10 career ideas for retraining at 50

Fatigue, burn-out, redundancy: is it a good idea to change careers at 50?

At the age of 50, it's not uncommon to experience a form of fatigue at work, which can sometimes be accompanied by health risks that need to be taken seriously. Fatigue can take a chronic physical form, linked to a heavy workload. It can also be more psychological, manifesting itself in symptoms linked to burn-out, or conversely to depression (bore-out), frequent in the case of "putting yourself on the back burner".

In any case, at 50 it's still too early to retire. That's why many people choose to retrain to find a different pace of work, or even a different job altogether, by changing their sector of activity altogether! Here are the pros and cons of changing jobs at 50.

The advantages of changing jobs at 50 :

• Acquired experience: with time and the assignments you've been given, you've built up a wealth of skills and know-how. You have the sense of responsibility and reliability required for senior positions.
• Financial security: by the age of 50, most working people are living in a defined and stable socio-economic environment. Sometimes homeowners and parents of grown-up children, they have some savings set aside to face the unexpected.
• Energy to spare: to keep up the pace between your professional and personal lives, you've had to learn to manage your time and make choices. And for many of you, this constraint has given way to a form of motivation and self-confidence that recruiters find very appealing. When you want something, you go all out and put all your energy into it.

The disadvantages of changing jobs at 50:

• Accepting change: retraining at 50 means being open to new adventures and accepting that things can change. Retraining or changing jobs can turn your daily life upside down. It's up to you to define your priorities, while remaining open to opportunities as they arise!
• Believing in a miracle solution : Be careful, if embarking on a career change at 50 is becoming more and more common for the French, this choice is not a miracle solution that will fix everything in your life. If you already have an idea in mind, take your time, get informed and talk to professionals in the sector.
• Selling yourself : when you change jobs, you're going to have to convince recruiters by dispelling their preconceived ideas about seniors' salaries and their lack of flexibility. To help you in this process, you can enlist the services of a career coach, as we have at Jedha for our students.

10 career change ideas for 50-year-olds 

• Real estate agent: retraining in real estate is a common choice! After just a few months' training in the field, you can get started. The most important thing is a good knowledge of the geographical area in which you'll be working!  
• Business analyst Business analyst: this Data profession aims to help companies analyze product and service data to optimize the customer experience. A short training course in Data is all you need, which you can take in bootcamp or online.
• Information Systems Security Manager (ISSM) This is a job in the field of Cybersecurity that recruits senior staff with extensive professional experience, who are serious and calm enough to withstand the pressure. To reach this position, you can take an accelerated training course in Cybersecurity.
• Interior decorator : do you have good taste and a passion for decorating? Your advice can sell for a fortune. The most important thing in this business is to make good contacts!
• Bakers or restaurateurs: these trades and professions add value to local life, allowing you to express your creativity while being your own boss.
• Nursery assistant: without a diploma, you can work in the early childhood sector, in a nursery or kindergarten, following on-the-job training.
• Freelance graphic designer: if you have drawing and graphic design skills, you can easily become a freelancer, carrying out assignments for professionals or individuals.
• Buyer or salesperson: at ease with customers, mobile and enterprising, a salesperson possesses many qualities that are acquired with experience. That's why recruiters are looking for people over 50 for these positions.
• Accountant : with a little training and regular updating of your accounting skills, you can offer your services as a freelancer.
• Home help: if you have a flair for the social sector, you'll soon find work as a home help for the elderly. It's a rewarding job that can also be done part-time.

How do you get back into training after 50?

How to choose the right vocational training after 50?

