The Career Change Podcast

Avoiding gatekeepers - as much as possible - is the career change strategy I recommend if you are over 40. But if you've always been an employee, you've literally been indoctrinated to believe you have to get past gatekeepers first (recruiters, hiring managers or faceless AI black holes) if you want to make money (or change work). I'm here to tell you the world of work has changed! Rather than rely on just one employer, one paycheque - and on having to get permission from gatekeepers first - you now have direct access to billions of potential clients, buyers and networks - all over the world. Hit play to learn how to turn this development to your advantage as a career changer over 40!

Do you feel like your current career is a holding pattern for your real life? Most professionals over 40 have been sold a version of success built on what you get as a result of your work — but it neglects how you actually feel whilst you are doing that work, day after day, year after year. Since we'll all be working longer than any generation before us, hit play to discover why focusing on increasing your Career Enjoyment Span isn't just a "nice to have” — it's a superpower AND your true competitive advantage. And here's the good news: it's not too late to start enjoying your life and work!

Are you telling yourself you can't just walk away from the career or profession you've built over the last 10-20+ years? Or do you worry that staying stuck (and unhappy) OR throwing it all away are your only viable options after 40? Then you are stuck in the "I can't just walk away" trap - let's get you out of there! In this episode, I take you inside your head and introduce you to the "I've already invested so much, I might as well keep going!" fallacy (also known as the Sunk Cost Fallacy). I want to help you see why this way of thinking keeps you stuck in a Groundhog Day career or job scenario you already know you don't want any longer. You'll discover how to make the past 10–20+ years of your work life work for you — as an advantage and a launchpad for your career change — rather than letting them take you prisoner. Because a successful career change after 40 is NOT about throwing it all away. Rather, it's about doing a meaningful and intelligent edit.

Most people over 40 make their career change much harder than it needs to be. They believe it has to be a matter of all or nothing. That they only get one chance (so they'd better get it right, or they'll fail in public! ). Or they're (still) waiting to "feel ready" to take any action whatsoever. As a result, they are exhausted before they even start. In a world of work that keeps changing, I recommend thinking about career change in a much more empowering way: It's the #1 future-proofing skill you can develop as a professional over 40. Hit play to learn how that works now.

What if your real career problem is not your current profession or career — but rather your day-to-day experience of working for someone else (as an employee)? For a number of professionals over 40, just changing careers and getting a job in that new career is not going to solve the problem. It might even make it worse. In this episode you'll discover the difference between your work SUBJECT and your work CONTEXT — and why identifying your real problem before you start looking for solutions is key. Let's make sure you don't go from the frying pan to the fire when it comes to your career pain points. Hit play now!

Do your career change options feel limited as a professional over 40? Hit play to discover why the problem isn't a lack of options — it's that you are only allowing yourself to explore 10% of them! Learn why your brain is actively keeping you stuck in that "10% Professional Silo" and why defaulting to "what am I qualified for?" is blocking out your most meaningful and exciting options. Then get ready to both change your thinking and the places you look — and dramatically increase your options as a results. There have never been more career change and business options for professionals over 40 than now - it's time to focus on those 90%, so you can find or create the right one(s) for you!

Changing careers or starting your own business after 35 can seem hard. But do you know what's also hard?! Staying stuck in a career you hate or no longer enjoy is hard. Working on someone else's dream instead of your own is hard. Deciding what problems are worth having (as well as what you no longer want to tolerate) is what this episode is all about!

Do you tend to (endlessly) overthink your career change, but never get any solid clarity about it? Keep noticing (and worrying about!) problems and risks with your new business or career idea, instead of taking action and making it happen? Then you are stuck in The Overthinker's Negativity Trap! Hit play to learn WHY you keep falling into this trap and HOW you can avoid or escape it - Both vital requirements if you want to (finally) get your career change or own business off the ground! Spoiler alert: You will never look at your overthinker self-sabotage tendencies the same way again after listening to this episode. But you'll also know the exact questions to ask yourself to quickly escape The Trap if you ever fall into it again.

Want to discover the portfolio career strategy I use with career change clients who "can't just risk it all"? Are you a professional over 35 with proven skills and experience? Then you are a perfect candidate for NOT risking it all, especially financially! Instead of regarding your background as shackling you to the one job you hate, you can learn to turn it into a financial launch pad for your transition into something new and more meaningful. Starting your own business or changing careers does NOT have to mean risking it ALL. Rather, it's all about intelligent risk management. And about not putting all of your eggs in one basket. Listen and get ready to change your mind about what's possible after 35 when you know how the world of work really works in the twenty-first century.

Who is your who? Figuring out who you most want to work with in your new career or business is key. Especially if you feel overwhelmed by too many career change ideas or you keep overthinking the few you do have (and then talk yourself out of them!). Hit play to discover how getting clear on their WHO was aha-moment-inducing for two of Rikke's clients - Both professionals over 35 who were completely stuck. Get ready to apply what you learn, so you can get focus and clarity too!

