Leaving Your Job After 50 Is Terrifying

Today is my last day at LinkedIn Learning. At 58 years old, I'm voluntarily leaving a good job with a company that would be happy to have me stay. What madness is this? A sane person would stay and take the money, right?

Wrong.

A Sane Person Will Take Control Of Their Career

I've been at LinkedIn Learning for five years. They've treated me with respect, and given me interesting and meaningful things to do. My supervisors have been great. But over the last year or so, I've noticed an internal voice telling me something wasn't right. Somehow, what I was doing wasn't the best use of my talents. There was a growing mismatch between the job I was being asked to do and my vocational interests. My internal dialog got louder and with much gnashing of teeth and sleepless nights, I decided it was time to change things up. I needed to actively participate in the creation of my next play.

Transition Gracefully

I delight in divergent thinking except where it concerns my income. I've been accused (and complimented) of coloring outside the lines. I'm all for innovation and looking for unexpected solutions. However, I'm not one to jump from job to job. I like staying at a place for five or more years, taking advantage of financial vesting, and working with familiar systems.

So this departure from LinkedIn is not a rash decision. I carefully thought this out, sought out advice from smart people, and worked to maintain my status quo. In the end, the best decision was to depart. During the process, I think I did some smart things and I'd like to share them with you.

Plan Ahead

When you hear that voice telling you it's time to change things up, don't ignore it - but don't be hasty.

• Consider your financial situation: Are there stock options that will vest in one month? Bonus plans that will get paid out if you stick for two more weeks? Can you pay off a loan early? How can you prevent the lack of a steady income from derailing your career change and forcing you to do something you don't want to do?
• Set up a plan with milestones: Leaving a job also means leaving a structured day. Suddenly you're in charge. You could sit on the porch drinking scotch, or you could follow a plan toward something you want to accomplish. For example, I'm going to write a novel. I've laid out a plan for how many words a day I need to write and other markers for success. If I'm constantly missing that plan, then I know I need to change something. But I'm not just drifting.
• Plan to meet the right people. Don't change careers without friends. Some people call this networking, but I prefer to think of it as soliciting advice. What do people think are your strengths? Your weaknesses? What do you gain energy from - and what not? One thing I've tried is going to parties and introducing myself as something I'd like to be, then seeing what reaction I get. If I enjoy the resulting conversation - perhaps that's something I should pursue. For example, it's much more exciting to introduce myself as a writer than as a programmer. Maybe that's telling me something?
• Create Options. Education is a shortcut to experience. But then take that experience and find ways to exercise it. Explore doing the things you love, take on projects, and volunteer with organizations that will help you understand your strengths. For example, I'm going to spend time playing with robotics, artificial intelligence, and IoT. I plan to publish and upload what I learn with the idea of putting myself out there in ways I wasn't able to do before.

Don't Leave Angry

Seriously - do not quit in a rage.

When you're angry, you're not making good decisions. If you leave in a huff, you'll find you've burned your bridges behind you -- as well as in front of you. Every job has its downsides - but don't neglect the good parts as well. Choose to focus on the good stuff because you'll need it when you network and get into the next job.

In fact, Try not to quit at all. Work with your manager to see if there are career alternatives with your current company. My managers were great in helping me explore options. I even went as far as creating job descriptions for the work I wanted to do, then discussing the write-ups with my managers. I didn't approach it with "do this or I quit" - instead I was honest about my desire to find a position that would be a better fit for my talents. They, in turn, were appreciative that I was working to optimize our mutual experience. In the end, they didn't have an opening for the position I wanted to move into - but they also gave me great feedback on what I should do next.

In the end, accept that things change. You change. Companies change. Jobs change. It's unlikely that people are doing things just to piss you off (possible, but unlikely). There are lots of courses about managing change, so I'll resist giving you advice. For myself, I've learned that if I'm angry it's because I'm at the early stage of an upcoming change. I can manage that process or be unpleasant to everyone around me. The former is preferable.

Focus On Your Next Play

Don't be hasty to jump into a "bridge" job. What you're doing now may not be what you want to do. Take time to decompress.

What do you want to be known for in five years? Work towards that goal.

Learn About Your Career Change

There are lots of great resources to help you through this terrifying process. Do some research, there are lots of great minds with great advice. LinkedIn Learning can give you some training on how to transition smoothly to your next play: Chief Technology Officer Career Guide • Web Career Clinic • Data Science And Analytics Career Paths and Certifications • Creating a Career Plan

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