Changing Careers at 30
If you’re considering a career change at 30, you might be a little unsure of where to start. How do people decide if it’s the right time to make a switch? How do they make a career change with no college on their resume? Those types of questions can be tough to answer and apply to your situation.
Take a look at the following sections for advice on considering where you’re at and what your next step should be. Note that all employment data is from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Exploring Your Situation and Needs
The first step for considering a career change at 30 is to examine your current situation. You’ll have to take an honest look at yourself to see what, if any, changes are needed. If you decide that a career change at 30 is warranted, you’ll need some time to examine what you’d like from a new career.
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Here are some common reasons why people make a career change at 30. Maybe one of the following situations applies to you.
There are many reasons this could apply to you. Maybe your job doesn’t offer the types of benefits you need, especially if you have a family. Maybe you’re interested in a different field, or you’re simply in a career that you don’t enjoy. Regardless, this is one of the most common motivator for making a career change at 30. The work may be dull or unfulfilling, and there may be additional factors in play. This type of situation arises naturally, and it happens to a lot of people. It’s easy to jump right into a career field or earn a degree, and then realize later that it’s not working out. Hence a career change at 30 is warranted.
The pay isn’t good enough, and you know you could be doing better in terms of earning potential. You may also be dealing with related issues like the inability to advance in your role. In those scenarios, you may need to make a career change at 30 to unlock a higher salary and advanced roles.
If you’re thinking about a career change with no college on your resume, you may not even be in your career yet. Maybe you simply have a job, and that could be due to several circumstances, like needing to take care of your family or shying away from higher education. It might pay OK, but that’s all it is — a job. Instead of changing careers at 30, your situation is more about pursuing an attractive career field. Or maybe you’re one of the many people who has seen drastic changes in their industry as more technology has been introduced, and you need a degree to maintain your role.
Making a Career Change Decision
In any of those cases, take a deep look at your motives for wanting to change careers at 30. Then you’ll be able to decide if you should move forward. If you decide to take the next step, you can figure out what you would like to have in your future, professionally.
Note that it’s natural to feel anxiety about these decisions. Making a career change at 30 may seem undesirable, but to be fair, so too can staying in a career where you’re unhappy. If you feel stuck where you’re at, that can undermine your work and personal life, as well as your health. Take some time to discover what you’d truly like to do, and don’t be afraid to include loved ones in the conversation. They can help you determine what’s best for you and your future.
If making a career change at 30 is what you’d like to do, the next sections outline some ideas for your next role and offer tips on creating a plan to achieve your goals. Those steps will help you approach changing careers at 30 in the right way.
Easy Career Changes That Pay Well
If you’re giving serious thought to making the career change at 30, ideas about what you’d like to do can put things in perspective. You can compare salary and job growth figures with those in your current position. And you can get a good feel for what type of role and work environment you’d thrive in. As you probably know all too well, work happiness means a lot.
Here are a few easy career changes that pay well.
Career Fields That Pay Well
Business
Accountants and auditors, financial analysts, and human resources specialists exceed a median annual wage of $60,000. Management occupations form the highest wage of all major occupational groups ($102,590), and advertising sales agents earn about $50,000.
Explore Business CareersNursing
Registered nurses earn a median annual wage of $70,000, and employment is projected to increase 15% by 2026. The most common industries employing Registered nurses, by number of employees, are hospitals, nursing care facilities, and outpatient care centers.
Explore Nursing CareersSocial Work
Social workers earn $47,980, and salary growth is good. For instance, social workers working in hospitals earn $58,490, and those working in local government earn $52,900. The highest paying industries for social workers are pharma companies, insurance, and schools.
Explore Social Work CareersBusiness
Changing careers to business involves a lot of lucrative and in-demand possibilities in fields like accounting, finance, human services, management, and sales. Think about management and human resources if you’re a people person, and if you’re a numbers person, accounting and finance could be strong choices. Marketing has something for everyone.
Nursing
Changing careers to nursing is usually motivated by more than just money, although figures are strong. Some of the main draws to nursing are the ability to help patients who are experiencing some type of illness or injury, the flexible schedules, and that there’s plenty of room to grow into advanced clinical and management-based roles.
Social Work
Changing careers to social work allows you to help individuals in at-risk populations, and you’ll play a role in prevention and early intervention levels. Earnings aren’t as strong in social work, but they’re well above the median annual wage for all occupations ($37,690). The projected employment increase of social workers is 16% by 2026, which is more than double the average for all occupations (7%).
Making the Career Change at 30
Are you ready to move forward with a career change at 30? It’s not as daunting as you might think, and that’s still true if you don’t have relevant education or experience. It’s not difficult to obtain what you need to pursue your dream career. Once you complete the right educational program, you’ll be ready to begin your search and complete your career change at 30.
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Get the Education You Need
One important aspect about making the career change at 30 is how online learning options make it easier to fit a degree into your schedule.
Consider what you’d have to do to attend a college or university in person, while maintaining your work and personal commitments. The commute alone could add a few hours of extra time to your schedule. Thankfully, you don’t have to go that route.
Online education lets you study when and where you have the time. Online programs commonly take place asynchronously, giving you the ability to further your education when you can. Instead of commuting to and from school at certain times, you can simply log on when it’s convenient for you. Instead of listening to lectures at specific times, you can simply learn course material around your work and personal schedule. You don’t even have to be online at a certain time of day, for most courses.
What if you enjoy some in-person time? Online degree options can accommodate that, too, mixing face-to-face with virtual learning through hybrid programs or practicum and clinical requirements. Online education has all versions of learning that works best for your schedule and how you learn.
Once you find time to learn the skills you need to make the career change at 30, you’ll be on your way to pursuing your dream job.
Start Your New Career
When you graduate, you’ll be in the final stretch of completing your career change at 30. Your next step is to begin searching for a job in your new career.
Make sure you take advantage of what your school offers for career services. A lot of online degree programs include assistance with career placement, resume and cover letter writing, and more. You might be surprised to learn about the services you’ll have at your school that can help you appeal to potential employers.
The connections you make in your degree program can also help with your job search. Your peers and professors could be a strong source for references, and maybe someone might know of a specific opportunity. It’s never too early to network, so don’t overlook that important skill even when you’re in the process of advancing your education.
Update your resume and practice writing strong cover letters. Highlight past skills that can make an impact in your new career on your resume and emphasize the passion you have for your new career opportunities in your cover letters. Having people in your personal and professional circles read your resume and cover letter can help you improve those documents.
Overall, don’t let the thought of a career change at 30 be too overwhelming. It’s more than possible, and you can achieve your goals with clear, actionable steps. You could be on your way to finding a career that fits your needs and improves your life.
