How to Change Your Career Path at Any Age
This blog post will tell you how to change your career path.
Too many people believe they are too old to make a career change. That is simply untrue! You are never too old to try something new.
I am going to provide 25 diverse tips to jumpstart anyone looking to change careers.
But why listen to me? Let me tell you little more about who I am and why I know a thing or two about switching careers.
How I Changed my Career Path at 30-Years-Old
I invested seven years of my life pursuing a Master of Arts degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. The thing is, I loved learning and writing about mental health.
But then I graduated. It was time to start my career. Sadly, it did not take me long to realize I hated it.
I kept telling myself it was just the job. At the time, I worked with kids in a residential center. I loved the kids but it hurt my heart to work with their pain and trauma.
In the end I could not lie about my feelings. I felt depleted, burnt out, and restless.
How the Shift Started
I left that job to complete a 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training and decided I was done with therapy.
Then, I moved across the world for a fresh start in Australia. But I needed money and I ended up getting a job doing in-home family therapy with aboriginal families. Again, the trauma became too much for me.
I moved back home and took a job at a university. I thought maybe working with college students would be the change I needed.
This time, I invested time and money in becoming a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) and an EMDRIA Certified EMDR therapist.
But my heart was calling me towards writing.
When I Made the Decision to Change
So, while working full time as a therapist, I began to devise a plan. My job at the college provided me with free college classes. I also started writing freelance to build my portfolio. (More on this later).
Then, an opportunity came to do something different. I began leading group therapy with older adults. And when I found myself depleted, burnt out, and restless once again I was forced to admit the truth.
I wanted to be a writer. And I simply could not continue doing the job that drained my soul.
So, how did I make the change? Read on and I will share with you 25 tips on how to change you career path. I know they work because I did it. And if you follow these tips, so can you.
25 Tips on How to Change Your Career Path
The following tips are designed to show you how to change your career path. But first, what do you do if you are not sure what you want to do instead? And how do you begin to uncover your true calling? The first several tips are designed to help you answer those questions.
Then, I will help you devise several practical steps you can take to move in the direction of your dreams. Remember, change takes time. But if you are determined and willing to work for it you can have the career of your dreams.
Finding the Career of Your Dreams
A lot of people know they need to make a career change. However, not everyone knows what they want to do instead. So, these first few tips are designed to help you find the career of your dreams. Ideally, your career path aligns with your strengths, interests, values, and lifestyle.
1. Take a Career Assessment
Career assessments look at your strengths, interests, and values and match you with careers that align. Each career assessment is unique, so I recommend taking a few.
There are a few free online assessments. That is a great place to start. But if you really want to dive in, I suggest working with a career counselor.
You can find many career assessments with a simple Google search. One of my favorite personality tests is 16 personalities. It is a condensed version of the Myers-Brigg Type Indicator (MBTI). You can work with a trained MBTI facilitator to get matched with careers based on your personality type.
2. Take a Values Assessment
I think of values like a compass. My values guide me when I feel lost, indecisive or stuck.
Values are a set of principles that hold meaning and power over us. They will influence our decisions, and they indicate what will make us most satisfied.
Again, there are tons of free values assessments online. But my favorite is the Personal Value Assessment.
3. Meet with a Career Therapist
If you still feel really stuck, it might be helpful to meet with a trained career therapist. Sometimes, we need to hear ourselves speak our truth. And other times, hearing an empathic ear reflect our feelings and thoughts back provides a new perspective.
4. Research Career Requirements
Most of us work because we need money. We cannot ignore the reality that jobs provide security. Before you transform your entire life to change your career path, you should make sure your goal career suits your lifestyle.
For example, what is the average salary of your chosen career? Or if you aren’t sure what you want to do yet, make a list of requirements.
Here are a few questions to ask yourself:
- How much money do you need to make to live comfortably?
- What benefits do you require to maintain your health and/or lifestyle?
- What work hours fit your lifestyle best?
- Are you willing to go back to school or obtain additional certifications?
- What transferable skills do you have?
- Do you know anyone who has changed careers? Ask them for advice.
Consider Alternative Approaches for Discovering Your Calling
Sometimes, we can find the answers we are seeking with the help of an alternative healer. When we find ourselves depleted at a soul level, alternative and complimentary therapies can help. Other times, you might be able to tap into your inner wisdom. Read on for more tips on how to change your career path.
5. Consider Alternative Therapies
If you have been wresting with the decision to change careers for awhile chances are you are stressed. Working a job you hate, or at least feel depleted by, can take a toll.
