There has never been a more popular time to resign in search of a job with more meaning – or better pay. 

More than two million people found a new job over the summer as the “Great Resignation” gathered pace and workers reassessed their post-Covid career options.

Almost a million people moved from one job to another in the three months to September, according to the Office for National Statistics. Of those, almost 400,000 said they resigned – a record high – while 64,000 were dismissed. 

But making a career switch, particularly for midlifers, is not easy. Telegraph Money spoke to career change experts about how those in their 40s and 50s can successfully move jobs. 

Know your ‘super powers’

The starting point for a midlifer ready to forge a new career path is to fully understand what their strengths are. Lucia Knight, a career change consultant at Midlife Unstuck, called this process “finding your super powers”.

“What are you doing when you lose track of time, what do people compliment you about, what can you not stop doing? Asking these questions helps someone find what they are best at, and what they might be able to turn into a career that has more meaning,” she said.

Next, they should try to identify a career where these passions would be useful.

“A midlifer should decide what they love doing and then research jobs where there might be some crossover. Of course, they also need to also be able to earn enough to make it work in practice, but the starting point is identifying passions,” she said.