Considering A Late In Life Career Change? It Might Just Be The Best Choice You Ever Made.

February 8, 2021

How many of us are truly satisfied with our careers? Who amongst us is completely content with the choice you made at 20 to study an industry and pursue one path?  There are many reasons you might want to make a career change, as this Upskilled article attests. More and more people are choosing to change careers to seek a more lucrative or fulfilling profession, however, sometimes it can be hard to shake that nagging feeling that we’re too old to make a change or it will be too hard to learn a new skill.

inspirational women

 

The truth of the matter is that we regret the chances we don’t take far more bitterly than we mourn the gambles that didn’t quite pay out. You don’t want to live with the ghost of what could have been if you’d only been a little bit braver. Take the leap!

To help reassure you that making a career change later in life can be one of the most rewarding decisions of your life, check out the stories of these three inspirational women.

 

Make Moves Like Madeleine Albright

Refugee, student, journalist, full-time mother, fundraiser, legislative assistant, congressional liaison to the National Security Council, academic, US Ambassador to the United Nations, and then the first female Secretary of State. The storied career of Madeleine Albright is a roadmap to how to transition up with gumption and career changes.

Born in Czechoslovakia in 1937, her family emigrated to the United States in 1948. She attended Wellesley on a full scholarship majoring in political science. On her summer breaks working as an intern for The Denver Post she met Joseph Albright. Joking to The Wall Street Journal, she said ‘I really waited a long time [to get married] — three days after I graduated… I did want to be a journalist….My husband was a journalist. I did what you’re supposed to, worked on a small newspaper while he was in the Army. And then, this is classic…We were having dinner with his managing editor, who said, ‘So what are you gonna do, honey?’ I said, ‘I’m going to work as a journalist.’ And he said: ‘I don’t think so.’… Instead of saying what I might say today, I just kind of saluted and did something else. ’

In 1961 when her daughters were born prematurely and required a long hospital stay, Madeleine began Russian classes as a distraction (as one does!). Later the family moved to DC where Madeleine continued her studies in Russian and international relations. She began fundraising for her children’s school which led her to be invited to organize a fundraiser for the 1972 presidential campaign of Sen. Ed Muskie. Over the next several years she would earn her PhD from Columbia University and begin working as the chief legislative assistant to Muskie.

Never one to do things by halves, Madeline’s first real full-time job was at the White House. Her former professor was named National Security Advisor and he recruited Albright to work in the West Wing as the NSC’s congressional liaison. Following Carter’s loss to Reagan in 1980, Albright moved to the Smithsonian to continue her research and later joined the academic staff at Georgetown. When Democrat Bill Clinton returned the White House to the Democrats, Albright was employed to handle the transition for the NSC.

Best known for her work as a diplomat, she received her first posting at the age of 56 when Clinton nominated Albright to be US Ambassador to the United Nations. Four years later Albright took office as the 64th US Secretary of State. The first female Secretary of State, she became the highest ranking woman in the history of the US government at the time of her appointment. A true groundbreaker.

 

Vogue Her Way Into Multiple Callings: The Very Impressive Vera Wang

When you think of weddings you think of Vera Wang but you might not know that it was actually figure skating that first held Wang’s heart. She began figure skating at the age of eight and she was good at it. While in high school she competed in the 1968 U.S. Figure Skating Championships and was such a rising star that she was featured in Sports Illustrated. It was only when Vera Wang failed to make the U.S. Olympics team, that she entered the fashion industry.

Immediately after graduating with a journalism degree from Sarah Lawrence, Wang was hired as an editor at Vogue making her one of the youngest editors at that magazine. In the 17 years she stayed at Vogue she rose through the rams to the position of senior fashion editor.

At 40 when she was planning her own wedding Wang was disheartened by the lack of bridal styles on the market. Noting that none of them were quite as stylish as she was. She saw a gap in the market and filled it herself. She became an independent bridal wear designer, opening her first bridal boutique in New York one year later.

Her gowns are iconic and her reputation in the designer circuit is unmatched. Wang has made wedding gowns for notable figures such as Victoria Beckham, several Kardashians, Chelsea Clinton, and hilariously also for Ivanka Trump (that’s some interesting symmetry). Wang’s gowns her also favored by Michelle Obama during her term as the first lady. In an amazing full-circle way Vera Wang has also designed costumes for figure skaters including Nancy Kerrigan and Michelle Kwan.

 

Innovate Like Ina Garten

Famous chef, cookbook author, the Barefoot Contessa herself, Ina Garten actually wrote nuclear policy under several Presidential administrations.