Working with complimentary or alternative healers can help you tap into your higher self.
Consider booking a yoga or reiki healing session. Both yoga and reiki can help return you to a state of calm. Because when we are in a state of stress, we simply cannot make decisions.
You might also consider working with an acupuncturist, massage therapist, chiropractor, or somatic healer. Do not neglect the wisdom of the body. At the very least, these treatments will help you to stay calm and relaxed while you work to make a big change.
6. Practice Meditation
You might find that you get caught in a state of decision fatigue when attempting to figure out how to change your career path.
Sometimes, we need to silence the voices of society, friends, loved ones, and colleagues and tune into our inner voice.
If you can relate, meditation might help! Not sure how? Check out my guided meditation page.
7. Journal
Similarly, it might be helpful to journal. Sometimes, seeing your thoughts on paper can put things in perspective.
Giving yourself time to brain dump and get all your thoughts on paper can relieve stress. Other times, making pro/con lists might make decisions more clear.
There is no right or wrong way to journal. But if journaling is difficult for you, consider finding some journal prompts related to careers.
8. Take a Vacation
When was the last time you took a vacation? Sometimes, time and distance can be healing.
At the very least, it will give your nervous system a chance to recover from the stress of a demanding job.
Answers about your ideal career, lifestyle, working hours, or location may arise in this space of retreat.
9. Heal from Burnout
When I left my first job to take my yoga teacher training and moved to Australia, I was burnt out!
I needed time to heal. The transition allowed me to pause and reflect on where I had been and where I wanted to go. Although it was not necessarily the end of my career as a therapist, it provided me with information that informed my choices years later.
Healing from burnout is not easy. And there is no one-size-fits-all approach to healing. Consider working with a variety of mental health, medical, and alternative healing professionals.
10. Notice Themes
Even when you feel directionless, there are often themes that emerge when you start to pay attention.
For example, when I began to question what I wanted to do instead of therapy, there were clear themes my life.
Before I changed my major to psychology, I was an english writing major. My creative writing classes were always my favorite. In graduate school, I loved writing research papers and I enjoyed researching about mental health.
When I met with a career counselor in college, my top MBTI career results were counselor, writer, and teacher. The funny thing is, I became all three. I am a writer, counselor, and yoga teacher.
It became clear I was born to be a writer when I began to investigate areas of my life that had brought me the most joy, meaning, and personal satisfaction.
Preparing for the Career of Your Dreams
Once you know what you want to do, you need to figure out how to do it. Very few people can simply jump into the career of their dreams without a little preparation. The following tips will jumpstart the transition process.
11. Consider Getting a Degree (or Going Back to School)
Earlier, I shared that my role as a college counselor allowed me to pursue further education for free.
Before I enrolled, I was also looking into obtaining a Master of Fine Arts degree. It took time and self-reflection to discover if another degree was the right path for me. Even when I decided that it was, I was not sure which path to pursue.
To narrow it down, I suggest setting aside time each day (or week) to investigate degree path options. Once you decide on the degree path, you can repeat the same process with schools.
12. Complete Training or Certificate Programs
Pursuing a degree takes a great deal of time, money, and commitment. A cheaper, and less time-consuming option might be to complete a certificate training program. These programs will provide you with specialized skills that teach you how to change your career path, and give you an edge in the market.
This is highly career specific, so make sure to do plenty of research before you invest time and money into training or education.
13. Start with Freelance
It can be scary to make a complete career change in one step. For some professions, it may be possible to start doing freelance work.
Before I made the career jump from therapist to writer, I took on several freelance jobs. I spent evenings and weekends writing. This had the added bonus of helping me to build my portfolio. So, when I did start applying for full-time writer jobs I had a vast array of publications to showcase.
It also helped me to realize writing was something I loved, and not just a fantasy. Furthermore, it helped to build my confidence in my ability to make it as a full-time writer.
14. Volunteer Your Time
This might be controversial but when I first started to build my portfolio I wrote for free. I found a company that helped me to develop my writing skills, provided me with a portfolio, and a byline.
Now, this is a personal choice. I felt like the experience was worthwhile. For you, that might not feel appropriate. But volunteering is a great way to gain career experience that you can add to your resume. Ideally, it pays off in the form of a paid job later!
15. Find a Mentor
I cannot emphasize the importance of mentors enough. Who better to help you envision your dream career than someone doing it? This person can help answer your questions about education, training, the job market, and potentially even point you in the direction of career openings.
