Is Changing a Career In The 30s The Right Decision?

Is Changing a Career in the 30s a Valid Option?

Changing your career is a huge step towards improving your future career. When you start working, you start to realize what career you want to pursue.

You may have already made up your mind during your college years about your career, however, it is work experience that shows you other chances in different careers.

The real question is when it is suitable to change your career!

Some people would feel it is not possible to change careers in your 30s, but that is not true. You can change your career in your 30s as long as you have managed to acquire the right skills and qualifications to break through the new career.

Career development requires effort and time to spend learning new skills so you can apply for jobs in your new career and get easily accepted. Once you feel your current job is not positively affecting your career growth, it is your sign to seek a different career.

Whenever you decide to change careers, preparation is key to achieving your goal. Starting a new promising career will help you fulfil your dreams even if that means starting over from a junior position.

The 7 Golden Steps to Change Your Career

If you are hesitant to change your career at your 30 because you feel it is too late, you need to consider these steps so you feel assured about your move. Starting over in a new career is way better than continuing in your current career only because you are afraid of not succeeding. You can achieve this by following these steps.

1. Use What You Already Have

Starting over a new career doesn’t necessarily require ignoring all your previous skills and experiences. There are always common skills that you may need in different careers. Acknowledging these skills will help you feel a step closer towards your new career.

Here are some common skills that will help cross the gap in your career change:

• Communication skills.
• Problem-solving skills.
• Soft skills.
• Prioritizing work to meet deadlines.
• Teamwork.
• Decision-making skills.

2. Know Where Are You Heading?

Changing careers is a long-term plan and each plan needs goals and milestones to determine its success.

You need to start by setting the career goals that you need to achieve.

You shouldn’t let that feeling that you are in the wrong career to be the only motive for this step.

You need to clearly know what you need to reach in the short and long term. Your career goals will pave the way to acquiring the right skills and will help you feel less confused.

3. Be Patient and Realistic with Your Plan

Understanding the needed time and effort for successfully changing your career is essential so as not to have unrealistic expectations. Losing patience can cause you to lose interest halfway through your plan to change your career.

One way to ensure a smooth plan is to divide it into milestones. In that way, you can set a milestone to master a new skill in 3 months, for example, instead of deciding to wait a full year to complete your plan.

4. Find Alternative Ways to Gain Experience

It is a fact that employers will need experience or relevant degrees to accept candidates as part of the company. You can make use of your current work to reflect on the relevant common skills that ensure you will be a productive team member.

Moreover, you need to set a milestone in your career change plan where you should gain a relevant degree or training that will help you compete against other candidates.

5. Be Open for Another Entry Level of Job

The point behind changing careers is to seek career growth in the long run. You need to sacrifice your current mid or senior position to be able to set foot in the new career. Senior roles in the new career will require years of experience that you still don’t have.

Furthermore, when applying for new jobs make sure to highlight that you are ready for a pay cut or an entry-level salary so hiring managers will not get the impression that you may refuse the package.

6. Use Your Network to Your Advantage

While you might feel you are missing a lot of skills and qualifications in comparison to fresh graduates, you have an edge due to your experience and network. You can reach out to one of your networks who might have relevant experience or work in the same field you are seeking. They may get you in touch with a recruiter or help send your resume to hiring personnel.

Despite the fact it is a guarantee to land a new job, It might be your chance for career development. They can guide you towards the right training courses that you can gain to boost your chances.

7. Build your New Resume

After achieving the required training and acquiring new skills, it is time to showcase your career development steps in your resume. You can start by checking your old resume and retaining relevant skills and courses along with your contact information and experiences.

At the same time, make sure to add the new skills you have gained at the beginning of the resume to catch the attention of recruiters.

Your online presence on job-seeking social networks is crucial to communicate your new achievements. Share your achievement when you finish a new course or practice a new skill.

The Conclusion:

if you still can’t decide what career you want to follow, you may seek career development counselling to determine the right career for you. Changing careers is a plan so you better put all your effort into creating a detailed strategy to achieve this plan starting from today.