There is no easy road or magic formula on how to prepare for a ca-
reer change. The question “are you ready to change career?” comes
fully into focus for individuals who feel jaded and unhappy in their
current industry.
At this point, they know it is more than the job. They like their col-
leagues and boss but feel nothing but dread whenever they enter
the workplace.
An estimated 60% of adults want to change careers. The problem
is, approximately 40% have no idea what to switch to! This guide
provides advice on changing careers and helps you determine if
you’re ready to make what is a huge leap into the unknown.
If you have been in the workforce for a while, you may have been
promoted at least once. You may even have a job with ‘status’ and a
good salary. However, none of that matters if you’re desperate to
get out.
Here are some tell-tale signs that it is time to move on.
You Have Stagnated
Every aspect of your job is mundane and unchallenging. There are
minimal changes to grow either with your company or another one
in the industry. If this sounds like your predicament, it is perhaps
time to consider a new career entirely.
You Start Pining for the Weekend on Monday
It’s never a good sign when you’re counting the minutes to Friday
evening on Monday morning! Although work isn’t supposed to be a
holiday, you ARE supposed to enjoy it occasionally!
Remember, you spend anywhere between one-third and one-half
of your waking hours at work. If you hate those hours, the salary,
status, and everything else associated with job and career don’t
matter.
Your Values Differ from the Organisations
When you joined, there was an alignment between the company’s
values and yours. However, over time, you might discover that you
no longer believe in the same things. Worse still, your employer is
representative of the rest of the industry. In that case, you must
consider a career change. Working for something you don’t believe
in or feel is wrong takes a major mental toll.
You Feel Burned Out
It is typical for you to feel tired virtually every day. The fact you
spend so much time performing work-related tasks outside the
workplace only contributes to that. Individuals in this scenario are
very much in the ‘live to work’ bracket, and you need to get out of it
quickly! Again, if you know that your industry as a whole is associ-
ated with long hours, a career change is necessary to achieve a bal-
anced lifestyle.
More Negatives Than Positives
You may discover that the large salary and benefits package
doesn’t compensate for the long hours and stress. The interesting
projects are few and far between, with tedium the norm.
When all you can think about are the aspects of the job you loathe,
step back and decide if a career change is in order.
Too many people get locked into the belief that they are too ‘old’ to
change careers, and their chance is gone. They feel as if they don’t
have the time to become a success in a new field. The feeling of
‘comfort’ is enough for many to stay in a field they have grown to
despise.
In reality, you can change careers far later than you realise. Indeed,k,
over 40% of employees do so between the ages of 45 and 54! You
have probably picked up a formidable number of transferable
skills, which will serve you well in a new career. Here are a few reas-
ons why it is never too late to change careers:
You owe it to yourself to find your calling. Life is too short!
There is no need to stay in the same field until you retire!
A change of career will keep your brain active by presenting
it with a new challenge.
Your priorities and values have likely changed since the be-
ginning of your career.
Switching to a work environment that doesn’t cause stress
will do wonders for your mental and physical health.
A lack of demand or new technology may soon render your
field obsolete. Also, new tech increases your alternatives.
In many ways, changing a career at 30 is ideal. You are mature
enough to know what you want to do (hopefully). You probably
have different priorities than when you were 21, and you have ex-
perience and transferable skills.
However, it isn’t necessarily straightforward. According to the
Holmes-Rahe Life Stress Inventory, changing careers is in the top
20 most stressful things in life. It is also possible that you’ll require
additional training and experience to get the career you want.
In this scenario, you may need to quit your job to dedicate yourself
fully. At age 30, it is unlikely that you will have the savings required
to stay unemployed for long. You may also have a family to support
and possibly a mortgage.
Then again, leaving it too late can take an immense toll on your
well-being. Despite the challenges, if you’re hellbent on changing
your career, it is better to do so sooner rather than later. Put it off
for long enough, and you may never get round to actually doing it.
Web Developer: With a high salary and plenty of demand, a
web developer’s role is something that offers a nice work-life
balance. The job involves building websites.
Since you get to use your creativity, you will hopefully avoid be-
ing bored. It is also a job you can undertake remotely.
Accounting: This is a job that enables you to become self-
employed and pick whatever clients you want. If anyone
stresses you out, you have the option to drop them! The fin-
ancial knowledge you gain may also ensure you do an excellent job
building up your long-term nest egg.
Landscaper: If you love gardening and working outdoors,
landscaping is an opportunity to combine the things you like.
Once again, you have the option of setting up a freelance busi
ness and get creative. In general, this is a job with relatively low
stress levels.
Here is a list of five career change options that are becoming in-
creasingly popular amongst younger workers:
Engineer
Dentist