You’re in your late career and looking for new opportunities. What can you do to get ahead?

1 Assess your situation

Before you start looking for new opportunities, you need to have a clear idea of where you are and where you want to go. Take some time to reflect on your current role, skills, strengths, weaknesses, interests, values, and motivations. What do you enjoy doing? What are you good at? What are you missing or dissatisfied with? What are your short-term and long-term goals? How flexible are you in terms of salary, location, hours, and responsibilities? Write down your answers and use them as a guide for your next steps.

2 Explore your options

Once you have a clear picture of your situation, you can start exploring your options. Depending on your goals, you might want to look for a different role in your current organization, switch to a new employer or industry, start your own business, or pursue further education or training. You can also consider alternative work arrangements, such as part-time, freelance, contract, or remote work. To find out what's available and suitable for you, you can do some online research, talk to your network, attend events or workshops, or consult a career coach or mentor.

3 Update your skills

One of the most important things you can do to get ahead in your late career is to update your skills. Technology, trends, and customer needs are constantly changing, and you need to keep up with them to stay relevant and competitive. You can update your skills by taking online courses, reading books or articles, watching videos or podcasts, or joining online communities or forums. You can also learn new skills by volunteering, taking on new projects, or shadowing someone in a role or industry you're interested in.

4 Showcase your value

Another key thing you can do to get ahead in your late career is to showcase your value. You have a lot of experience, knowledge, and wisdom that can benefit your current or potential employers, clients, or partners. You need to communicate your value effectively and confidently through your resume, cover letter, portfolio, website, social media, and personal brand. You also need to highlight your achievements, accomplishments, and impact, as well as your transferable skills, such as leadership, communication, problem-solving, and adaptability.

6 Be open-minded

The last tip to get ahead in your late career is to be open-minded. You might face some obstacles, setbacks, or rejections along the way, but don't let them discourage you or limit your potential. Instead, see them as opportunities to learn, grow, and improve. Be open to feedback, advice, and new perspectives. Be open to experimenting, trying new things, and taking risks. Be open to embracing change, uncertainty, and diversity. By being open-minded, you can discover new possibilities, opportunities, and paths for your late career.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?