Turning 30 is a big milestone for a lot of people. And while it might seem like such a distant age when you’re in your 20s, turning 30 isn’t that big of a deal. For many people, 30 is the age when their life truly starts.
They’re more energetic, have deeper insights and knowledge, and have a better idea of how to navigate through life, all thanks to the life experience they’ve accumulated that comes with age.
However, 30 is also the age where people really start to wonder whether they actually like what they do for a living and start looking at different career change at 30 ideas. And while some people in their 30s stick with their profession until retirement because they’re afraid of the unknown, others are keen on a career switch, if you are among those then check our latest complete guide on how to change careers in the UK in 2022.
To give you a helping hand, in this article, we will discuss the topic of how to make a career change at 30s, talk about if it’s too late, what’s holding most people back, and why you should start the process of changing your career as soon as possible.
Read on to learn more.
Is 30 Too Old for a Career Change?
One of the biggest questions people have when they progress through their professional lives and come to the realisation they don’t quite like what they do is: “when is it too late to change careers?” or “is 30 too old to change careers?”
To answer these questions, it’s never too late to change careers, especially when you’re in your 30s. If you think about it, you still have 30+ years to work, so you better find and work on something that you enjoy. And to help ease your mind, there are even more people going through career changes in their 40s and 50s than there are in their 30s.
Why? There are a number of thighs that hold people back, especially in their 30s, which we will discuss in the section below.
What’s Holding You Back from a Career Change?
People in their 30s hold back from taking the leap and changing their careers for a number of different reasons. Below, we discussed the two biggest ones.
Fears
Fear is the biggest reason why professionals in their 30s don’t take the risk of changing their careers. Fear is a very general term, and it’s often driven by the many obstacles that come with changing your career that you might encounter along the way.
For example, building a completely new network, upgrading your skillset, and sacrificing some of your current income as you’d have to basically start from zero if you go into a field that you have no experience or knowledge about.
However, if you’re really looking to get on a new path in life, you must face these fears head-on while you’re in your 30s. What you want to avoid is coming back ten years later and asking yourself: “why didn’t I just do it when I was younger?”
Pressure
The lack of drive for a career change for a 30 years old professional can also be linked to pressure. This could be pressure from your current employer, pressure from your coworkers, or even the pressure of having to support your family. Again, this is a very valid reason for wanting to stay in your current career. And this is why it’s very important that you plan things out properly before making the switch.
Why Would You Change Careers at 30?
Changing careers at 30 can be risky, and it’s very important to consider these risks before making any decision. However, if you decide to change careers at 30, it can open up a lot of new opportunities and reign in a ton of benefits – both personal and professional. Some of these benefits include:
You Have More Opportunities to Learn
The first reason you might want to consider changing careers at 30 is to further develop yourself as a professional. When you change careers, you have to learn a lot. You will have to get used to a new environment, work on different tasks, and deal with an entirely new set of people.
There’s definitely going to be an adjustment phase when you start your career change at 30. And there’s a high chance that you’ll be working with a lot of people younger than you. But instead of looking at this as an obstacle to a career change, you can view it as an opportunity to learn more and grow as a person.
Find the Right Work-Life Balance
One of the reasons people consider some of the top careers for 30-year-olds is because of the lack of proper work and life balance at their current job. Life isn’t just about working and paying bills. Instead, it’s about striking the right balance between working towards your dreams and enjoying the journey along the way. There are some fields and industries that can be very demanding and take away a lot from your personal life.
Switching careers open up the door to finding an industry that better suits the lifestyle you desire. That way, you won’t have to worry about skipping out on the things that bring you genuine happiness just because you have a demanding and time-intensive job.
Open Doors to Higher Income
Statics show that people who choose to shift careers generally have better growth in earnings. This is mainly because when a young person jumps into a career, it isn’t necessarily because of the pay but because they enjoy the thought of working in the industry.
And as we grow older, we start to become more knowledgeable about the pay in different industries, which can be enough to force some individuals who have the potential to make a lot more money out of their current career and into a new one.
General Unhappiness at the Current Career
It’s not uncommon for a person to completely lose interest in their current career. At the end of the day, what you liked back in your 20s might not be what you like in your 30s, and that’s totally okay. And for that reason, a lot of people consider changing careers that align with their interests when they’re 30.
How Do You Start a Career Change at 30?
If you’re looking to shift careers at 30, the first thing you need to do is start planning for it. Try to consider how you can smoothly leave your current career, what you will need to support yourself and any dependents you might have during the process, how your income is going to be affected by getting a new job you have no experience in, and so on.
This whole planning phase is extremely important, and for that reason, it’s also very stressful. This is where a career change at 30 mentors would come in very handy, as these professionals can help guide you along the way and ensure the smoothest transition possible.
If you plan on changing to a good new career at 30 and need a mentor, Swattup is a great place to look. With Swattup, you can find and work alongside a Swattup mentor who will help you through the entire career-changing process and ensure the transition is as smooth as possible.
You can also use the Swattup Solo feature to ask questions, create a network, and learn new skills. This helps you better prepare yourself for a career change, whether you’re doing it two years into your current career or if you decide to make a career change at 30.
Conclusion
Wanting to change to a good second career at 30 is not uncommon. Whether you’ve fallen out of love with the career you picked in your 20s or want to make more money, there are a thousand and one reasons why you might want to make the switch.
Thankfully, many people go through the same process as you, so you’re definitely not alone. To make the switch between your current career and go into a new one, you need to start planning and definitely get the help of a professional from Swattup who specialises in helping people in their 30s change their careers as smoothly as possible.
