Making a career change isn’t always a piece of cake. However, for most, it’s an inevitable part of life.
We grow up wanting to be more and do more all the time. Sometimes change seems like the scariest thing, but we crave it with our whole being. So why should your career stay the same for the rest of your life?
First off, just know that it’s okay. And you’re not the only one who may feel their current role isn’t fulfilling.
Although it seems scary in the beginning, the best part is that it will most likely bring you on a new adventure of growth and self-discovery.
How to know if you should change your career
If you’re feeling drained and dissatisfied with your professional life, then maybe it’s time for a career change. You might desire to have a job that you’re passionate about while fulfilling your financial needs as well. And if you’re afraid that you may be the only crazy person looking for a different career path, fear no more.
A recent poll showed that:
- 52% of working Americans are thinking about changing jobs
- 44% are already planning to do so
- 59% of the middle-working class are the ones considering other career paths
- 66% of six-figure business employees would like a career transition
Whatever and wherever your current job, salary, or location is, just know that you’re definitely not alone. Even though you may have already built a career, it’s actually becoming more and more popular to get a new taste of the job market. As the saying goes, change is the only constant in life.
So how do you know if you should at least be considering it?
If you’re feeling a bit stuck in life, it could help to reflect on the following:
- If money wasn’t an issue, what would I want to do?
- Do I have the energy for my current job situation?
- Do I feel like my job provides me with meaning and purpose?
- Am I satisfied with my salary?
- What kind of life am I dreaming to live?
- How would I feel when I get to 80 if I continued with my current career path?
Grab a pen and paper and let the answers flow naturally. Let your intuition speak to you. There aren’t any wrong answers here.
Amazing things to expect
So you’ve done all the fun reflection on the future of your career. And you decide to say yes to this new challenge that your soul was calling you to. What amazing things could you expect?
- Increase in overall work satisfaction
- Living more passionately
- A massive serving of personal growth
- A higher income
- Better work-life balance
- More flexibility at work
- A new sense of purpose
- Feeling as if you’re living life on your terms
- Meeting new inspirational people
- Learning skills that you may have never thought about before
Of course, as with anything else, a career change comes with its ups and downs. It will be transformative, exciting, and painful at some points. But it might be worth your entire energy and dedication.
Challenges to watch out for
There are some challenges you can prepare yourself for. Going down this path, you may encounter:
- Fear of the unknown
- Lack of direction
- Feeling alone on your journey
- Money constraints during your transition period
- Frustration over learning the new skills required
- Trial and error
- Difficulty in creating a network
- Lack of self-confidence (use some self-coaching techniques to lift yourself up)
- Lack of time for personal life (working, learning, researching could take up more of your time, but it will be a transformational self-improvement experience like nothing before)
- A career change requires lots of discipline and self-awareness
Remember that it’s always darkest before dawn. Once you know your end goal, there’s nothing that could stop you, no matter how hard it appears to be.
Step-by-step career change at any age
Walt Disney, Ellen Degeneres, Martha Stewart…Brad Pitt even, they all changed careers after turning 30. Vera Wang and J.K Rowling became famous after 40 because guess what? Their previous jobs didn’t get them popular.
Colonel Sanders, Grandma Moses, and Bram Stoker embarked on an even greater adventure and changed their careers after 50. If they could do it, then so can you.
There’s nothing to stop you from making a career change at any age, no matter if you’re in your 30s, 40s, or even 50s. While there may be a few things to consider if you’re on an established career path (3 Things to Keep In Mind Before Making a Career Change at 40), the steps to transition out of the old and into the new are very similar, no matter your age.
Here are three simple steps you can take to forge a new career path:
1. Do a self-assessment of your life and career
Your accumulated knowledge can guide you throughout this new path you desire to take. What’s even more important is that the more experience you have and the more trial and error you’ve done, now you probably have a clearer picture of who you are, what you like, and who you really want to become.
Take a look at your current job situation. What do you like about it? What don’t you like? Would you do something similar? What can you take away from your work experience so far?