To make the right choice for training after age 50, there are a few key points to bear in mind:

• Avoir un projet professionnel clair et défini, et choisir sa formation en conséquence. Il peut s’agir d’apprendre un nouveau métier ou d’obtenir une qualification sur un outil précis. Un bilan de compétences peut vous aider à définir le projet professionnel qui fera sens pour vous. Chance propose par exemple un bilan de compétences en ligne complet et personnalisé, avec l’accompagnement d’un coach professionnel, 100% finançable par le CPF.
• Take a training course that leads to a state-recognized diploma or certification. To do this, it must be listed in the Répertoire National des Certifications Professionnelles (RNCP), which you can consult directly on the France Compétences website.
• Take the time to think about the type of follow-up (full-time or part-time) and format (face-to-face or distance learning) best suited to your professional and personal constraints.
• Check the quality of the course you're interested in, by looking at the grades and reviews given by former students.

What are the best training courses for adults over 50?

There are so many possible courses you can take to retrain for a new career that it's not always easy to make sense of them all. While university or work-study courses are not recommended, as they are too long and often costly, professional training courses lasting just a few months at a Bootcamp or online are often a very good choice. Here are just a few examples of training courses available for retraining after the age of 50:

• Jedha's 450h Data Scientist training course, to be taken full-time or part-time to become an expert in data and artificial intelligence.
• Jedha's Cybersecurity training to work in the field of IT security, prevent and control cyber risks.
• MOOC courses you can take from home to become more professional.

Finally, if you have skills linked to a job you've held for at least a year, you can apply for RNCP certification under certain conditions, via a procedure called Validation des Acquis de l'Expérience (VAE).

How to finance training after the age of 50?

There are a number of career transition aids available after the age of 50 to help you make the transition. Here are the most common:

• Setting up a Professional Transition Project (PTP)

• Train while working part-time with the help of your Personal Training Account (CPF)
• Se mettre au chômage et financer sa reconversion avec France Travail (le nouveau nom de Pôle Emploi) en signant une rupture conventionnelle avec son employeur
• Use a resignation-conversion scheme or Aide Individuelle à la Formation (AIF) to finance professional training
• Save money while you're still active
• Use self-financing to pay for training in several instalments, by splitting the payments into up to 10 monthly instalments, or by taking out a loan at a benchmark rate.

Testimonials of professional reconversion at 50

There are many testimonials on the web from people who have undergone professional retraining at the age of 50. You'll find these stories in blog articles on specialized websites, or in the form of video interviews:

• The testimony of Patricia, who became a Mandataire judiciaire à la protection des majeurs at the age of 50.‍
• Le témoignage d’Agnès, qui a décidé de monter son entreprise à 50 ans en passant par le dispositif démission-reconversion de France Travail.‍
• Une table ronde entre seniors proposée par Transition Pro île-de-France pour discuter de la reconversion passé 50 ans, avec leur format intitulé Reconversion 2.0.

You can also chat with people who have made the switch on certain forums, such as the Jedha Bootcamp Discord, open to the general public to ask all your questions about the Data and Cybersecurity professions.

Conclusion

It's possible to change jobs at 50! Whatever your reason for retraining, the most important thing is to take the time to choose the job you want to do. In some cases, you'll need to go through a vocational training course, which you can take by fast-track, bootcamp or online.

To find out more about Jedha's courses, we invite you to download our detailed syllabus. If you have any questions, our online Open House is here to answer them, so don't hesitate to sign up.

Frequently asked questions

Can you change careers at 50?

Yes, you can change career at 50 - in fact, it's the choice made by several thousand French people every year, a figure that's constantly rising. Over the past few years, the job market has been adapting to this new trend, and recruiters are betting more and more on candidates who are ready to embark on a new activity after the age of 50.

How do you change jobs when you're 50?

To change jobs at 50, you first need to take stock of your motivations, your requirements and the different skills you possess. You'll also need to gather information on the sector in which you're working, compare the different professions that tempt you and see if they're suitable for older people. The aim is to draw up as complete an overview as possible of the tasks, salary offered and possible constraints of these positions before you take the plunge.

How do you retrain at 50 without a diploma?

The easiest way to retrain at the age of 50 without a diploma is to choose a profession that doesn't require any prerequisites, but gives value to your experience. You can also choose to take a fast-track training course with a specialized organization such as Jedha, to obtain a diploma or certification recognized by the French state.