I quit my job at 41 to go back to school. 3 things helped me succeed in my new career.

"When I decided to retrain as an urban planner at 41, I knew I was taking a leap of faith. Although I felt great about making the pivot, I was surprised by how difficult it was to establish credibility in a new field. I assumed that my years of management experience in retail would carry weight with most employers. In reality, I didn't feel that was the case. In the end, changing careers in my 40s taught me a lot about starting again."

"Within a few weeks of being hired in 2002, at around age 25, I was put on the management track. On a typical day, I'd work both back-of-house and front-of-house: managing teams and inventory, and tracking sales. I was trusted with significant responsibilities, from delivering bad news to customers to helping open new stores. It was high-energy, fun, and I felt energized by how much the company cared about the customer experience."

Kate Portillo left a 13-year retail career to retrain as an urban planner at age 41. She previously managed teams, inventory, and sales, opened stores, and handled significant customer responsibilities. Retraining required going back to school and taking a leap of faith. Her retail management experience did not automatically confer credibility with employers in her new field. Establishing professional credibility in urban planning proved difficult despite prior management skills. The career change taught lessons about starting over and the value of persistence. Portillo advises midlife career changers to seek mentorship and practical steps to build industry credibility.

Read at Business Insider