How to change jobs at any age by pursuing your passions

Changing career even in older age, when common sense would lead you to think that it is better to stay where you are. All in a more than responsible way, starting again with a clear objective, in the direction of one’s passions and dreams. He talks about it in his book When I grow upGiulio Xhaëtconsultant and trainer, specialist in digital culture projects, change management and talent development for companies.

His essay, published by Sonzogno, starts from a provocative question: ​«Who said only children have the privilege of wondering what they will do? Growing up does not mean so much entering the “enta” or the “anta” as, as the poet Walt Whitman wrote, becoming one’s own hidden multitudes, grabbing that goal that makes us get up in the morning with a wide smile and a light soul» writes Giulio Xhaët. Yes, but where to start in this process and above all how do you go from theory to practice? Let’s leave it to the author to explain everything to us.

When and how did the idea for this book come about?
“From an imposter syndrome that had been gripping my soul for months. From a little voice that said to me: “You are a teacher and coordinator of several masters on digital communication, and what have you ever achieved on your channels?”. During the pandemic, I put myself on the line to experiment on myself with the strategies I illustrated and recommended to companies. As the content I created expanded, embracing topics that interested me, primarily personal development. That’s where the idea for the book came from.”

Returning to the pandemic period, what processes did it trigger in the world of work?
«We have never been so anxious and at the same time so enterprising. In Italy, most professionals say they are extremely uncertain of their future, yet 54% said that in 2023 they plan to find a new job. And the percentage soars to 69% among GenZ’s 20-year-olds, who are also the most anxious generation. Smart working has become the norm in many sectors and young talents are clamoring for this method. And for the reasons mentioned above, one is less interested in salary, permanent position and career, one looks more at a job in harmony with one’s vocations, which perhaps allows one to leave a mark on the world, even if it is small».

Why is it sometimes hard to think about being able to change jobs and get stuck in an unwanted position?
«From the messages I receive online and from what emerges during the training and coaching activities I lead, I see a constant element in recent years: the fear that it is not yet the right time to change. It would seem wise but instead a subtle trap, because it is an excuse not to move ».

Can you give us an example of this?
«Nicolò, of whom I speak in the book, wanted to change his life, and everyone told him: “Don’t be crazy, before changing you must have a precise plan B ready”. At one point he gave up without having a plan B, and that gesture allowed him to build it: “Without a doubt the best decision of my life”, he told me ».

Are there other elements that inhibit changing position or field of work?
«Wait and postpone. Too much waiting leads to starvation of the soul. It may seem like a rhetorical phrase, but failure is not trying and making mistakes, but waiting too long to have the excuse to give up».

What advice would you give to someone who feels too old to change career?
Find something you really like, enjoy and excite. You will begin to study and experiment with passion, perhaps outside working hours and without this weighing you down. Even if it seems like just a hobby, if you do it with passion you are probably giving your best in that activity, because passion is the sworn enemy of superficiality and mediocrity, and defeats them. If you are doing something with passion, you are definitely doing something that will come in handy later in life. My grandmother is over 90 and enrolled in a French film course at the People’s University. She’ll probably teach classes herself. If at 92 we are allowed to dream, believing we are too old to change is almost always an excuse».

Are there secrets and strategies to self-motivate and take action to pursue your dream job?
«In the book I have developed a path based on the so-called generative questions connected to our purpose, which help to tune in or re-tune into our passions, vocations, without forgetting our talents. Any examples? Try asking yourself: “What is the most precious thing you think you can offer to others?”. Or: “When was the last time you were REALLY happy, and why?” Some people retort: ​​”I think I no longer have vocations, I have lost my passions”. So it means that you have to find them, and it’s less difficult than it seems. We need to go hunting for sparks that, as I explain in the book, we can find in mentors, travel, and so on».

What do you mean by “go with the flow”, an expression that returns in your book?
“Flow is the optimal challenging experience. When we are doing something as hard as we can, happily focused, with a feeling of time flying, we are in flow. How to live for a certain moment of the day inside a jazz song. It can happen by engaging in any activity that we are truly passionate about. From a famous experiment that lasted decades involving a sample of thousands of individuals around the world, it emerged that the happiest people are not those who make a living on vacation, but those who are engaged in something they consider full of meaning».

In the book he recalls the importance of failure. How can we reverse perspective and start seeing mistakes and falls as opportunities for growth and evolution?
«We often believe that those who never fail and make no mistakes are the best, the most capable, the most skilful. It is not so. Who is never wrong is who never takes risks. It is the mistakes we make that teach us the most important lessons about us. Think about it for a moment: isn’t it when we cry after a defeat that we have the opportunity to really learn? The best professionals, entrepreneurs, artists, sportsmen I have known are all children of their failures. That’s why I advise everyone to draw up a bankruptcy almanac, which is at least as important as a CV. Ask yourself what are the main stakes in your face that you have taken in life and what you have learned from them».

Another theme touched upon in the book: networking. How does networking help you land your dream job?
«Researcher Marissa King has carried out particularly interesting studies in this regard, discovering that people relate to others in 3 ways: there are aggregators, skilled in creating solid networks; the intermediaries, talented in connecting people of different groups; the expansionists, capable of establishing contacts with thousands of people. Being aware of our nature and predisposition is the first step in developing happy and healthy relationship networks. That said, remember that behind the best opportunities in life there are always people. Someone who trusts you and offers you a chance to challenge yourself, or introduces you to someone to challenge yourself with. Even in companies.”

In your experience, what are the qualities to develop and train in order to turn one’s passion into a job with a high level of satisfaction?
«I believe that there should always be 2 ingredients: curiosity and empathy. Let me explain better, because put like this it may seem like an obvious answer. By curiosity, I mean the ability to maintain interest in something while remaining in an “eager student of life” mode. Curiosity is not thinking we know everything, remaining humble and in doing so finding ourselves in a position to continue to learn and be amazed by things, even the smallest ones. Empathy: by learning to put ourselves in the shoes of others we are able to face the conflicts and problems that inevitably arise in any job (or life situation). We don’t go far alone: ​​we need allies.”

Do you always speak from personal experience?
“Absolutely yes. It happened to me just today: a problem at work, given a misunderstanding with a colleague. I put myself in his shoes and understood how he could interpret my arrogant and superficial answer. That’s why as soon as this interview is over, I’ll pick up the phone to clarify with him and make him feel that I understand him. You see: you never stop making mistakes. And luckily, I might add.”

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