How To Switch Careers in Midlife

How To!

Slate Magazine

Business, Education, How To, Self-improvement

4.4 • 1.9K Ratings

🗓️ 14 January 2025

⏱️ 40 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

For three decades, Mike has worked in a field with an uncertain future: journalism. He loves the stability of his current job mentoring student reporters, but he can’t stop thinking about starting a new career—in his 50s—in astrophysics, architecture, or law. On this episode of How To!, co-host Courtney Martin enlists career coach and psychologist Dr. Dawn Graham to help Mike think through his midlife career crisis, especially his urge to go back to school. Dawn’s book is Switchers: How Smart Professionals Change Careers—and Seize Success. If you liked this episode check out: Find a New Career Before It's Too Late and How To Advance Your Career By Quitting Your Job. Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen. How To’s executive producer is Derek John. Joel Meyer is our senior editor/producer. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson, with Kevin Bendis. Want more How To!? Subscribe to Slate Plus to unlock exclusive bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of the How To! show page. Or, visit slate.com/howtoplus to get access wherever you listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	This episode is brought to you by Curry's Business.
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0:21.2	visit your local hub or call their UK-based specialist business center.
0:26.1	Curry's business, powering your business in 2025.
0:29.8	My name is Mike, and this was my question to Slate.
0:33.3	How do you start over in middle age?
0:36.0	I'm a smart guy, former national Merit Scholar and Game Show Champion,
0:40.7	who chose the wrong career, newspapers, L.O.L.
0:45.1	I wish I could just be a college freshman again,
0:47.6	but now I've got a million financial obligations and just feel stuck sometimes.
0:52.9	I cannot not ask you about the game show champion aspect of this email.
1:00.8	Welcome to how to. I'm Courtney Martin.
1:04.3	People go on game shows for a bunch of different reasons.
1:08.1	They want to run screaming down the aisle when the announcer calls their
1:11.2	name. When they meet the host, they want to say a quick hi to their mom who's sitting in the
1:16.4	studio audience beaming with pride. And sure, they want to win big money and maybe even a brand
1:24.0	new car. It could be argued that the same things motivate us in our careers. Okay, stay with me.
1:32.4	Money and cars, right? But also the thrill of getting that new job. Of your resume being pulled out
	...

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