How to Choose a New Career at 60

A new career at 60 years old? “Is that even possible?!” we hear you cry. Yes, it certainly is possible to start a new career at 60, and this post will give you the information you need for a successful career change in later life (or at any other time). Here’s a quick list of the ideas for a career change at 60. We’ll look at each one in more detail later in this post.

1. Bookkeeper
2. Florist
3. Virtual PA
4. Dog groomer
5. Gardener
6. Content writer
7. Proofreader and editor

Is 60 Too Old to Start a New Career?

The short answer? No! The longer answer is that plenty of people in their 60s still have what it takes to change careers, and many people do so very successfully. Colonel Sanders was 62 when he opened his first branch of Kentucky Fried Chicken, having previously been an insurance salesman and a gas station attendant. Peter Roget, a physician, began writing his now hugely famous Roget’s Thesaurus when he was 67. So, no, 60 is definitely not too old for you to start a new career!

People often find themselves reassessing their lives in later middle age. Perhaps the kids have flown the nest. Maybe 40 years in one career has already been enough. Maybe retirement beckons, but you don’t want to stop work completely just yet. A new phase of life can bring with it a desire to follow a passion, work in a role that just wasn’t possible at a younger age, or take on a less stressful job with a better work-life balance. The reasons to change careers at 60 are as individual as you are! So we’ll say it again: 60 isn’t too old for you to choose a new career!

How to Choose a New Career

Here are our top tips for choosing a new career:

• Decide what you want to achieve. Your wishes may stem from a whole range of objectives, such as a better work-life balance, greater flexibility, retirement earnings, or work in an organization that better aligns with your values.

• Identify your transferable skills. By the age of 60, you will have had a lifetime of experience (and not just from your jobs), so think about the soft skills you already have. Time management, prioritization, motivation, empathy, and problem-solving are just a few examples.

• Consider your values, interests, and passions. A career change is an opportunity to monetize what you really love doing. So think about the things you enjoy doing most and research what might be available in those fields.

How to Find a New Career

You’ve decided why you want a career change, and you’ve set your goals. Now consider the practical steps you can take to find that new direction:

• Update your resume. Use your list of transferable skills to write a skills-based resume (also called a functional resume), adding relevant experience from previous roles, volunteering, and your domestic life. And remember to tweak your resume to make it relevant to each different role you apply for.
• Research where to look for the particular roles and organizations you want to approach. There’s a wide variety of employment agencies, and some specialize in specific sectors, such as charities, education, and freelancing. Don’t forget about LinkedIn – lots of jobs are advertised there only. It’s also a good idea to update your LinkedIn profile once you’ve revised your resume.
• Identify any gaps in your knowledge or skills and set about filling them. You might need to brush up on your IT skills or update yourself on regulations, or you may have decided to learn a totally new trade.
• Use your network. You already have professional and personal contacts, and they may have great ideas to help you. You can also approach them for a reference, and they may know of great opportunities.

7 Career Change Ideas for Over-60s

Below, you will find a few ideas for career changes at 60 and over.

Bookkeeper

A bookkeeper records the daily financial transactions of a business and often helps with other financial tasks. Essential skills for this role are numeracy, computer literacy, and a good eye for detail. If you don’t have the necessary experience or relevant qualifications, there are lots of good courses, both in person and online. It’s always worth asking a local business for work experience to help you gain a better understanding of the role. If numbers don’t scare you, this career could be a great change for you!

Florist

If flowers and design are your bag, working as a florist could be just the thing for you! From making homegrown posies for a few hours a week to being employed by a big events company producing imposing arrangements for major corporate events, there are lots of ways to enjoy working with flowers.

To change to a career as a florist, you’ll need some design flair, an eye for color combinations, and knowledge of how to store and care for cut flowers. A good route into working as a florist is a traineeship with an established business. Or if you already have basic business skills, you could just take the plunge and start your own shop or online floristry.

Virtual Personal Assistant (PA)

A virtual PA carries out the same tasks as an in-office PA but is often freelance, working for several clients. This remote role usually includes managing diaries and emails, making travel bookings, screening phone calls, and conducting project research.

To succeed as a virtual PA, you’ll need great organizational proficiency, some administration experience, good IT skills, and the ability to juggle and prioritize a variety of clients and deadlines.

Virtual PAs often start out using platforms such as Fiverr and Upwork to build a client base and earn those all-important five-star reviews. You can also find virtual PA jobs on various agency websites, such as Indeed, and on LinkedIn.

Dog Groomer

If you love animals and don’t necessarily want to work regular hours, you might consider becoming a freelance dog groomer. Dog groomers also work as employees in salons, but if you’re changing careers to find more flexibility, freelance dog grooming could be a good fit.

Dog groomers care for the animals’ coat, nails, teeth, and ears. You’ll need to love dogs, of course! You’ll also need to be calm around them and confident handling them. The ability to communicate well with dog owners is important, too.

If you’re an experienced dog owner, you might already have practiced on your own dog, but if not, think about taking a course or a trainee role in a grooming salon before you decide whether to make this your new career.

Gardener

Many people in their 60s have been keen amateur gardeners for many years, and now might be the perfect time to put all that experience and knowledge to work. Professional gardeners undertake a wide variety of tasks in private gardens and public green spaces. These responsibilities can include lawn care, plant propagation, hedge trimming, flower bed weeding, and planting. Some gardeners also service garden machinery and carry out hard landscaping, such as laying patios and building garden features.

To be a good gardener, you’ll need a great knowledge of plants. Growing conditions, care, watering, and pruning are a few of the specialized areas. You’ll also be happy working outdoors in all kinds of weather and being physically fit.

You don’t need formal qualifications to be a professional gardener, but there are plenty of courses run by accredited bodies (for example, these in the US and UK) if you choose to go that route.

Content Writer

Content writers are often freelancers who produce online materials, such as social media posts, blogs, and website copy, for clients. Content writing offers great flexibility in when and where you work.

To be a great content writer, you need a creative mind; the discipline to keep to a brief or to write in a particular style; great grammar, punctuation, and spelling skills; and high-level communication abilities.

Getting started as a content writer might not be as daunting as you think. If you already keep a journal or write great posts on your own socials, you likely already have the basics of what it takes to succeed. But content writing is more than just the basics, and to make a career change fly, you could consider taking a course that will teach you how to adapt to a particular brand voice, gain knowledge of your audience, and optimize your writing for search engine results.

Proofreader and Editor

Proofreaders and editors are the final eyes inspecting an author’s work. They pick up spelling, grammar, and punctuation glitches; improve the flow of the writing; and generally give the piece a polish. Many proofreaders and editors are freelancers, with all the benefits of flexibility and work-life balance that entails.

If you have a great eye for detail, the ability to concentrate, good IT skills, and a sound knowledge of grammar, punctuation, and spelling, this could be the career change for you.

The best way to prepare for a new career as a proofreader and editor is to take a course. There’s more to it than just realizing you can spot the typos in the novel you’re reading, but if that sounds like you, just think how well you’d do with some formal training under your belt!

Becoming A Freelancer

If you’re thinking of a career change, our last piece of advice is to go for it!

Here at Knowadays, we have a wide range of courses that can help you launch a rewarding and flexible career at any age. You can even try them for free!