Has anyone started a new career after 30?

15 comments

1. I’m 33, about to be 34, and am in the process of doing this now. Take the risk and make hard decisions to be happy, or i feel like resentment towards one’s self builds and becomes prohibitive to fulfillment, a prerequisite to happiness/ a good life. Happiness tends to be fleeting, but fulfillment can be consistent.

2. I’m in my 50s and I’m starting a new career as we speak.

   It’s never too late to start over!

3. I know plenty of people who have changed to consulting or coaching careers in their late thirties and early forties.

   If it wasn’t for little sycophantic groups of them self sustaining each other through linkedin hand jobs and referrals they’d be no better than the crypto ponzi youtubers.

   Don’t do that.

   On the other hand getting some qualifications in something you’re more interested in and passionate about and moving into that career is a great move – you’ve got more than half your working life ahead of you and one should at least like what they do, better if you love it.

   The challenge is taking the pay / superiority hit as you hop into the new career that may happen. Could need to do a side hustle, have some savings, or eat a lot of humble pie in the transition. All things that can be managed if you go for it.

   You only live once, make the most of it – nobody lies in their deathbed wishing they did more grinding of something that made them unhappy with their limited days.

4. I’m 49. At 40 I left my career as a pipefitter and became a robot programmer. It’s never too late.

5. Started a career in telecom at 26, went and joined the Army at 30, and by the time I’m 42 I’ll be a PA and working as a medical provider.

   You don’t need to wonder, you can do it.

   It does get harder as you get older. More responsibilities, more commitments, less freedom. But it’s always doable, with the right plan and commitment.

6. Yes indeed. I went to college when I was 36 and began my teaching career at age 40. I’m starting year 14 now with zero regrets. (I’m not counting the state and Federal Departments of Education in the zero regrets, lol.)

7. Became a teacher at 30

8. Become a teacher at 35

9. My wife changed her career of 15 years at 36 and she is much happier and healthier than she has ever been. DO IT.

10. At 28 I decided to quit my job and go back to school as a premed. Now I’m 32 and just finished my first year of medical school, with 3 more to go, and then 3-5 years of residency after that. It’s been a long road and it’s risky, and I might be a dramatic case as someone who went for something with such a long training period. But all of that said, you can definitely change things later in life. The benefit is that you know more what you want, and you are more responsible in getting there instead of goofing off.

    All the best to you.

11. Yep. Left a 6 figure salary to start my own business in a completely unrelated field in my late 30’s.

12. I’m 33 and in the midst of trying to figure out if I want to do something new or not. I love some of the stuff I do, but I get frustrated by the lack of support and some of the people I don’t want to be a quitter because I don’t get my way, but it’s hard to do a job where you get overlooked. The issue is I’ll likely not find any similar opportunities, similar pay, and I don’t know if my work experience carries over to private sector or similar jobs as well. Somedays the thinking of it is more stressful than the job lol. Kudos to everyone that’s taken that leap.

13. Yes. Executive pastry chef and wedding cake maker for twelve years. Now 33 and in my first year as a chemist in pharma.

14. I started my career at 29. Before that I was a student, working dead-end jobs, and/or unemployed.

15. I’m 35, business owner and bartender. I was a bartender full time until I was 25. Then started a business. And now I’m thinking of going to school for nursing (ive always liked medicine)