Switching careers in later years

Studies have shown that a working adult changes careers about 5-7 times in his or her working life. There could be many reasons as to why you might want to switch careers sometime later in your life. The monotony of the job could get too much for you and you might start to feel suffocated. You might find yourself stuck in a rut in a job that makes you really unhappy, with nowhere left to go. You might have reached the peak of where your current qualifications can get you in the job hierarchy. You might simply want change, opportunities to grow and soar.

So why should anyone be able to tell you that you can’t or shouldn’t switch careers in your later years? Let me tell you; everyone is entitled to happiness. It is up to you to decide where your happiness might lie and to go get it. Besides, you don’t want to wait till you wake up one morning retired from a job you hated for years.

Of course, switching careers is not really easy. After all, you’ve worked so hard for years at your current job. Worked hour after hour, day after day building something you could rely on in the later years of your life. You don’t know if you can do it all over again in an entirely different field. Your fears are understandable. Let’s look at a few things you need to take into consideration while making this decision.

Scrutinize your current situation

This requires some thinking. You need to pen down everything you know about yourself right now. Your age, educational qualifications, total years of work experience, current savings, etc. Do you have enough money saved up so that you can quit your job and dedicate some time concentrating on your new career?

This is also the time for you to be as honest with yourself as possible. Ask yourself what it is about your current job that you would like to be different? Where do your interests lie and what can you absolutely NEVER see yourself doing? Some people work at jobs they’re good at, while others focus on jobs they love. Ideally, you should have a job you love and are good at. Try to keep that in mind while looking to switch careers.

Plan this transition

This is the planning stage. Once you’ve decided on what you’d like to do, look into all the options available. You might very well have to go back to school and earn a degree in your desired field. Where can you get it and how long will it take? What will be the cost of the education and will you be able to receive some sort of financial aid? Some people might not have enough money to quit their jobs, pay for college and spend a few good years without any income. But that should not give you any reason to feel disheartened. Such people can continue working at their current jobs and enroll in a college that offers online programs in their desired field. For example CollegeAmerica located at Arizona, provides on ground and online (through its affiliate college, Stevens-Henager College) degree programs in a variety of fields such as business, healthcare, graphic design and information technology. One CollegeAmerica student review spoke of a mom who said that studying at CollegeAmerica improved her life and provided her with a wonderful job that she really loved. Other CollegeAmerica student reviews said that the students faced no trouble in getting financial aid and student loans and those they found the faculty knowledgeable and helpful. What most people studying at this college found advantageous was the flexibility of programs. CollegeAmerica gave the students the chance to complete their programs in lesser than the total duration of program, thus enabling them to join the workforce that much faster.

Be prepared for change

The decision to switch careers is a big one. You should be prepared for things to change as you get the ball rolling on this decision. You will learn new things about the field, circumstances might change and you might make new decisions. What is important to remember during this time is to never lose focus of the ultimate goal. Face every day with enthusiasm and zeal to learn new things. You are bound to double guess your decisions a hundred times. You are likely to face self-doubt.  But it is in your best interest to keep looking forward and stick to your decision.

It will be difficult, it will be tough. But once the decision is made, there’s no looking back. As Ayn Rand rightfully wrote, “Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplaceable spark in the hopeless swaps of the not-quite, the not-yet, and the not-at-all. Do not let the hero in your soul perish in lonely frustration for the life you deserved and have never been able to reach. The world you desire can be won. It exists.  It is real. It is possible. It’s yours.”