Tips for Pivoting Your Career to Healthcare Later in Life

“I’m an empty nester and I think I might want to become a nurse.” Does that sound like you? If so, you aren’t alone. Many people decide that they want to pivot into healthcare at a later stage in life. And what does “later stage,” mean, anyway?

Middle age will still be there whether you pursue nursing or not. You might as well pursue the opportunities you are passionate about. While it may sound daunting to enter a new vocation at an age when college is but a distant memory, there are many reasons why now is the perfect time to give healthcare a try. 

In this article, we take a look at how and why you should pursue healthcare later in life. 

It’s a common experience. Particularly when you are entering a space filled with people who seem a little different than you. Most of the nurses your age have probably been at it for a while. Most of the people considering becoming nurses may be closer to your children’s age and—well. Look who we are telling.

The bottom line? No one likes being different. But most of those barriers that we’ve described so far are self-imposed. There are actually several reasons why now is the perfect time to consider a pivot into healthcare.

• More freedom: Chances are that many people who are in the 30+ community are more established than their younger counterparts. They may have children who are old enough to be self-sufficient. Hopefully, they’ve got a good grip on their savings and housing needs and therefore can step away from some of their other responsibilities and focus more on landing this new job. 
• More financial stability: Again, hopefully. It is a fact that most people have more money the closer they get to retirement age. If you fall into that category, it will be easier to pay for whatever training and education is required to make the leap into healthcare. Best-case scenario, you may be able to avoid taking out any loans at all. 
• More responsible: We’ve never met you, but are willing to bet that this one applies. Most people are also just more responsible in adulthood than they were at the age of eighteen. This can make it significantly easier to give school or training all of the attention that it requires. The more focus and attention you can give to this transition, the easier it will be. 

You may also just be well-established. For example, if you already have a college degree, you can shorten the amount of time it takes to get certified as a nurse. You’ll still need to take the classes, pass the tests, and get your clinical hours in, but you will at least be able to avoid gen-ed requirements, saving time and money. 

Now that we’ve busted all of the myths that might be holding you back, let’s take a look at a few tips that will help you hit the ground running. 

Assess Your Interests and Skills

It’s a good idea to start thinking about what you are good at on the front end. By identifying your skills and passions you can also help choose a path of least resistance. When selecting a career later in life, passion should be a big motivating factor. 

You’re taking this step because you want a job that will make you happy. 

Assessing your skills and interests, and then comparing those to jobs available will help you land on something you like. 

Explore Education and Training Options

Once you’ve figured out what you want to do, it’s time to establish a path toward accomplishing that goal. What training or education will be required to help you get there? Are there opportunities to acquire these skills in your community or will you need to branch out a little bit?

Most universities offer training programs online that are just as good as their brick-and-mortar counterparts. If your community does not have many educational opportunities available, consider what online options are available to you. 

Leverage Transferable Skills

Don’t let all of your previous life experiences go to waste. Take stock of what transferable skills you have, and use those as a type of leverage to help you stand out in the candidate pool. Any work experience can be used to punch up a resume and demonstrate the skills that make you a unique and valuable team player. 

Gain Practical Experience

Relevant experience is very important when it comes to healthcare. Most hospitals and clinics will want someone who won’t have to be trained from the ground up. Fortunately, there are many ways to gain practical experience that will help you stand out. 

Obviously, if you are pursuing an opportunity that requires you to go back to school, you will most likely acquire much of that experience organically. 

If not, there are many volunteer opportunities that will help you get the ball rolling. 

Network and Seek Mentorship

Everyone has a social network of some kind. It’s time to tap into yours. Do you know people who are working within the healthcare industry in your community? Chances are pretty good that you will know someone.

They will be a great sounding board, both in terms of helping to advise you on what skills and training to go after, and for helping you identify opportunities for employment. Take their advice. Find out if you can use them as a reference. Identify any and every opportunity that helps improve your odds, and take advantage of it.

As you work through getting your qualifications, you should quickly realize that your age isn’t the barrier that you once thought it might be. Healthcare workers benefit from the wisdom of experience. Use yours to embark on an exciting and rewarding path.