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Rethink Your Career: In Your 40s, 50s and 60s
How to reinvent your career – and work for as long as you wantHave you accumulated plenty of wisdom and experience, but others think you're all washed up? Perhaps you're bored with your current work but not sure what's next.Don't panic! Work reinvention expert Joanna Maxwell shows you how to refresh a current career, pursue a new direction or leverage your experience to start your own business.The practical exercises and inspirational real-life stories in Rethink Your Career will help clarify your strengths, talents and skills find creative new ways to think about your work future take stock of your finances and deal with your fears make your best decision and put your new plans intoaction.‘Practical, intelligent, encouraging, Joanna Maxwell discusses how everyone can achieve success with a positive approach to this much neglected second half of life.'Susan Ryan AO, Age Discrimination Commissioner 2011–2016‘Joanna Maxwell is terrific and her book is highly readable, illuminating and wise.'Ray Martin AM
304 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 1, 2017
15 people are currently reading
65 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
November 3, 2018
Joanna Maxwell combines a range of lived experience and evidence based academic rigour to the career process for people in their 40's, 50's and 60's in her book 'Rethink your career.'
She starts by providing some context for this cohort of Australians who are not satisfied with their own status quo and debunks some of the myths and distorted beliefs circulating in our society.
Her writing style ensures that every sentence and every paragraph adds something new and encourages the reader to remain engaged.
Maxwell is not afraid to call out stereotypes, provide empathy through case studies and remind you that ultimately you need to take action. She provides logical reasoning for her suggestions and focuses on building networks and accessing resources for your own personal circumstances.
Like many other books in this genre, she discusses volunteering, starting a business, portfolio careers, entrepreneurship, social entrepreneurship, leaving a legacy and the skills you need to manage this time of your life - like putting your past into context, developing your own sense of agency and looking beyond one passion or purpose to having a variety of interests.
All career books usually invite you to consider your talents, strengths and skills, and Maxwell gently reminds us that this age group is also very aware of what it doesn't want in life - hooray!
She suggests that knowing your values will 'serve as a litmus test for career decisions and planning' and be our 'unconscious motivators,' but she also goes on to say that you can change your values with some self-reflection.
The topics of money and identity are explored before she provides some questions and exercises to help you create your own direction through research, experimentation and design thinking.
Ultimately, you will need to make some decisions and the good news is that you can use the 'power of three' to co-create your own possibilities.
Maxwell discusses some basic practicalities related to education, resumes, interviews and action planning as well as making sure your maintain your momentum by creating the right structures and environments to help you achieve your goals.
She also discusses the importance of branding and networking and moving past the showstoppers of the inner critic, procrastination, anxiety, limiting beliefs, and the challenge of coping with transitions and change.
Maxwell finishes with a reminder to be committed, persistent and courageous and ultimately concludes that we need to develop an intergenerational society.
If you have never read a 'career' book before, this is a wonderful primer that condenses the concepts in a logical way without becoming too technical. Maxwell has incorporated contributions from clients, experts and thought leaders to ensure that it is a real page-turner.
Thank you for sharing your wisdom Joanna Maxwell.
Congratulations too on winning the RSA (Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce) 2018 Australian Career Book Award on 27 October 2018.
She starts by providing some context for this cohort of Australians who are not satisfied with their own status quo and debunks some of the myths and distorted beliefs circulating in our society.
Her writing style ensures that every sentence and every paragraph adds something new and encourages the reader to remain engaged.
Maxwell is not afraid to call out stereotypes, provide empathy through case studies and remind you that ultimately you need to take action. She provides logical reasoning for her suggestions and focuses on building networks and accessing resources for your own personal circumstances.
Like many other books in this genre, she discusses volunteering, starting a business, portfolio careers, entrepreneurship, social entrepreneurship, leaving a legacy and the skills you need to manage this time of your life - like putting your past into context, developing your own sense of agency and looking beyond one passion or purpose to having a variety of interests.
All career books usually invite you to consider your talents, strengths and skills, and Maxwell gently reminds us that this age group is also very aware of what it doesn't want in life - hooray!
She suggests that knowing your values will 'serve as a litmus test for career decisions and planning' and be our 'unconscious motivators,' but she also goes on to say that you can change your values with some self-reflection.
The topics of money and identity are explored before she provides some questions and exercises to help you create your own direction through research, experimentation and design thinking.
Ultimately, you will need to make some decisions and the good news is that you can use the 'power of three' to co-create your own possibilities.
Maxwell discusses some basic practicalities related to education, resumes, interviews and action planning as well as making sure your maintain your momentum by creating the right structures and environments to help you achieve your goals.
She also discusses the importance of branding and networking and moving past the showstoppers of the inner critic, procrastination, anxiety, limiting beliefs, and the challenge of coping with transitions and change.
Maxwell finishes with a reminder to be committed, persistent and courageous and ultimately concludes that we need to develop an intergenerational society.
If you have never read a 'career' book before, this is a wonderful primer that condenses the concepts in a logical way without becoming too technical. Maxwell has incorporated contributions from clients, experts and thought leaders to ensure that it is a real page-turner.
Thank you for sharing your wisdom Joanna Maxwell.
Congratulations too on winning the RSA (Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce) 2018 Australian Career Book Award on 27 October 2018.
August 12, 2017
The pension age continues to rise and the idea of one job for life no longer exists. This means that we need to get savvy about our careers and get comfortable with the idea of reinvention. But these notions can be difficult for some people because you’re venturing into the unknown and often into rather risky territory. Rethink Your Career – In your 40s, 50s and 60s is here to help people navigate this difficult territory in the form of an informative and practical resource by work reinvention expert Joanna Maxwell.
To read the rest of this review please visit the following website: http://magazine.100percentrock.com/re...
To read the rest of this review please visit the following website: http://magazine.100percentrock.com/re...
October 15, 2017
This book is targeted to help Australian readers, but the tips and advice are relevant to the rest of the international readers.
I am a Singaporean, almost 40 and at a crossroad too. In Asia, cheap and young labour is plentiful so it's an uphill task to get employers to open their minds to workers older than 40, let alone 50-70. With rising living costs retirement is probably a luxury for the rich. Therefore this book has been an interesting read and not too soon for me!
I have not had time to do all the practical exercises but they looked interesting, well-thought out and practical. All in a very helpful book full of real life examples.
I am a Singaporean, almost 40 and at a crossroad too. In Asia, cheap and young labour is plentiful so it's an uphill task to get employers to open their minds to workers older than 40, let alone 50-70. With rising living costs retirement is probably a luxury for the rich. Therefore this book has been an interesting read and not too soon for me!
I have not had time to do all the practical exercises but they looked interesting, well-thought out and practical. All in a very helpful book full of real life examples.
August 12, 2023
This is for people looking at changing career late in life not for those considering a new life that doesn’t include a “career” but is fulfilling in other ways. Is was too narrow for me although considering your existing skills, preferences and weight you give to status was helpful.
June 4, 2017
Well written and researched book that is interesting and helpful, especially to an Australian reader. I'm looking forward to giving the exercises a try to see how I go.....
Read
June 6, 2020Did not finish - a redundancy from work thrust me into decision-making mode where this book was instead a primer.
September 8, 2025
The advice in this book might only work for Australian white collar professionals. Outdated and myopic.
Want to read
August 18, 2017Found this book at the airport. Similar to How to Get a Job You Love (John Lees) and What Color is Your Parachute (Richard Nelson), maybe less in depth. Has a lot of testimonies of the author's clients that can give inspiration in making a career shift.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews