Maybe you've spent 35 years in an industry that stopped challenging you a decade ago. Maybe your body is telling you the physical demands of your current work aren't sustainable for another five years. Or maybe you retired a few weeks ago and already know that sitting still isn't going to work for you.
Different situations, same underlying question. Is it worth making a career move now, and can you find something that actually feels meaningful?
Nearly one in five Americans 65 and older are currently in the labor force. The participation rate for workers 65 to 74 has nearly doubled since 1996. More people at 60 are redirecting their careers than at any point in the last three decades.
Ami Coen, Director of Learning and Development for Corporate Services at Kelly, made her own career transition after 17 years at a single company. She moved into a completely new industry at Kelly and rebuilt her professional identity from the ground up. The experience left her with clear thoughts about what it takes to change direction later in your career, and what experienced professionals deserve to hear before they do.
One theme she keeps coming back to: the motivation shifts as you get older. The early-career hunger for titles and paychecks gives way to something deeper.
"In your 60s, more than ever you want what you do to really matter," Coen says. "You want to be part of a team and be somebody that makes a difference."
If that resonates, this guide covers the practical first steps.
Career changes at this stage have a stronger track record than most people realize. In fact, 82% of people who changed careers after age 45 reported a successful transition. Among those who made it, 72% said "I feel like a new person," and 65% reported lower stress levels than in their previous roles.
At 60, lower stress levels may matter more than the earnings data. Plenty of career changers eventually see a pay increase, but half took an initial cut to get where they wanted to be. For someone five to ten years from retirement, the willingness to trade peak salary for work that's more sustainable and more meaningful can be a feature of the transition, not a compromise.
While higher wages are the top motivator for experienced workers considering a change, a significant share are also seeking work that aligns with their passions or offers more flexibility. The question shifts from "how do I maximize my earning potential" to "how do I spend my remaining working years doing something I actually want to do."
Coen sees it all the time: "These are people who want to work hard to make those last years of their career matter."
The career change process follows the same basic sequence at any age: identify transferable skills, research target fields, reposition your experience. What changes at 60 is the practical groundwork underneath it.
A career change at 60 carries financial stakes that are different from the same decision at 40 or 50. Retirement is no longer hypothetical. The decisions you make now affect the next 25 years, not just the next five. Here's where to start.
Run a benefits audit first. Coen emphasizes evaluating the full compensation picture before anything else. "You really need to look at the complete benefits landscape and make sure that it is setting you up for a successful retirement," she says. At 60, healthcare is the make-or-break factor, especially between 60 and 65 when you're not yet eligible for Medicare. If a new role or a move to independent consulting means losing employer-sponsored coverage, you need to plan for that gap before you give notice.
Know how a change affects your retirement timeline. A career transition can shift when and how you claim Social Security, how much you're contributing to a 401k in your final working years, and what your income looks like in the years just before you stop working. This isn't a reason to stay put, but it is a reason to talk with a financial planner before you commit to a direction.
Consider the portfolio model. Coen recommends experienced professionals explore consulting or advisory roles instead of pursuing a complete overhaul. "Could I do some consulting work? Could I do some seminar work? Could I join different organizations and work with them to build my skills?" A mix of part-time, contract, and consulting work is often more sustainable and satisfying at this stage than a single full-time role, and contract positions through a staffing agency can be a low-risk way to test a new field.
The roles that tend to work best for professionals over 60 share a few traits: they reward experience over speed, offer flexibility in scheduling or location, and don't require years of retraining to enter. Many are in growing fields where demand outpaces supply. Here are some worth a closer look.
Roles where experience is the product. Management consulting, financial advising, and project management all depend on the kind of judgment that takes decades to build. Financial planning in particular is projected to grow steadily through 2034, driven in part by the wave of people entering retirement who need the expertise their peers can offer. Training and development is another natural fit for professionals who've spent a career building institutional knowledge.
Roles with flexibility built in. Insurance sales, bookkeeping, tax preparation, and property management all offer part-time, seasonal, or self-employment models that let you control your schedule. Many of these are available as contract positions through staffing agencies, which means you can try the work before committing long-term.
Roles driven by purpose. Nonprofit management, career coaching, community health work, and education all attract professionals who want their work to have a visible impact. Substitute teaching is one entry point that offers flexible scheduling and the chance to contribute to your community without a long-term contract.
This isn't an exhaustive list. The portfolio model Coen recommends, which combines consulting, advisory, or contract work across multiple areas, is also worth considering if no single role checks every box.
Age discrimination is a reality at every stage past 50, but at 60 it's often more acute. About 64% of workers 50 and older have seen or experienced age discrimination, and 74% believe their age will be a barrier to getting hired. The job search itself tends to take longer too. Among jobseekers 55 and older, 34.5% are unemployed for 27 weeks or more, compared to 26% of younger jobseekers.
Coen's advice is to focus on what you can control.
Lead with what's current. "When you stop wanting to put what year you graduated on your resume, those are the times when you need to make sure that you have the skills you need," Coen says. Strip out graduation dates, trim roles from decades ago that don't speak to your target position, and use AI tools to restructure your resume around the skills and knowledge that are relevant right now.
Stay sharp on the tools your industry uses. Whether it's AI platforms, data software, or industry-specific systems, demonstrating fluency with current technology neutralizes the "not tech-savvy" assumption before it forms. As Coen puts it, "It's more important than ever to continue to be able to add value to the workplace."
Prepare for the relationship rebuild. “One challenge that rarely makes it into career advice articles is that making friends is harder the older you get,” Coen says. Starting in a new organization or industry at 60 means building trust and rapport from scratch, often with colleagues of a younger generation. It takes time, and knowing that upfront makes the adjustment less isolating.
Get help with the transition. You don't have to figure this out alone, and most people don't. 84% of prospective older job seekers say they'll need assistance making a change, especially with applying existing skills to new roles and updating their resumes. A recruiter who specializes in your industry can do both. The right one will look at you as a complete professional, not a graduation date. If you're not sure where to start with your search, that's exactly what a staffing partner is for.
Career changes at 60 work, especially when you build on what you know and choose roles that match the life you want to live. The workforce is shifting in your direction, and the experience you've built over 30 or 40 years is exactly what growing industries need.
You've spent a career building to this moment. Now the next chapter is yours to shape.
Ready to explore what's next? Connect with a Kelly recruiter who can help match your experience to roles where it's valued. Or browse open positions on MyKelly to see what's available right now.