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Career progression in your 40s ?

1 reply

Yuja · 21/03/2026 15:42

Looking for experiences of those who have managed to make progress in their 40s. I changed career direction at 39 and have been lucky to find a role I very much enjoy in a great company, flexible, hybrid etc. I originally got taken on as a mat cover for 1 year and have just been kept on. My feedback has been very positive, and I have been put forward as a ‘top performer’ as we enter payrise/ bonus season. As I’ve changed careers, however, I’m at a lower level - most people at this level are closer to 30 rather than 40 like me! I’d really like to make fairly rapid progress (but everyone likes working here so not obvious where promotion might be) as I’m not earning as much as I would like considering it’s a London role, and I’m not managing others which I did in previous career. My DC are not little anymore - number 2 is off to secondary in Sep freeing me of school runs.
I was wondering if anyone could share their stories of career progress in the 40s decade, how long it took you, what steps you took to be noticed? Did you move around to other companies, or stay put?

OP posts:
Withflowinglocksandauburnhair · 24/03/2026 10:36

I'm older than you, OP, but had a big career pivot in my early 40s. Now I'm 50...While my work is going very well and I am progressing, I am still at a stage where most people at my level are younger than me - simply because they started earlier than me!

Bottom line - while that might feel a bit irritating at times, it really doesn't matter! You are on your own path. You had children when you did, you changed jobs when you did, you made the choices you made.

We are all different - and equally the questions 'what steps did you take to get noticed? etc' are a bit broad when readers have no idea what sector or industry you're in!

If you are in a great company with flexibility and have only been there a year or so, I would just try to progress as far as possible, and then make your next move.

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