Career Change

You've been working hard, getting things done and demonstrating how prepared you are to take on more responsibility at work. Finally, the day comes: you're offered a promotion. On one hand, it's exactly what you've always wanted: a better title and more money. Before you accept the position, stop and think: do ...

By Diane Gilman You may not know me, but you might be familiar with my jeans. Not to brag, but they're the top-selling item on the Home Shopping Network, and I created them specifically for women over 40. To some people, the most fascinating aspect of my story is my dramatic success as a fashion designer. ...

By Tony Lewis, Senior Recruiting Specialist, Insperity Are you a professional over the age of 50 who is trapped in a job that doesn't meet financial needs or is out of sync with your personality, character or mind? It's not that you are unappreciated or taken for granted. You still have dreams, and your ...

Donna Read never planned to spend the rest of her life working at a grocery store. But the decent wages and great benefits kept her there for 12 years, until she was fired last summer. At age 58, Read fell into poverty, and into a depression that kept her in bed for three months. But now Read is going back to ...

It's the core question for most workers: What career should I pick? If you're looking for quick-and-dirty, try the Department of Labor's Skills Profiler. It inventories your skills and suggests matching careers. ...

I know a few people in their 40s and 50s who reinvented themselves the old-fashioned way: They went back to school. One became a high school teacher. Another became a psychologist. And a third went through an extensive wine certification program and became the marketing director for a wine retailer. School is ...

Shouldn't it be easy to get a job if you are more than qualified -- even overqualified -- for the opportunity? If you're an experienced engineer with a Ph.D. and you're having trouble landing an entry-level engineering job, it can be tough on your morale. However, you should not be surprised when employers don't ...

The economy is showing signs of life. And that means millions of people who have been stuck in jobs they hate will start looking for work. A 2011 survey indicated that 84 percent of Americans planned to look for a new job when the economy improved. And yet, the reality is that only a small percentage of them will ...

By Richard Eisenberg There's one question many people in their 40s, 50s and 60s have when they muse about switching from their current occupation into an encore career that will let them have a second act with a social purpose: How do you do it? That's been a toughie, since no one had created a practical ...

Are you an art history major but you dream of working in public relations? Are you a business major but now you want to work in design or tech? If so, you wouldn't be alone. I often am asked by new grads if it is possible to work outside of their major. Will employers consider you for a position when your ...

Fred Sanford was 57 years old when he realized that he needed to come up with a Plan B -- and fast. Working as an Orlando-based financial adviser for Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. in 2007 and 2008, he was writing the second chapter of a business career that was highlighted by his work selling loans for mortgages. ...

Now that I'm job hunting, I've been wondering: At what age do you become that 'older worker" who has hit the brick wall? Based on what I've seen and heard from other mid-careerists, the magic number seems to be 55. Last week, a CNNMoney story, "Workers Over 50 Are The New Unemployables," suggested the even ...

By Susan Ricker Given the recovering economy, emerging jobs and pure human nature, career switches are common. What may have been a great job 10 years ago can be obsolete now. But how can you prepare yourself for a career switch? These experts share the following advice for planning your next career ...

I'd be lying if I said that I'm not worried about my age -- 51 -- being a problem in my job hunt, especially after working independently for more than a decade. But I just can't believe I'm doomed because of it. I have friends who've switched jobs, acquired new skill sets, and launched satisfying careers ...

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By Lindsay Olson If you're considering quitting your job, you may be indecisive about whether it's the right decision or not. On the one hand, you're pretty miserable. On the other hand, if you wait it out, you might make that promotion next year. While quitting or staying at your job is a personal ...

Gail Belsky is blogging for AOL Jobs about her quest to find a new job -- and reinvent her career. She will be posting every Monday. In the meantime, feel free to share your suggestions, thoughts and ideas in the comments section below. As part of my attempt to reinvent my career, I had my first consult ...

By Alan Brady When we graduate college, we hope that the job fairy will give us a high-paying job at a great company-the day after we get our loan-financed diplomas, no less. Unfortunately, what usually happens is that we find ourselves sitting in our parents' basements, lamenting the cruelty of fate ...

By Donna Fuscaldo Not all jobs are created equal, which is why you shouldn't feel obligated to accept every offer that comes your way. If taking the job means the difference between living on the street and keeping your house, that's one thing, but if your situation enables you to be picky, career ...

Gail Belsky will be blogging for AOL Jobs about her quest to find a new job -- and reinvent her career. This is the first post in her weekly series that will run Mondays. At 51, I've become both a cliche and a victim of circumstance -- neither of which makes me happy. A cliche because I'm a middle-aged ...