Would you love to start your own business, but worry that your age (over 40-ish) and career history will work against you? Hit play to have your assumptions challenged and your career change options increased! As opposed to what you might think when you scroll through Instagram or listen to (another) hip, intimidating, 20-something start-up founder, the reality is the older you get (up until the age of 60), the better your chances are of starting and running a successful company (compared to a 20-something!). Starting your own business is (for many of my clients) the best vehicle for changing careers after 40. Both in terms of bypassing gatekeepers and avoiding institutionalized ageism - But also because your age is one of your biggest advantages when it comes to the likelihood of you starting something financially viable! Get ready to do your own thing - Or at least start considering it a realistic and exciting option for someone with your age and background!

What do YOU tend to worry about the most? The risks of changing careers or starting your own business? Or the risks of staying stuck in that career or job you no longer enjoy? Most professionals over 35 completely OVERESTIMATE the (imagined) risks of changing careers and starting their own business - All whilst completely UNDERESTIMATING (or even ignoring) the (very real) risks of staying stuck in a career they don't enjoy. If you are following this (rather lopsided) strategy, you are most likely still stuck in that career you don't enjoy, just going through the motions. Let's talk about how risky that strategy is! This episode is all about how to turn the very real risks of NOT changing into motivational fuel for finally getting your butt in gear and making that change!

Do you think starting a business is unrealistic for you (as someone who needs a paycheque)? Then you are likely taking advice from people who don't have a proven track record of helping people like you! Many professionals over 35 are buying into the myth that changing careers has to be a matter of "all or nothing." So they (and maybe you?) do...nothing. Let's change that! I've got 18 years experience of helping people just like you successfully change careers or start that business - That's why I recorded this episode: To share how career change works in the real world for real people (who can't just "risk it" all or "go all in from Day One"). Spoiler alert: You have (way) more options than just that!

Whether you feel curious or scared by the (many!) changes happening in the world of work depends on HOW you choose to think about them. Would you like to go from being intimidated or overwhelmed to feeling excited and open-minded? Hit play to discover TWO powerful mindset shifts I recommend making right now! Worried about being seen as a newbie if you change careers or start a business after 35? Want practical alternatives to always defaulting to worst-case/failure scenarios whenever you try to think ahead? This episode will equip you with the tools to engage your sense of curiosity and instill a sense of confidence in yourself and what's ahead. The future of work is already here - It's time to think (and act) accordingly!

Are you feeling overworked and undervalued at work? Losing confidence in yourself and your skills? Starting to wonder if you even have any viable career change options or the ability to start your own company? Then you might be stuck in a "Safe Pair Of Hands" job trap - Let's get you out of there (without risking it all or throwing it all away!). I often get emails from listeners along the lines of "Help - I've lost confidence in my skills and feel stuck." ...Often followed by a description of what I call the "safe pair of hands" job trap. Where smart people remain stuck for too long in a toxic scenario of over-work and under-recognition...So let's talk about it! If Imposter Syndrome, loss of confidence, bullying, etc. is an issue for you - This episode WILL help you understand what's really going on at work. And how to start plotting your escape - Starting now!

Are you an aspiring career changer over 35? Worried about having to start from scratch again? Hit play to discover the biggest advantage you have as someone who's got more than one or two+ decades of experience in the working world! We'll talk about why you never have to go empty-handed into what's next, how to avoid throwing the baby out with the bathwater when leaving a profession behind, and how to talk about what you already have to offer in a manner that's relevant to where you want to go next. As a former HR professional, I have A LOT to say about this (to your benefit!).

Perfectionists give up earlier and more easily! Have you noticed? I almost (cheekily;) called this new episode: "Why Perfectionists Give Up On Their Career Change Earlier On Than Others" ​Or "How (Toxic) Perfectionism Can Ruin Your Chances Of Ever Launching Your Own Business" No kidding - This is so important to talk about. Here's why: Do you identify as a self-oriented perfectionist (i.e. you are the one imposing excessively high standards on yourself)? Then you might be surprised to discover research shows this can get in the way of reaching your goals or finishing what you start! If you've (already) observed that your perfectionism tendencies are sabotaging rather than helping your career change, this episode will introduce a powerful antidote that works in your favour instead!

Ever heard of Stockholm Syndrome? What if I told you a similar thing occurs amongst a big number of professionals over 35 who know they really ought to get going with that career change...BUT they just can't seem to leave that job/boss they hate so much behind?! ​ Yep - Job Stockholm Syndrome is a thing and this episode is all about how to assess a highly toxic situation like that (IF that's where you find yourself stuck). If you are looking for a much deeper level of motivation for your career transition - This is the episode for you!

Do you feel torn between staying put in the job/career you don't enjoy ("not risky"!) OR making a big career change ("risky"!)? If so, then you are likely still stuck (in that job/career you don't enjoy)! Why? Because approaching your career change in such dramatic "Black and white"/"All or nothing" terms is frankly limiting your options. You are not alone in doing this though - That's why I wanted to dedicate an episode to what can seem like a really hard and scary question: Is it too risky to change careers after 45? (or 35+!). Hit play to discover a completely different way of thinking about your (work) life starting now!

If you've always worked for someone else then you are likely sabotaging your career change without even realizing it! That's because you might have developed what I call the "Employee Mindset." And it's really important to be aware of how that might negatively impact how you think about what opportunities are/aren't available to you as a career changer over 35 - Whether you want to start your own business or not! Hit play on this new episode to discover how you might be making it harder for yourself (and what to do instead)!