Working It live: How to make a mid-life career change

Not all that long ago, you might have done the same job – or kind of job – for your entire career, but as life expectancy increases and social mores change, a growing number of people are pivoting to new jobs in middle age. In this episode, recorded at the FT Weekend Festival at London’s Kenwood House, Isabel Berwick speaks to three experts to find out why changing careers can have surprising benefits – and how to do it best. Isabel is joined by Jan Hall, founding partner of leadership consultancy No 4 and co-author of a book exploring career change for senior leaders; Ana Baillie, a former financial and professional services lawyer now studying to be a midwife; and FT contributing editor and columnist Camilla Cavendish, author of ‘Extra Time: 10 Lessons for an Ageing World.’

Want more? For a limited time this summer, we're making related articles FREE to read for all Working It listeners:

The City workers who swapped the office for the great outdoors

New job, new you? Well, maybe . . .

Would it be unwise to leave my well-paid job to pursue a career in film?

I have done the same job for years — how do I now move my career on?

FT subscriber? Sign up for the weekly Working It newsletter with one click here. We cover all things workplace and management — plus exclusive reporting on trends, tips and what’s coming next.

We'd love to hear from you. What do you like (or not)? Which topics should we tackle? Email the team at workingit@ft.com or Isabel directly at isabel.berwick@ft.com.

Follow Isabel on LinkedIn

On X, formerly Twitter, you can follow Isabel at @IsabelBerwick

Subscribe to Working It wherever you get your podcasts — and do leave us a review!

Presented by Isabel Berwick. Produced by Mischa Frankl-Duval. The executive producer is Manuela Saragosa and the sound engineer is Simon Panayi.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

View our accessibility guide.