Career Transitions in Your 30’s

Summary: Making a transition from one career to another in your 30’s can be hard but when you prepare before, you will have more courage to finally take the plunge.

Many receive that urge to make a career change when in their 30’s but are afraid to. A study from 2015 found that nearly 75 percent wanted a career change but lack of financial security and lack of experience of education were factors holding many of those back. While leaving an established career is scary, being happy and passionate about your job is important. Here’s what you need to know when making transitioning your career path in your 30’s.

– Know the industry terms

When you are looking to change careers you need to be able to talk like you are already a part of the new industry. Start with studying jobs ads specific to the new industry so that you can see what words hiring managers are using. Social media stalking will also be important to learn what the current news and trends are in the industry. Apply what you learn from both sources to your resume and professional profile. Terminology is important when changing careers because many of your skills are transferable, they just need to be described differently.

– Utilize your network

You may be changing careers and industries but that doesn’t mean your network won’t still be useful. Remember to offer your help first before asking from those in your network.

– Know what compromises you are willing to make

Being afraid to start over is perfectly acceptable. There is a very good chance that you will be taking a pay cut, a job with less seniority, and maybe even a college class filled with 18-year-olds. Being aware what this lays before you will make it easier when the time comes to actually face the facts. Go over your finances so that you can find the areas to cut back so the transition won’t be so drastic. Knowing where you sit financially will also help with any negotiation opportunities you get. A smaller take-home salary can be negated by being able to work from home one day a week to save on commuting costs or membership at a gym to save yourself money on that expense.

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