There are plenty of us midlife women whose careers went to the far back burner while we raised kids and/or followed our husband's jobs for many years.  You can imagine the choices for a career in the midst of that are pretty limited.  But what if you're now ready to explore your options but have no idea where to even start?

One of our members posed this question and Sue Cullen, our resident expert on careers, gives just a TREMENDOUS answer here.  And by the way, it's perfect for anyone looking for a new direction. It will take some time and reflection, but it’s the kind of process that can be FUN!  Let yourself go with this.  It will be sooooo worth it!  

Question from Member:

Can you shed some light on jobs for the midlife woman who has been an at home mom & a trailing spouse for many years. (relocated with husband)?  Although I have a college degree & have worked in many jobs - still don't know what to do at this stage.  (I have been a realtor for over 10 years, but ready for a change there too).

Response from our resident career expert, Sue Cullen :  

How I wish I could give a simple answer to your question.  It would be a delight to list “The Top Ten Jobs that Work Best for Reinventing Midlife Women!”

But for more years than I have fingers and toes, I’ve been working with clients who have been reinventing themselves and have yet to find a shortcut.   

You’re not alone in asking this question; but you are the only person that can find the correct answer for you.  Just like finding a perfect pair of shoes, the key to a great job is discovering the right fit.  So instead of giving you answers, I’d like to share some activities and questions that can help you start identifying jobs that might fit you now.  

First, look at every step of your life in the past for important clues to determine where you want to go next.  It doesn’t matter if you were working for a paycheck or not.  You’ve had a lot of valuable opportunities to use your skills and discover what you enjoy and don’t enjoy doing.  

To help jump-start the process, consider making a chronological “lifeline.” Include your key education, work, family, leisure, hobby and volunteer experiences.  An old resume may help jog your memory; but be sure to go back to your childhood too.  Some of your best clues may lie there.  Did you know that one of the best predictors of a great airline pilot is whether or not they built and flew a model airplane before the age of 12? 

No one in my family was surprised that after I chose to do my sixth grade science fair project on the interpretation of dreams that I wound up picking psychology as my college major.  And one of my favorite hobbies in high school was pouring through the classified job ads in the newspaper the same way other people attacked the sports or comics sections on Sunday morning.  Anybody paying attention could have made money placing bets that I would wind up doing career consulting!  What were you doing as a child that might give hints to what you’d love to do now?  
 
As you create your memory net, pay special attention to the times in your life that you did something you loved and felt good about the outcome.  But even the bad experiences and jobs you didn’t like taught you valuable lessons.  At each step, ask yourself what was satisfying and dissatisfying.  

For instance, even though you said you’ve worked in many jobs, you’ve had the stability of being a realtor for ten years.  (Wow!  In this environment where new college grads can expect to change careers anywhere between 5 and 12 times in their lives, you deserve a gold watch for longevity of service!)  What did you like about being a realtor?  Selling?  Meeting clients needs?  And what is it about being a realtor that you didn’t like so much that’s nudging you to do something different?  Sourcing new clients?  Unpredictable schedule?  

As you go through this process, watch for themes and threads.  Even though you’ve been in different settings, do you see some of the same favorite skills bubbling up?  What skills have you loved using?  Selling? Organizing?  Planning?  Your skills are transferable to different settings and have value even if you weren't’ paid for using them. One client identified leading others as one of her favorite skills, but didn’t have the opportunity to supervise others in her “official” job titles.  Yet she had many instances to develop her leadership skills in outside interests and volunteer positions.  When the opportunity presented itself for her to apply for a management position in a new division, she was the one that got the job!  

And what are your favorite fields of interest?  Maybe you love real estate but would just be happier in a different position?  Or is it counseling or healthcare or something else that’s calling you now?  What kinds of environments do you thrive in?  For example, do you like variety and autonomy or do you prefer something more structured?   Travel OK?  Or do you need to be home every night?  What kinds of people do you like to be around?  What values are important to you?  Maybe you love being a realtor but just need another group of people or culture to thrive.  Perhaps just a little tweak is all you need to find the right fit.

Career development is a team sport so be sure to engage others in the exploration process.  If you’re not sure how your favorites fit together, try making a list of your top 3-5 favorite skills, fields of interest, etc. and ask a close circle of friends to help you brainstorm how your common themes might fit together into a job title.   Most people are pleasantly surprised at the feedback and ideas they get from doing this.  Then you can do research, including conducting informational interviews with people already doing jobs you might have an interest in, to help determine whether or not they really would be a good fit for you.  Be sure to maintain a close support group throughout your search; but also broaden your network for leads and contacts.  Consider everyone you meet to be an important part of your job search…never know who might know someone who is related to someone who knows the second-cousin-twice-removed of your next employer! And remember to thank anyone that helps you along the way.

As you move forward in the process, you’ll likely find that you have the choice of multiple paths.  Are you willing or do you need to go back to school?  Take workshops or classes – online or in person?  Volunteer to “try on” or gain more experience in a field you love?  Work part time?  Full time?  Get involved in professional organizations, informal groups or seminars to stay on top of the current lingo?  And what about telecommuting, job sharing, freelancing or starting your own business?  The best fit for you may actually be a combination of choices.  

Be willing to challenge any assumptions you have about the workplace and your options that might be holding you back.  For example, recently a client realized that an early job she had in a law office was one of her favorite life/work experiences.  But she had been out of the workforce for close to twenty years while raising her children and following her husband’s moves.  Although the field of law was fascinating to her, she was convinced that she couldn’t get back into the field because she was too rusty and didn’t have any degrees or up-to-date training certificates.  Yet when she mustered the courage to share her passion with others, a friend told her about an opening in a small law office that needed exactly the types of skills she loved to do.  Armed with the confidence she developed through the self-assessment process, the client got the job in the first interview.  Tell universe what you’re looking for and it will often reward you.

Enjoy the process of self-discovery as you seek opportunities to find the right “fit.”  (Keep in mind your closet full of shoes as a reminder that there are probably several options that will fit your needs……I think that helps to take some pressure off so you don’t get hung up on finding the one and only “perfect’ one!)  You’ll find that small steps ……even baby steps….matter on this journey.

If you need more help with this exercise or prioritizing your favorites, be sure to check out the self-assessment and life/work design processes outlined in the book What Color Is Your Parachute? by Richard Bolles (www.jobhuntersbible.com) to help create a compelling vision for your future.

And if you’re in the Austin, TX area, please join the 6-week midlife reinvention course that Allison Allen and I will be facilitating beginning on October 5.  In this fun, highly interactive setting, you will be guided through powerful self-assessment and group learning processes designed to give you more confidence in your unique talents and inspire you to think and act in fresh, innovative ways to move towards your reinvention goals.  For more information and to register, go to http://tinyurl.com/mov28o.

Sue Cullen, founder of Sue Cullen & Associates in Austin, inspires and empowers individuals and teams to reach their full potential through career, leadership and team development and life/work balance coaching. She also offers Every Step Matters™ workshops and retreats to help women find meaning, joy and value in every step of life!