Joanne Collins is celebrating five years since the start of her dream career as a weight loss consultant with The 1:1 Diet by Cambridge Weight Plan. This International Women’s Day (March 8), Joanne shares her expert tips on how other women can follow their dreams and kickstart a new career.

When we reach a certain age, us women can often feel stuck in a rut. We’re going through so many hormonal body changes, such as the menopause, and we are often affected by brain fog and even sometimes weight gain.

It’s so important to remember that just because you’ve reached a certain age, you’re not ‘past it’ – it’s absolutely not true! I kickstarted my dream career at 46 after working in a stressful hotel management role for many years. I finally found something I love to do – here are my top tips on how you can do the same.

1. Find your transferrable skills

As women, it’s all too easy to be hard on ourselves, but we all have so much potential. Have a think about your transferrable skills – are you a social person, amazing cook, good at maths or a brilliant writer? The list goes on.

When you start mapping out your strengths, you’ll soon realise how many great qualities and talents you have, and you’ll be surprised just how many of these skills can be transferred to different career paths. Use this to boost your self-belief and make a change!

2. Gain experience in your sector

This top tip definitely isn’t as daunting as it sounds; you don’t need to join an internship or apprenticeship. This could be as simple as ordering a product from a company in your chosen sector so you know the products inside out, or even getting a feel of an area before applying to a local business. Try to get a feel for the business/industry as much as you can . . .  I promise it will help.

3. Research, research, research

Put in plenty of time to plan and research your career path – it’s true what they say, success doesn’t happen overnight. However, with the right research and preparation, you’ll be able to hit the ground running when you kickstart your new career.

4. Don’t be afraid to take the leap of faith

Fear is something that holds us back all too often, but it’s vital to push through those nerves. What’s the worst that could happen? Many people see jobs that they’re interested in but never apply. Simply sending your CV will never hurt and it could result in so many new opportunities for you.

5. Consistency

Keep at it! Don’t let yourself get complacent. Always challenge yourself and set mini targets and goals to help you stay determined.

This is even more important if your dream job involved you becoming your own boss – you get out of it what you put in, so ensure you keep yourself on track.

6. Be reliable

This tip is crucial in every career, but especially when starting on a new venture. You need people to know that they can count on you and, if you have trust from others, you will excel and become known in your field.

This will also support repeat business, or even lead to others recommending you. Word of mouth is so important if you’re looking to grow a business aligned to products and services.

7. Treat everyone as individuals

It’s so important to remember that everyone has different ways of working, not one person is the same. Be mindful of that and be agile enough to alter this to get the most of either your colleagues, or equally your clients.

8. Embrace social media

Social media is a fantastic way of getting your brand name and key messages out into the world! If you’re setting up a new business, social media is a must, but you’ve got to be consistent.

You need to keep followers engaged, as well as enticing potential customers. Make sure your posting is frequent, but also be aware of not posting too often that people feel bombarded and disengage.

9. Don’t underestimate yourself

Embrace the things that make you a woman! The menopause can be the motivation we need to realise that we’re not happy with our current career path. It’s easy to stick at a job you don’t enjoy, but it takes courage to leave it behind and find your passions.

Use your strengths to make the change that’s best for you!