Why Making a Career Change at 30 years old Is Not Impractical
“You’re too old, it's too late to change careers at your age.”
I’m sure the world would be a spectacular place to be if everyone had their entire lives figured out by the time they were 30 years old. Society has this huge perception that by 30 years old, you’re advanced in your career, and married with children.
They’ve got it all wrong…
I am a 28-year-old single woman with no children, and I have never felt more in control of my life than I do right now.
I’ve been in the medical industry for 7 years, and have decided that It’s time for a change. Furthermore, I can say that the only reason I got into the medical side of things was because of my mother. I was always told that it was the safest career to go into because people will always get sick and need doctors. With the not-so-nice world we live in, I did feel for the longest time that my passion was working with people. But, when I got to the medical billing side of things, I no longer felt fulfilled and decided it was time for a career change.
So, I took the time to understand who I was and what I wanted out of life. I remembered how I loved arts and crafts as a child. My mom would take me on weekly trips to Michael’s (Arts and Craft store) to pick up these cute little buckets of supplies for me to create whatever I wanted. I remember how elated I felt gluing cotton balls and glitter to wooden shapes. Entering the working world years later, I was always assigned to the creative tasks in the office. After realization of the things I enjoyed doing throughout my life, I concluded that I’ve always been a creator and innovator. Problem is, I was in the wrong field this entire time…
So what career did I decide to transition to?…
Everyone rants and raves about the tech industry, so I decided to see what role I could play in the field. I dreamed of a role where I would be able to collab with people, create, innovate, and make a positive impact.
And there it was right in front of me this entire time, UI/UX Design. I’m drawn to UI/UX because of the focus on collaboration, process, and creativity. After further research of this field, I realized that it would also give me the chance to use analysis and psychology daily.
Amazing.
I would be lying to you if I told you that society’s ugly myths about changing careers at 30 didn’t come to mind. I recently read an article that said: “You’re too old, It’s too late to change careers at your age.” The nerve of people and their opinions. I’ve always lived by the motto that it’s never too late; I saw my mother get her master’s degree at 40 years old, while she was well in her career. Would you rather follow your dreams or live a life of regrets?
Many older millennials who are now approaching middle age have significant career regrets. Nearly half, 47%, say they wish they had chosen a different career path when they started out, according to a recent survey of 1,000 U.S. adults ages 33 to 40, conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of CNBC Make It.
All kinds of thoughts ran through my mind when I decided I was ready for a career change. But you get to a point in life where you realize that no one’s opinion matters anymore. It was time to live for myself and understand that anything is possible… No matter how old you are.
So here I am today, approaching 30 years old with the mindset of a lion. Studying UI/UX design every day in order to make my career transition.
“The world is your Oyster.”
Are you thinking of changing careers soon? Share your thoughts!
