Career Clarity for Women: Finding Meaningful Work After 40

"I want to help people."

I hear this thoughtful aspiration often from professional women over 40 seeking career clarity. Their desire to make a difference is certainly admirable, but it's just the first step toward finding meaningful work.

According to Gallup's 2023 Workplace Report, employees who find their work meaningful are twice as likely to be engaged in their jobs and three times more likely to stay with their organizations¹. But identifying and pursuing meaningful work after 40 requires more than good intentions – it calls for career clarity about how you plan to create impact.

Developing career clarity for women is like focusing a camera lens. The image is there, but without proper focus, the details are blurry. To bring your vision into clearer view - essential next chapter career planning - consider these essential questions:

1. Who Do You Want to Help?

"Helping people" could mean supporting senior citizens, guiding teenagers, or assisting your neighbors. Research from Harvard Business Review shows that professional women who articulate a clear purpose and target audience are 42% more likely to achieve their career goals².

2. How Do You Want to Help?

Do you want to:

• Provide direct service?

• Teach and empower?

• Raise money?

• Advocate on others' behalf?

• Create systems of support?

A 2023 Stanford Social Innovation Review study found that social impact leaders who align their specific skills with identified community needs report 45% higher project success rates³.

3. Why Do You Want to Help?

   
   

   Think about your own journey - the challenges you've overcome, the care you received, or the support you wish you'd had. Often, our most meaningful work emerges from our personal experiences. Your unique perspectives and natural talents can guide you toward work that yields genuine impact.

Career clarity doesn't limit your options – it helps you recognize opportunities to create the greatest impact. This is essential career advice for professional women over 40 - start with your desire to help, then use these questions through clarity coaching to develop the focus that leads to fulfilling work.

Let’s keep growing! 🌱

---

About the Author

Dr. Erica Walls provides career coaching for professional women over 40 in DC and nationwide, helping you navigate midlife career pivots and achieve strategic career advancement through career clarity and confidence. Ready to begin? Explore coaching programs | Book a consultation | Connect on LinkedIn

---

¹ Gallup. (2023). State of the Global Workplace Report: 2023. Retrieved from www.gallup.com/workplace

² Craig, N., & Snook, S. (2023). "From Purpose to Impact." Harvard Business Review, 91(3), 45-52.

³ Martinez, K. (2023). "Measuring Social Impact Success." Stanford Social Innovation Review, 21(2), 30-37.