5 Great Second Career Moves

Many people suffer from job burnout, but making the decision to change careers can be a bit overwhelming, especially after decades of building expertise.

(Image credit: Photograph by Natasha Lee)

Many people suffer from job burnout, but making the decision to change careers can be a bit overwhelming, especially after decades of building expertise. Yet millions of workers are switching careers when they’re in their forties, fifties and even their sixties, transferring their skills to a new field—or getting the education or training that allows them to make a fresh start in a new profession. Such encore careers allow them to pursue a passion, undertake work with a social impact or scale back from a demanding profession.

Before you make the leap, study up on the skills or credentials you may need—as well as the cost of earning them—and talk to people in the field that interests you. Volunteering, moonlighting or job shadowing are all ways to get a feel for a new career, says Kerry Hannon, author of Great Jobs for Everyone 50+: Finding Work That Keeps You Happy and Healthy...and Pays the Bills. Hannon advises taking two to three years to do the research and make the transition.

We profile five people who have made their second acts work for them, and we provide tips on how you can make it happen for you, too.

Miriam Cross
Associate Editor, Kiplinger's Personal Finance
Miriam lived in Toronto, Canada, before joining Kiplinger's Personal Finance in November 2012. Prior to that, she freelanced as a fact-checker for several Canadian publications, including Reader's Digest Canada, Style at Home and Air Canada's enRoute. She received a BA from the University of Toronto with a major in English literature and completed a certificate in Magazine and Web Publishing at Ryerson University.