Woman on the phone at work.

Is a Career Switch In Your Future?

Do you find yourself feeling bored and tired at work more frequently? Are you struggling to care about your work at the same level you once did? Maybe you are burned out – or perhaps it's a deeper problem.

Do you also feel jealous of friends and relatives who love their jobs? Have you not received the pay raises you deserved? Do you catch yourself daydreaming about working elsewhere?

If this sounds like you, it might be time to consider switching careers. There's no shame in making this decision, and it's never too late to start over with a new career. If you're going to spend 80,000 hours of your life working, you may as well do work that makes you feel happy and fulfilled.

It's natural to have second thoughts about switching careers. In fact, about 80% of people ages 45 and older think about changing careers but just 6% go through with it. On some level, you've probably grown comfortable right where you are. Even if things aren't great at work, at least you know what to expect, right? But deep down, you know you deserve better than just "good enough." Keep reading for our best advice about making a successful career change.

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Download our eBook: The Career-Switching Handbook for 30‑Somethings

Job-hopping is a growing trend among young professionals, and for many good reasons. Download our free eBook, "The Career-Switching Handbook for 30‑Somethings," for the latest career-switching tips, strategies, and data.

Download the eBook

Reasons Why It's Not too Late to Start a New Career

If you're worried you're too old to start a new career, don't be. It's never too late to pursue professional fulfillment and a healthy work/life balance. Here are seven great reasons why it's not too late to start your new career.

  1. If there's something you've always had a passion for but never pursued, you owe it to yourself to revisit that calling. Or maybe there's an intriguing new field out there that didn't even exist when you were first starting to work. Building a career in a field for which you have a genuine interest can transform your life.
  2. Changing careers will keep your brain active by presenting you with new challenges. If you feel like you've been stuck on autopilot for a while, maybe it's time to shake things up and take on some new kinds of projects at a totally different job.
  3. You deserve a work environment that doesn't stress you out. When we are young, a high-pressure work environment can feel challenging. As we slog through the years in that career, that sensation usually transforms into stress. If your high-stress career is taking a toll on your health or relationships, you should not feel sorry about looking for a healthier work environment.
  4. Technology or waning demand may be diminishing the demand for your product or service, and now is a great time to find another path. If the job outlook for your current occupation is expected to decline, you may have a perfect opportunity to look for a more long-lasting career. To prevent yourself from falling into this situation again, investigate occupations with high job security.
  5. Your values and priorities may have shifted since you started your career. Perhaps it's time to pursue a career in a more stable field. Or maybe you don't feel the same way about your current industry as you once did. Whatever the reason, if your feelings about your current career have changed, it's time to explore other options.
  6. You cannot imagine staying in your current field of work until you retire. Are you willing to stick it out in your current working conditions for that long? If you're not, then you owe it to yourself to go find a career that will keep you happy until you're ready to retire.
  7. You have reached the proverbial ceiling in your current career, and you are ready for new challenges. Consider taking your talents into a whole new realm. You can transfer your carefully-honed skills into a completely different career – and you may find yourself streamlining processes and refreshing the way they do business in your new occupation.

How Online Education Can Help You Successfully Switch Careers

If you're trying to determine how to start a new career, consider pursuing an online graduate program of study. Not many people can afford to quit their jobs and go back to school full-time. Others prefer to ease into the idea of changing careers by taking one class at a time, and methodically planning their transition to a new occupation. In these situations and many more, an online education can make all the difference.

Wharton Online specializes in helping working adults discover how to start a new career. The business classes offered by Wharton Online are flexible but challenging. Your courses will prepare you for your new career without jeopardizing the time you devote to your current job and your family.

Ready to learn more? Download our eBook, The Career-Switching Handbook for 30-Somethings for helpful advice and guidance during this exciting period in life.

The Wharton School is accredited by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) and is authorized to issue the IACET CEU.

The Wharton School is accredited by IACET