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| Ready for a new career? What do you want to do? |
We don't spend 40 years doing the same work any more. I think the last few generations in America have been very lucky to be able to change careers after 20-25 years. You would have had a really hard time doing that 100 years ago, especially if you were a tradesman.
But the trades were in high demand for several generations. It's not as if you would have had trouble finding work for many years. Skilled workers were needed to build the factories, stores, and office buildings that all the cities raised up in the late 1900s and early 20th century. It was a different time when mechanical engineers, architects, and construction engineers were the cutting edge technologists of the day.
What does it take to start a second career? You have to believe in yourself. I think you have to have a dream. Or maybe you just try a few different careers until you fall in love with one.
Here are five people who changed careers in their lives.
Bob Adams worked as a computer programmer for Hewlett-Packard for many years. When his department was shut down he had the opportunity to transfer to another part of the company. Instead he chose to retool himself. He went back to school and earned an MBA in financial planning. He now offers financial planning services to people in his community.
Dave Bernardi studied engineering in college and he took jobs in engineering and administration in manufacturing and foundry work for several years. Because of his work he was able to do quite well financially and around age 40 he realized he wanted to help others improve their chances for financial success. He became a teacher and retired in 2014.
Nicholas Bredimus worked in the airline industry for 25 years, rising to become President of American Airlines' AMR Travel Services, a travel company for airline employees. Bredimus leveraged his experience and contacts in the industry into starting a software company that designed the first real-time itinerary and ticketing system for travel agents and airlines. He want to become a successful businessman but when he retired he started designing houses as a third career.
Robert Hooke is known to some people as the first true scientist of the modern age. He was the "curator of experiments" for the Royal Society in London until the horrific London Fire of 1666. After that time he became an official surveyor for the city, surveying over half the city's land. He then started designing buildings and became one of London's most influential architects and civil planners. His work is still influential today. Unfortunately Hooke has been overshadowed by more famous English scientists and architects.
Tony Scheer owned a scuba diving store in his 20s. He was a certified scuba diving instructor who taught many people how to enjoy the diving experience safely and professionally. But by the time he was 32 he sold his interest in the store and went back to school. He earned a law degree with honors and entered the legal profession in 1992. He is a former prosecutor and successful private attorney.
I chose these five people because their career changes were so radical. But I guess they all had one thing in common: they were successful enough in their first careers that when it came time for them to make changes they were able to start over with some advantages.
That should not discourage people who are feeling frustrated with their current career paths. Maybe there are better opportunities awaiting you in some other type of work. Based on what I have read about the gentlemen above, I think you can plan for a second career. Make it a goal worth achieving and you will do what it takes to get there.
