Ah yes, the quarter life crisis – the unfriendly reminder in your twenties or thirties that inevitably creeps up and gets you rethinking all your life choices in entirety. A quarter life crisis can be accompanied with many mixed feelings about your relationships, education, living situation, your goals, and among many other things, your career. 

Don’t fret, it happens to the best of us, and honestly, it’s not always a bad thing at all. Stepping into a career change at 30 might be the stepping stone you need to solve problems in your life that you might not have been able to overcome otherwise.

Reevaluating your career goals and day to day working life can be used to your advantage when combined with your knowledge and experience – you can and will be able to use those transferable skills to find a better long term fit career fit. As humans we’re meant to change, grow and evolve, and that involves our careers as well.

Is it too late to change my career?

No matter what your age, it’s never too late to change your career, but it’s still very important to think things through before making such a big decision. Career changers should always do some research and preparation before choosing a career that might veer off their beaten path. 

indeed infographic-49% of employees say they have made a total career change

Career change tips: 

Talk to your friends and family

Consult your friends and family about your idea and ask them to support you in your efforts. Making a big change like this becomes much easier when you have the support of loved ones. Use this as an opportunity to ask them what they could see you doing long term. Sometimes a second opinion is all you need to give you the confidence boost you need. 

Outline your goals 

Once you’ve decided you’d like to pursue a career change in your 30’s, it’s a good idea to outline your goals that are important to you when finding a new job. Is increasing your salary your main goal? Having more time off? Or maybe you’re looking for more personal gratification in the workplace? Try taking a look into beauro of labor statistics to get some numbers down on paper and see if a full time career change is reasonable. 

Consult a career coach 

Consulting a career coach is an easy way to get a professional opinion from someone who is experienced in helping others in your same shoes. Career coaches are trained to successfully give you the tools you need to make your new job search successful in the long run.

Attend networking events 

Attend networking events before you make the big jump. Meeting people with similar interests and experience is a great way to get more information about your potential career direction. Choose events and informational workshops that could help you get your foot in the door and ease the process. 

Build up your online profile 

Since you’re steering your career in a different direction, it’s important to utilize the skills you already have and make them visible online. Since you will be an atypical candidate compared to others applying for a new position, a hiring manager will most likely do some online research on you. Improving your online brand is a way to give you some validity and boost their ability to trust you as a valuable candidate despite your career change.