What to Do when You Want to Change Careers

You may be in your 20's, 30's, or even into your 40's or 50's, and decide the work you are doing is not for you anymore. Or, maybe you have just started in a career and realize that this career is not for you. What should you do, especially if you have many years of work ahead of you?

First of all, you should decide what you want to do. When you decide what you want to do next, you need to research your new career interest thoroughly. Decide if your personality and abilities match this type of career.

Once you have decided that this new career is right for you, it does not necessarily mean you need to leave your job and be without an income. It does not necessarily mean you will need further education. It may just mean a redirection of your skills, a change in your resume focus, and a new job search. Many skills are transferable across industries. For example, if you have administrative skills and are working in financial services, but would now like to use those skills in health care, there may not be any need for further education, at least not in the short-term. Many administrative positions in health care will complement those positions in many other industries. You can learn a lot about health care while on the job, and can always attend night courses down the road for a more formal Health Care Administration Degree.

Other career changes may require more radical changes to your lifestyle. For example, if you are a secondary school teacher and now want to become a nurse, or vice versa, you will probably have to leave your job behind at some point in your education. Part of nursing education requires on-the-job training and you will need to be in a hospital for part or all of a day, several days per week. To become a teacher, you probably can take night classes, but at some point, some classroom work will become necessary.

There are other career switches that might require complete attention to the new career of interest, such as becoming a doctor, engineer, lawyer, or other professional. The study involved in these career-types may be overwhelming or require internships, so you will need to decide what you will do for income. First, there is the cost of the education, itself. Then, there is the need to eat.

With respect to education costs, there are many ways to obtain funds. There are scholarships, loans and grants. Many institutions will provide grants and scholarships to high potential students. Thoroughly research the types of scholarships and grants offered by different educational institutions. There are also state and federal grants available depending on the courses you will be taking. Depending on your speciality, schools may also offer the opportunity to work in research that may provide some type of compensation while you study. If you need to take out a loan for education, many loans can be paid back years later, when you are in a better position to pay them back.

With respect to income, if you need to go to school during the day, consider some type of night work which will not overly interfere with your studies, but that will provide an adequate income. Many acting or performing arts students, or those who are already in the acting or performing arts field, work during the day at business support / word processing-type jobs. They make a good wage in these positions, and have their nights free to act, or practice or study. Temporary job agencies place many people who are in school in good jobs, both day and night jobs. Temporary jobs are a good source of employment when changing careers.

I have known several individuals who have changed their careers. One person changed careers in her 30's, and the other became a lawyer in her 50's. Both have been very successful in their careers and love what they do. They had to make lifestyle changes while they were in school, but the payoff was great.

It is always a little scary to contemplate change, even if that change is good, especially if you are in a comfortable job with good compensation. However, once you know how to proceed, how you will finance your dream, and how you will make a living while you pursue that new career, you are on your way. Good luck!