Have any of you changed careers later in life, and if so how did it go?

12 comments

1. I switched careers at 37. Now at 45, I think I might switch careers again. I always seem to get in at the right time, but then the industry I’m in gets oversaturated over time. If you’re not happy with your career, take baby steps to find something else you might enjoy.

2. I didn’t completely change my career, but in the last year I have pivoted out of the industry that my degree is in, but I’m doing the same kind of project/operations things that I’ve done almost all of my career to this point. The biggest reason I was in position to take the chance I did to make this pivot was that I was unemployed and desperate enough to take a temp contract with unlikely odds that they’d offer me a position afterwards. I took it because it got the title I wanted on my resume and demonstrated ability outside of my old industry. But they did end up hiring me on because they liked me and felt like I had the experience to take a lot of things off the plate of the owners and let them focus more on the revenue creating stuff. I like the paperwork and logistics side of things.

   It’s not easy. It really depends how big of a jump you’re wanting to take. In my situation, running projects is really about timelines and decision making and knowing the right questions to ask. So, it can be easily adapted between industries if you focus on the transferrable skills. If you’re a software dev wanting to become a chef, that’s going to be markedly more difficult.

   I’m a fan of reverse engineering job positions. Figure out what kind of jobs you want and then look at their job descriptions to see what experience you need and then figuring out how to get that, whether it be a class, a certification, or a side hustle or something else.

3. I’m about 9 months into a new career. For 25 years I did industrial maintenance for millworks. Now I fix equipment 250 miles north of the Arctic Circle. I like it and I don’t mind the -40 winter so I think it’s going well.

   I have 2 friends who also changed careers at 50 both highly recommend it.

4. I left a career of 20 years last month and took a normal job, somehow making a lot more money. It’s working out perfectly.

5. I had three different career-type jobs after graduating from college. I was 45 when I started the final one, which was radically different from the second. It worked out well, even though I started in an entry-level position, and I mostly enjoyed it until I retired.

6. I started a Toolmaker skilled trade apprenticeship at 41.

   I worked basically on an physically demanding assembly like for almost 20 years before, but my body needed a change.

   I’ll admit it’s not easy trying to remember everything you have to learn in an apprenticeship at my age, things don’t stick like they used to. So I have probably half a dozen notebooks that I jot EVERY single thing down for reference.

   But for as hard as it is mentally, it’s SO much better physically. I (my body ) just wished I’d have done it years sooner.

7. Yes, teacher 25-30, chemical & gas tech 30-32, safety specialist 33-37, outside sales (construction industry) 37-40, teacher/coach 41-49. Considering probation officer career switch soon.

8. I’m 31 right now and was climbing the corporate supply chain ladder for about 12 years. I’ve wanted to start some sort of trade business for years, but couldn’t do it. Well I was asked for a divorce last December so that kicked my ass into gear. Left my job in late May and since then I’ve sold $120k worth of projects. I’d say so far it’s going well. The hours have definitely increased, but I’m enjoying what I do so it doesn’t feel as much like work. Plus I get to be outside, which is much better than staring in front of a computer screen for 40-50+ hours a week. I can already tell my eyes are feeling much better.

9. Went back to school at 33 after doing what I was supposed to do-got a Bachelor’s 4 years after high school, earned nothing for ten years, now making 80k/yr taking pictures of people’s bones. It’s not much but it’s finally enough money to rest on weekends.

10. I switched careers at 29, and am planning to switch again next year.

    Honestly enjoyed the change from office work to patient care, but I wont be able to lift people off the floor forever. Better to get out before I get a permanent back injury.

11. Changed to teaching mid 30s’s. It went really well but was just so much work I was always exhausted to do other things. I had to drop to 0.6FTE before it felt like a normal job, but that comes with 60% of the pay.

12. Changed careers at 34. Was going to school for Culinary, but after breaking up with narc ex who wasn’t supportive of my goals I jumped into I.T. making way more money. 

    Working towards Cybersecurity.