Thoughts about changing careers carry weight. They might show subtle signs of professional frustration or serve an urgent warning for a shift. They might signal that it is time to reevaluate your goals or priorities. Is it worth taking a risk and changing a job if you aren’t sure? Not always. At least not without some thought or planning, unless an urgent career change. So, when should you consider transition?
4 signs you need a career change
1. You wish you had more time for yourself
Poor work-life balance and connected health issues—such as anxiety, stress, the pressure of overworking, and burnout—can shift your priorities. When these challenges arise, finding a flexible career that allows time to focus on your health, family, or hobbies becomes essential.
2. You feel bored and frustrated
Job dissatisfaction and lack of growth: the job no longer challenges you or doesn’t match your interests or long-term goals. You might feel stuck in repetitive tasks with no opportunities for advancement. You don’t see a future in your current position. At this point, a career change is about finding a role that brings back a sense of fulfillment and joy.
3. You lost motivation
Which means a lack of purpose: many career shifts are fueled by the need to push boundaries and engage in work that feels dynamic and rewarding. If your daily tasks are full of meaningless activities, it is natural to seek something more inspiring and aligned with your expertise and goals. A desire for purpose ignites professionals to do more and be more. Losing interest in a field may signal you have outgrown your current position or role. Switching them may connect your work with what truly excites you.
4. You want to earn more
Financial need: the drive for better financial stability or higher income results from evolving responsibilities, such as growing family expenses or personal goals. If your current role doesn’t offer opportunities for financial growth, you look for higher-paying positions or explore industries with better-earning potential.
There are two major points in life when we think about professional changes—in our 20s, when we are just starting out, and in our 40s, when we begin to question whether our path still fits. At this stage, the idea of change can feel daunting because of the weight of responsibilities. But it is also a chance to realign your career with what matters to you now, using all the insights gained.
Midlife career change: why change careers at 40 and beyond?
You have years of experience in your work but still feel unfulfilled or crave a better work-life balance? Motivations may differ from personnel cuts because of organizational restructuring to seeking a healthier work environment or a fresh start. One thing is certain—you have enough confidence, skills, and resources required to make a move.
What can you get when changing careers in your 40s?
Pros
- Increased job satisfaction and impactful work—the opportunity to do what you love and what sparks your energy, matching your personal values with professional goals
- Learning new skills and expanding your capacities and qualifications while taking self-paced programs
- Reduced stress levels and more time for loved ones and hobbies, improving your mental health and beating burnout
Cons
On the contrary, transitioning to a new role may come with challenges, such as:
- Adapting to unfamiliar tasks
- For beginners, a lower starting salary
Still, the experience of switching careers often proves rewarding, leading to salary growth and enhanced job satisfaction.
Regardless of age, career transition requires a balance of practical preparation and emotional resilience. Along the way, it is important to remember that your career doesn’t define your worth. A career is just one part of who you are.
Think it over: reflections and preparation before diving in
Before making the leap, take a step back and analyze your motivations and goals. Self-reflection helps to gain clarity on what you truly want from your career and make a plan for how to navigate the career change. By taking the time to prepare, you set yourself up for a strategic career transition.
Checking current environment
Initially, examine what you can do with your current work environment—whether you can improve conditions and address the career challenges within your company, which usually require less effort and resources. For example, talk to your colleagues or manager about concerns and career opportunities. Prepare the materials. If no shift happens, you can be sure you tried to break the ice.
Assessing life circumstances
Ask yourself these questions:
- What are the benefits of making a career change? What are the costs?
- Am I ready for a steep learning curve, extra effort, and probably extra hours at the beginning of a career shift?
- Can I afford a potential gap in employment or a period of lower income?
- Are my long-term goals aligned with my career transition?
- Do I have any support during my career transition? Speaking of which, professional career coaches are always ready to give you a hand.
Testing the waters
To be more confident about your decision, research companies you are interested in to learn about work specifics, position requirements, and culture. A financial cushion will also take off some of the pressure, especially for long transitions.
5 steps to navigate a career change
By following the steps, you can thoughtfully address a career change:
- Reflect on your strengths, interests, values, and goals
Start by identifying the areas where you have excelled in your career. Think about what truly interests you and aligns with your core values and goals. Free tools like career coaching exercises can make the process more efficient and save your results for tracking.
- Research opportunities
Consider the type of career where you can match your skills, interests, values, and goals. If you hesitate about a full-time format, review options like part-time, job shadowing, and volunteering projects to begin with. Look at your industry and outside your field—job market trends, career platforms, company websites, and industry reports to check the availability of preferable roles. Having a diverse list of potential careers will expand your opportunities. This research can also highlight qualifications you might need to gain for these roles.
Networking matters to the same extent. Conversations with specialists in the area will provide valuable insights into the career you are interested in, as well as its pros and cons. - Analyze your skills
Identify the hard skills and soft skills you currently possess and how they translate to your desired field. Use career coaching tools to evaluate them. Amy offers the Skill Development Plan and Skills Gap Analysis exercises to create a skills development plan, define gaps, and bridge them through courses and training programs. Remember to assess your transferable skills. Transferable skills are the abilities you have picked up over time—things like problem-solving, communication, or being adaptable—that can work in almost any job or industry. The key is showing how those skills connect to your targeted role and how your experience makes you a great fit even in a new field.
- Create a roadmap for proactive steps
Once you assess your skills and opportunities, create a plan with steps and a timeline. Map self-reflection information. Set specific goals and take action. A roadmap will give you visibility and measurable results.
- Review your resume
Before applying for new roles, refresh your resume and other related materials, including your LinkedIn profile. Highlight skills specific to a role you are targeting and the most relevant experiences.
Example of a career transition: career in data science
Meet Mike, 45, who has been a marketing analyst for 20 years. He is ready for a career change but wants to stay in tech. While Mike enjoys working with data, he feels unfulfilled by the creative aspects of marketing and aims to dive deeper into data-driven problem-solving. After researching various career paths, he decided to transition into data science.
Mike began by analyzing his existing skills, like statistical reporting and proficiency in Google Analytics. Skills to strengthen were programming and machine learning. Skills to learn—Python and SQL, which are essential for data science. He enrolled in an online course covering data visualization.
While studying, Mike volunteered for a nonprofit project to analyze donor data. He started building a portfolio showcasing his capabilities. Mike attended a local meetup for data scientists, learned the day-to-day professional routine, and got feedback on his portfolio.
To prepare for job applications, Mike updated his resume and LinkedIn profile to emphasize transferable skills, which in his case were marketing-related, and a new project. After months of preparation, Mike landed an entry-level data scientist position at a tech startup.
Using a structured approach, like leveraging existing strengths, gaining new skills, and proactively networking, Mike successfully achieved his career change goal.
Let a career coach help you
If you feel confused during self-reflection or stuck with your career transition plan, a career coach can smoothly navigate your career change—with confidence and clarity. Invest in your future with career coaching and step into your next chapter with peace of mind.