These are a few questions to ask yourself that will help you integrate and acknowledge your current skills, network, and possible opportunities.
Take this time to make a self-assessment. What do you truly want right now?
You can use the three most important questions exercise to find more clarity.
2. Highlight the best of your resume
After years of work experience, you will have an advantage of a great resume to impress your potential employers or business partners. So age is a powerful tool to offer you more experience and wisdom.
Focus on the skills that you acquired already and see how you can transfer them into the new career you want to create.
Learn more: Analytical Skills — Here’s How They Can Level Up Your Resume
3. Spread the word and explore your options
Your network is probably quite extended after years on the job market. So why not use it? Let people know that you’re looking for a new path. They could give you some guidance on how to make a career change. Maybe some of them already have. Maybe they come up with an idea that inspires you.
Or they could be working in a field that you’re interested in. Whatever it might be, don’t be afraid to speak up about this step you’re about to take.
Once something sparks your interest, you can first try it out to see if you are truly a good fit for it. Your career doesn’t have to change overnight.
Many people start over their professional journeys by taking a 30-day course, doing a part-time internship, or volunteering for an organization whose cause resonates with them.
If you don’t know where to start, begin with your personal growth. Learning life skills that will propel you through any field you’ll want to pursue might be one of the keys to success.
You can find plenty of best-in-class self-growth resources on Mindvalley. Sign up for FREE and join the world’s most powerful life transformation platform.
Career ideas to change jobs to
The best part of the so-called Great Resignation (an economic trend started in 2021 where people voluntarily quit their jobs and look for a career change) is that more jobs become available. Not only that, but the job market comes up with new ones.
Here are three career ideas to change jobs to:
Speechwriter
Becoming a speaker seems like an exciting career but it comes with highs and lows, and it might not be for everyone. If you see your career moving forward in that direction but you’re not ready for its full glory, you can start with speech writing.
Your responsibilities will include writing and preparing speeches that will be delivered by other people.
Main highlights of the job:
- Using your creativity in the writing process
- Working with inspirational people
- Learning new skills on different topics depending on what you need to write about
- Being exposed to a diverse environment
- Having the possibility to become a speaker yourself later on
If you don’t know where to start with your speech writing journey, you can check out Mindvalley’s Speak and Inspire masterclass by Lisa Nichols (one of the world’s most-requested motivational speakers).
Digital marketer
Digital marketing is a vast territory with many branches you can choose from. Be it, social media, SEO, content marketing, mobile marketing, or PPC, the list can go on and on.
As a general concept, digital marketing refers to marketing done through the Internet. So it’s nearly impossible not to find something suitable for you.
The main highlights of the job include:
- Working in a field that represents the future of the job market
- Having the possibility to work remotely (even from a tropical island)
- Connecting to people from all over the world
- High income (according to Indeed, the average annual salary of a digital marketer in the US is $62,327)
- Working with companies whose products you truly love
For more interesting opportunities, you can check out the open marketing positions at Mindvalley. We’d be happy to have you on board.
Holistic health coach
Health coaching is one of the most in-vogue jobs at the moment. Since people are deciding more and more to level up their health and fitness game, holobody coaching approaches this from a holistic point of view.
A holobody coach teaches people a health protocol that will improve not only their physical status quo but also help them create better habits and quit the old harming ones.
Highlights of the job:
- Having a contribution to your client’s health
- Implementing a healthier lifestyle for yourself as well
- Working on creating an identity shift for your clients
- Learning about nutrition and fitness
- Having more time for your personal well-being routine as it will be part of your job
If this job caught your attention, check the popular Holobody Coach Certification by Mindvalley.
Step into your greatness
No matter what your age is, it’s never too late to start living life to its fullest and find your true passions. Many have done it before you. Many will do it after you.
If you feel like this is the next step in your life, Mindvalley can provide you with great support. Besides numerous courses on personal development and life skills that you can take, you could choose to get certified as a coach. After completing the training, you’ll have all the needed tools to start a new exciting career path.
Don’t be afraid to awaken your unstoppable. The world is waiting for you.