Always interested in cooking, Ina began to dabble in baking and entertaining as a way to fill her time while her husband was in the military. Her love for food was only reinforced by a trip to France they took after her husband had completed his military service. However, following their vacation the Gartens returned to Washington where Ina worked in the White House while earning an MBA from George Washington University. Originally employed as a low-level government aide, Ina climbed the political ladder and joined the Office of Management and Budget. She held the position of budget analyst, which entailed writing the nuclear energy budget and policy papers on nuclear centrifuge plants for Presidents Ford and Carter.

What happened next is history. As she explained to TIME, ‘I was working in nuclear energy policy and management and budget for the White House, thinking, ‘There’s got to be something more fun than this.’… then I saw an ad for a specialty-food store for sale in the New York Times… to say that I knew nothing about what I was getting myself into was an understatement.’ She had spent some time working in real estate, flipping homes for profit which had given her the means to purchase the store which she did in 1978.

The store was a raging success and Garten was able to expand the store to over seven times its original size. In 1996, after almost two decades of operating the Barefoot Contessa specialty food store, Ina was after another change. She sold the business to two former employees and took a six month sabbatical from the culinary scene. In offices she built above the shop she studied the stock market and sketched out plans for potential business ventures.

She turned her intention to publishing and her book The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook was a sleeper bestseller. The success of the book led Ina to get her own television series which became the Food Network’s highest rated show!

1 Comment

  1. Gaven Rank

    I know how tough it is to produce a strong personal statement, and I believe that in this case, it is advisable to use professionals rather than amateurs. So, for example, you can obtain recommendation letter for services from this site, which will be really useful. They were quite helpful while I was attempting to for medical school. So make sure to have a look at it; you’ll be glad you did.

    Reply

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Is Your Business Being Found Online?

Laptop Metrics Colorado

Free Digital Marketing Report ($150 Value)

marketing module lineWant to know how your business stacks up against the competition?

Read more articles about Business.

7 Game-Changing Steps to Register Your Small Business for Marketing Dominance

You have a brilliant business idea. A product or service that will change lives, disrupt industries, and leave a lasting impact. But before you can unleash your vision upon the world, there's a crucial step you can't afford to overlook: properly registering your small...

Navigating the AI-Driven Transformation in Marketing: A Comprehensive Guide

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in marketing ushers in a new age of contact between businesses and their customers, particularly in business sectors that are highly specialized, such as the legal services industry.     In order to accommodate this...

Hiring an SEO Consultant in 2024 – A Guide to Success

As consumers increasingly turn to search engines for buying research and brands fight for online visibility, having an expert website optimization strategy fuels growth more than ever before. According to leading analysts, by 2025, 80% of all global web traffic is...

Google March Algorithm Updates: Digital Marketers Need to Know in 2024

The digital marketing space is ever-changing and Google is constantly putting the pace according to which it changes. The release of March 2024’s Google Algorithm Update has set off ripples in the digital marketing arena, which offers both challenges and chances for...

Six Cost-Effective Tactics for Boosting Online Visibility in 2024

Visibility is crucial in the digital marketplace. Small businesses especially, now more than ever, need to clinch top rankings in search results without draining resources.   So, if you’re eager to amplify your online presence in 2024, here are six cost-effective...

Most Common Types of Animation (including Traditional, 2D, 3D, Stop Motion)

Animation isn't just cartoon characters chasing each other on screen; it's an art form, a method of bringing static images to life, making them appear to move and breathe with a will of their own. At its core, animation involves creating a series of pictures or...

Examples of Subliminal Messages in Advertising

What exactly are subliminal messages? These are like the quiet movers and shakers of the advertising world, operating just beyond the threshold of our conscious awareness. Imagine a whisper so soft that your conscious mind might miss it, but your subconscious is all...

The Power of Direct Mail Marketing in the Digital Age

A decade ago, direct mail marketing seemed destined for the dustbin of history. As digital channels erupted in popularity, executives eager to appear progressive wrote off tactics their grandparents leveraged in favor of the latest social media darlings. Flashy yet...

Read more articles about business.

COD Affiliate Network: Expanding Opportunities with TerraLeads

COD Affiliate Network: Expanding Opportunities with TerraLeads

  Affiliate programs are one of the popular ways to earn money online, whether pursued passively or actively. While there are numerous remote job opportunities available online, an increasing number of individuals are opting for traffic affiliate marketing. To...

How to Optimize Your Construction Business for Increased Revenue

How to Optimize Your Construction Business for Increased Revenue

  In today's competitive construction industry, optimizing your business for increased revenue is not just a desire but a necessity. With changing market dynamics and evolving customer expectations, staying ahead requires strategic planning and implementation....

Understanding Digital PR and Its Impact On Your Business

Understanding Digital PR and Its Impact On Your Business

  Small and established businesses significantly benefit from a strong digital PR and marketing strategy. Having a clear and well-laid-out digital public relations strategy is important for businesses. Unfortunately, most businesses refer to business relations...

Share This