – having the guts to change. Now, you’re ready to explore where your career could go next.

Here are some useful tips to help you look for jobs in your 50s:

Create a Target List for Your New Role

A major advantage of making a career change in your 50s is that you can be a lot more targeted with what you do. Even if you’re going into a completely new field, there’s a good chance you’ve figured out what sort of work and environment you like and what you don’t. This should help to streamline your job search.

Need some more help figuring out your direction? Use our purpose finder to get inspired.

Make a Note of Your Goals

Think about your goals for your next role. Ask yourself:

What skills do I have that I can take into another role?
What makes me happy?
How flexible do I need my next role to be?

It’s important to do this activity at the start of your job hunt to make sure your next career move is a smart one. Defining your goals will give you a clear idea of what’s most important, so you can waste less time applying for roles that look attractive on the surface but ultimately don’t tick the right boxes.

Build a List of Target Companies

Next, create a list of companies you’d like to work for.

Glassdoor, a website which allows employees to anonymously review companies, publishes a list of the best places to work every year, as does the Sunday Times. There are also useful lists of age-inclusive employers, which can alleviate some of the stress of looking for jobs in your 50s.

LinkedIn is a great resource for building your professional network too. The majority of recruiters use LinkedIn to search for candidates, so it’s worth putting the time into creating a compelling profile for yourself. However, you can also use it to learn more about companies, their culture and who works there.

When you visit a company’s LinkedIn page, clicking the “People” tab will give you a list of any employees who have LinkedIn profiles. If you’re serious about working there in the future, connect with the HR manager and see if they’re willing to talk.

When you’re doing this research, don’t get caught up on whether these companies have publicly listed job openings or not. Hidden recruitment, where jobs aren’t advertised and companies instead rely on word of mouth to find great candidates, is on the rise.

If you’ve got a desirable skill set, strong experience or even just the right attitude, a lot of companies will be happy to have an exploratory phone call or meet for a coffee. The most important thing is to get on their radar.

Overcoming Stereotypes in Your 50s

Despite ongoing efforts to combat ageism at work, finding a new job in your 50s can still involve battling negative stereotypes.

Recent research found that ageism can be present in every stage of the hiring process, from the way job adverts are worded, to interviews and who gets the role.

There are some positive stereotypes around depth of knowledge, reliability and work ethic, but there are also a lot of negative stereotypes that you might encounter when applying for jobs in your 50s.

These include areas like:

Adaptability: Are you willing to learn and embrace new ways of working?
Energy and wellness: Can you keep up with a fast-paced work environment?
Ambition: Do you have the drive to succeed professionally?
Technology: Are you familiar with the basic tools used by businesses?

Frustrating? Yes. Outdated? Very. But knowing what perceptions you’ll be going up against in a job interview will help you prepare your answers and body language accordingly. Here are a few ways to counter stereotypes:

Show You’re Flexible

Many negative stereotypes around the over-50s are tied to the concern that you’ll be “stuck in your ways.” If you can brush up on your job interview skills and demonstrate that you’re adaptable, then you’ve won half the battle.

Use anecdotes that reinforce your flexibility and ability to collaborate with others.
Talk about skills you’ve learnt recently or new (relevant) interests.
Share skills you want to learn or ambitions for the future.

Monitor Your Body Language

Showing you’re physically and mentally able is a tough ask in a 30-minute interview, short of sprinting around the office or solving a cryptic crossword at record speed. That said, here a few points to bear in mind:

Monitor your body language and posture to avoid slumping.
Demonstrate your mental energy – share what makes you excited about the role and why you wanted to work for the company.
Avoid making jokes or self-deprecating comments related to your capabilities, which can reinforce negative stereotypes.

Keep Up to Date With Technology

It’s almost inevitable that a question about technology will come up. If you aren’t sure that you can speak confidently about using technology in your role, there are plenty of great online courses to help you brush up on your skills.

What Job Can I Get Over 50?

If you’re eager for a career change but don’t know where to start, that’s perfectly normal. Luckily, there’s a whole range of jobs that are well suited to the over-50s. Here are some types of work that might interest you:

Skills-Based Jobs for Over-50s

Built up a long list of skills or an enviable amount of sector experience? Put them to good use in one of these roles:

Consultancy: Share your specialist knowledge with companies who need it. Hours are flexible and pay is usually generous
Project manager: Organise and coordinate a team of people to successfully complete a project. Most industries require some form of project management
Travel agent: Got strong customer-facing skills? As a travel agent, you’ll help people plan their dream holiday – and usually benefit from travel perks yourself

Part-Time Jobs for Over-50s

If flexible hours tops your priority list, the good news is that there are plenty of great part-time jobs for over-50s:

Operations coordinator: Use your people skills to liaise between teams, ensure departments run smoothly and suggest ways to improve company performance
Administrator: Administrative jobs can include a range of tasks, from updating and maintaining records to answering phone calls and helping visitors.
Communications officer: Write copy for websites, magazines or newsletters to promote a company. It goes without saying that first-class writing skills are essential.

Jobs for Over-50s With No Experience

If your experience is limited, don’t let that hold you back. There are lots of jobs for people in their 50s where you can either retrain in a new trade or step into fairly easily:

Teacher: Many people start teaching careers later in life, where they can bring real-world experience to the role. Find out more about teacher training here.
Driver: If you’re a safe pair of hands behind the wheel and have a full UK driving licence, roles vary from being a professional chauffeur to transporting patients.
Nursery worker: As a nursery worker, you’ll plan and oversee a range of arts, crafts, music, cooking and language activities for young kids. You’ll need a good level of literacy and numeracy but there are no set entry requirements.

Five Tips for Job Hunting Over 50

Ready to take the leap into a new career? Here are five tips to help you land the career you’ve always wanted.

1. Set Goals

Don’t waste hours scrolling job boards and applying for everything you see – be targeted and intentional from the start. Ask yourself:

What do I like and dislike about my current job?
What type of work do I want to be doing?
What sort of company do I want to work for?
What is the single most important thing for my new job to have?

2. Do Your Research!

Use sites like LinkedIn and Glassdoor to learn more about companies and what it's like to work there. There are also some brilliant job portals for age-inclusive work opportunities.

3. Beat the Stereotypes

Ageism, unfortunately, still crops up in many recruitment ads and interviews. Don’t let this faze you. Know what questions are likely to be thrown your way and have a positive, powerful response ready.

4. Broaden Your Horizons

Looking for jobs in your 50s shouldn’t mean limiting yourself to what you’ve always done. There are a wide range of jobs that would value your experience, so explore your options to find something that aligns with your goals.

5. Don’t Get In Your Own Way

Job hunting in your 50s can be daunting, but it shouldn’t take long for you to realise there are amazing opportunities out there. Don’t let nerves or fear of rejection hold you back from creating a life you love.

Key Sources for Finding Jobs for Over-50s

Here are some useful links to kickstart your job search:

Jobs/Redefined portal: A jobs portal for age-inclusive work opportunities for mid-lifers
Government support: Find help with returning to work and developing skills
The Redefiners: Inspiring stories from people over 50 who are redefining their life
Life/Redefined careers: Advice and resources to help you make a career change
National Careers Service: Explore careers, access training or speak to an advisor