7 Lessons from Mid-Life Career Changes
A former colleague recently reached out and asked if I had time to chat. She was struggling at work - a role she had once loved had lost its sparkle - and she was looking for help to diagnose what might be going wrong and figure out what she might do about it.
She knew I had transitioned from a corporate role to consulting and coaching and wondered if I had any “Lessons Learned” that I might be willing to share.
I’m a big fan of reflecting and sharing, but I wasn’t sure at first how much I could offer. However, we ended up chatting for over an hour, and I realized that I’ve learned a lot!
Here are the lessons:
🌟 There are lots of different work arrangements to consider and evaluate. Full time employee, part time employee, contractor or subcontractor. Each arrangement has unique attributes around things like flexibility, security, and working conditions. None of them is objectively “better” or “worse”; rather they may meet more or less of your needs at different stages in your career and life. For example, if you love the synergy (and productivity!) of working on a team, solopreneurship might not be a great fit. If you’ve only ever worked as a full-time/9-5/M-F job, it might be fun to experiment with different arrangements to see what works for you. Get clear on your values and needs from your next job to inform your next step.
🌟 The costs of owning a business add up. If you choose to jump into the world of entrepreneurship, operating costs like a bookkeeper, website hosting, and graphic design add up month after month (even if you want to keep things as simple as possible). Investing in skill development around sales and marketing takes money (and time). Both corporate and personal taxes also need to be factored into the rates you charge for services or products. Do the math (or hire someone who can).
🌟 Creating a sustainable business takes time. There are A LOT of programs that advertise getting a full roster of clients and earning 6-figures within the first 6 months of starting a coaching or consulting business. I have met many folks who have paid for such programs and not one of them crafted a sustainable business as a result of the tactics. Go at the pace you can with the resources you have.
🌟 Fear and scarcity around money combined with great sales tactics is a recipe for disaster. Find grounded, authentic practitioners who have been supporting others and actually getting results for a few years - the longer the better!
🌟 You can tweak your budget and lower your household expenses, but you can’t eliminate your overhead completely. Working in a more sustainable way automatically reduced certain expenses for me, like seasonal wardrobe updates. However, as a mom of three in a blended family, there were many still fixed expenses. Do a budget and get clear about what you are (and aren’t) willing to change to put less pressure on your level of income.
🌟 Know what your exit strategy will be if a new work experiment isn’t working out. If you have your own clients or are subcontracting to someone else, you might not be able to give the standard two week’s notice and move on. Get legal advice to interpret any contracts before you sign anything, and especially if you are the one drafting the contract.
🌟 You might work just as hard as you do now – or harder – and end up making less. These 6-figure freelancers and solopreneurs and influencers make a lot of noise on social media bragging about their lifestyle and talking about work like it’s some alternative form of summer camp. It’s just not true. Don’t fall for it. Your worth as a human is not tied to the size of your paycheque or performance bonus. Full stop.
It’s important to get clear on what your needs are from your job.
Here are some questions you can ask to get clarity:
💫 What level of financial security do you need?
💫 What level of variety do you want in the work you do and who you do it with?
💫 Do you prefer working solo or collaborating in a team environment?
💫 Do you want to work at home or in an office or have a hybrid arrangement? How much time are you willing to spend commuting?
💫 What other factors are important to you in a work culture?
As I’m writing out all these questions, it occurs to me that there are likely lots of very qualified career coaches working with students who are entering the job market for the first time who are asking the same questions. And, the answers I would have given in my 20s are very different from my answers now after 20+ years of work experience.
If your job has lost its sparkle, don’t be afraid to take a step back and ask yourself the same questions now. Whether it’s been 5, 10 or more years since you entered the workforce, it's not too late to make adjustments.
I’d love to hear from you - what lessons have you learned as you navigate different approaches to work? Where has your hummingbird path taken you?
Would you like to know more about any of my lessons learned in future blog posts? Send me a note at amy at hummingbirdconsulting.com and let me know!
