This Woman Made a Scary Career Change at 35 & You Can Too - How to Start Over Without Starting From Scratch
"I'm afraid it's too late".
This is one of the most common concerns I hear from the people I work with.
Too late to change companies.
Too late to change jobs.
Too late to change careers.
Well, consider this.
A survey of people who attempted a career change after age 45 found that not only were 82% of career changes successful, but also that 87% were happy or very happy they had made the change, according to the Harvard Business Review.
Last month, I started working with a new client, an attorney specializing in family law. During our first meeting, she shared, "I can't do it anymore. Family law is taking an emotional toll on me that is affecting all areas of my life. I don't want to be a lawyer anymore but I don't know what else I can do."
She was terrified and worried that it was too late for her to change careers, given that she was in her 30's. She was also worried that people would think she "gave up".
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Through our time together, we talked about what had drawn her to law in the first place, and what things she had enjoyed about her job. We put together a list of things she felt she was naturally good at, and another list of things she knew she didn't want to do in her next career. We highlighted issues that she cared about, and causes that resonated with her.
It didn't take long for her to realize she didn't need to reinvent the wheel, but instead determine her transferable skills to understand what else she was qualified to do.
And gues what? She was qualified to do a LOT.
Once we were clear on the direction she wanted to go, we updated her resume to reflect the kinds of roles she was interested in, and crafted an impactful cover letter.
Within a month, she received an offer for a senior-level advisor at an advocacy group that champions causes that are important to her. She even negotiated the salary to get the more than she was making in her previous role.
I share this story with you to remind you, it's NOT too late. And it's not about reinventing yourself. It's about taking the skills and experience you already have, and understanding how they are transferable.
If you're thinking about changing careers, either because you've been laid off or you simply need a change, I'd love to hear your story. Share in the comments below and book a time on my calendar for us to connect.
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1 个月Hi I m working as a teacher holding physics degree handling juniors.In my school times my aim and passion in software field. Now I am interested to switch over my carrier is it possible mam little bit nervous...
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3 个月Hi Jenny, I need your help, I'm a partly qualified accountant but I need to move to a different field, I'm thinking maybe I will go for an engineering program, data analysis or maybe the health sector. Any help will be much appreciated ??.
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4 个月That is amazing! I am 34 years old, working as a behavior technician working with children with autism spectrum disorder. I have a bachelors in psychology with an emphasis on behavior therapy. I went to school with a purpose and a passion to become a behavior analyst, but that purpose and passion has faded. I feel lost. Originally my plan was to become a BCABA, a behavior assistant analyst but that didn’t work out as planned. I worked real hard to get my clinical hours especially during COVID. When the time came to turn in my hours to the board, so that I would be one step closer toward my goal. They rejected all my documents because my courses expired, so potentially, I would have to go back to school to take a few courses with money I don’t have. I started to go back to school but then realized I was not as passionate to do it as I once was. The pay and benefits are not worth the mental and financial struggle I face in this career. I love my kids and families I work with, but I have anxiety about my future and where it’s headed in this career. I originally wanted to go back to school to get my masters, but I just don’t know what I would like to study. Now I am trying to reinvent myself and I am looking at …
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5 个月I worked as a teacher... after marriage took a 5 years maternity break to raise my kid.. now I am 35 and want to become Hr... i always think everyone will laugh at me... will any company give me job.. I am very confused and sacred to take next step...
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8 个月Hi need to understand my core strengths, which i am confused andalso m scared to change my career at a point where i have nothing left to loose. but need to understand what career is suitable for me. will it be possible to give a guide for the same