When I first started writing, I met with a local author. He helped me to develop the confidence to pursue my writing dreams. And he helped me to work through my imposter syndrome that was getting in the way of taking the first steps towards becoming a writer.
16. Know That You Have Valuable Transferable Skills
You are not starting over. You have valuable, transference skills and experience.
When I decided to make the switch from counseling to writing, I knew I had a great deal of knowledge to take with me.
I am a mental health writer. I apply the knowledge and experience I gained as a therapist to my writing.
This change did not happen overnight. It took a lot of research to discover the title “mental health writer” existed. Even then, it took more time to market myself as a mental health writer and gain enough experience to break into a niche field.
17. Take Professional Development Courses
As part of my degree program, I was required to complete a professional development course. Within this course, I gained valuable skills.
This course taught me how to conduct myself in interviews, prepare resumes and cover letters, and how to develop professional working relationships. These skills have proven valuable time and time again.
18. Take Practical Steps Towards Change
So, if you got this far, you likely are starting to gain an idea of what it is that you want to do.
How do you turn that dream into a career? You need to start taking practical steps towards change.
How to Change Your Career Path (One Step at a Time)
So how do you change your career path? These tips will help you move from dreamer to doer. If you got this far, it is time to start making a change!
19. Invest in Yourself
This website is one of the first investments I made in myself as a writer. But I knew I needed a website with professional photos, a blog, and a portfolio to showcase my work.
I remember the day after I booked my headshots I woke up feeling like a huge fraud. It felt like a waste of money to invest in myself and I started to convince myself no one would care.
But guess what? I utilized this website and portfolio to land my first paid writing job. And those photos? Well, my headshot is right next to my author byline in my paid work. Not to mention, all over this website.
Do not be afraid to invest in yourself. You are worth it!
20. Apply for Jobs You Are Not Qualified For
You are going to have to get used to rejection. It can sting but it is a necessary part of the process.
No matter what level of expertise you achieved in your previous role, you are starting with limited experience in your new career. It will simply not be as easy to find work. But with time and dedication something will come!
Rejection is redirection.
21. Ask for Feedback
With each denied application, ask for feedback. This can be a valuable tool for learning where you could bolster your resume.
You might also reach out to colleagues or your trusted mentor. Have them look through your professional documents and offer their feedback.
22. Accept Every Interview (Even for Jobs You Don’t Want)
Furthermore, treat each interview as a practice opportunity. Remember to be professional, regardless of whether you plan to accept the job.
You may learn things within the interview. For example, interviewers might ask questions regarding certifications you are not familiar with. It could point you in the direction of ways to advance your skills and set you apart from other candidates.
23. Be Realistic
You probably will not land your dream job right away. Nevertheless, experience is necessary to get to that point. Sometimes, opportunities will present themselves that are not quite what you are looking for, but might just be an integral stepping stone on your new career path.
When I first started interviewing for full-time writer jobs I made a list of non-negotiables. So, I had a set number in my head for salary, benefits, and vacation time. Know your worth, but don’t forget the value of experience.
24. Give Yourself Time
It took time to decide on the career of your dreams. Similarly, it will take time to transition into your dream career. But recognize that every step you take is a step in the right direction.
Ultimately, there is no guide for how to change your career path. Each career is unique and has its own requirements. Over time, you will learn to navigate those ins and outs the same way you navigated your current career.
25. Believe in Yourself!
The only way to fail is to give up. If you are determined, you will succeed at breaking into your new career path!
In August of 2020, I decided that I wanted to become a professional writer. I landed my first full-time writer job in June of 2022.
In those two years, I built my website, became a full-time student, found a mentor, attended writer’s workshops, wrote freelance (both for free and paid), and interviewed for three jobs that I did not get (or accept).
But I never stopped believing in myself! Even when it felt like an unsurmountable task, I held my vision in my heart.
In fact, my mentor advised me to look in the mirror every morning and say, “I am a writer.”
I advise you to do the same with your career choice.
Subscribe to the Blog
If you liked this blog, please enter your email below. You will get updated blog posts sent directly to your inbox. Don’t worry, you can safely unsubscribe at any time.
About the Author
Olivia Lynn Schnur is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Certified Yoga Teacher, and Writer. She writes about healing, health, and happiness to inspire people to lead better lives in accordance with their values. To learn more, visit her website oliviaschnur.com.
Disclaimer:
This blog post is for informational and entertainment purposes only. This blog is not intended to replace medical, financial, career, health, or mental health guidance, treatment, or care. Only you know what is right for you and your unique situation. Implement with care, consideration, and caution.