If you’re an older worker who has been thinking about such a career change, you may be feeling rather tenuous right about now.  You’re probably asking yourself questions such as “How is my new boss likely to handle the fact that I am 20 years his senior? “Will I be good at my new job?” “ How hard will it actually be to find a position?” “Will I be able to successfully relate to my new co-workers?” “What can I bring to this position?”

If you prepare yourself adequately, your fears may be unfounded.  You will undoubtedly find that given the number of years you’ve spent in the work force, the transition will be less painful than you thought.  After all, there is something to be said for experience!  Certainly, you should make every effort to update your skills—in the technology area if nowhere else.  Be sure to spend some time learning the new language of communications: to google/to blog/to tweet/to twitter, and so on. 

If you’ve not already done so, you’ll want to practice your social networking skills. And what better way to put them to work but to actually sign on to various sites and participate in the discussions. It’s best to focus your efforts on areas in which you are already knowledgeable.

You can find groups that blog about virtually everything; from philosophy and fishing to  skiing and swimming, it’s all out there. As an extra benefit, it may be that you can  identify new job leads through the on-line acquaintances you’ll be making. It’s a brand new world out there!