Thinking About a Career Change At 30? Here’s Everything You Need to Know

For many, finding a career that fulfills your aspirations and meets your lifestyle needs is often not a linear process. And it’s no surprise if you consider that, generally, we pick what we’re going to do for a living in our twenties or sometimes even earlier. With such little life experience and often even less self-awareness when we leave school, it’s more common than you might think for people to realize they need a career change at 30.

Some people discover that they chose their career for the wrong reasons, others simply find that they have changed and have different needs or interests than when they were younger. Add to this the fact that the job market is constantly changing, and some roles didn’t even exist a few years ago.

In fact, the average 54-year-old in the U.S. has changed jobs 12 times before finding “the one”. This figure is likely to be higher for generations to come. This implies a lot of switching careers at 30, but also at 40 or 50.

In this article, we help you understand if changing careers at 30 is your best bet, how to do it, and a few ideas on which professions could be your new path.

Signs That You Need a New Career at 30

If you’re reading this article, you likely already feel some sort of disconnection from your current job, but maybe you just can’t pinpoint the cause of it. Of course, we’re not talking about the occasional bad day at work. Those can happen every now and then, and that’s OK. However, if you’re experiencing one or more of the following, you might be better off considering a career change at 30:

1. You’re Always Tired, Keep Procrastinating or Have Awful Sunday Blues

Have you already switched companies a few times and the idea of going to work on Monday is still ruining your Sunday evenings? Do you keep waiting for the last minute to complete your tasks or you have the feeling that work always leaves you drained of energy. Perhaps, the problem is not the pay, the commute, your manager or your colleagues, but your career itself.

2. You’re Bored, You’re not Learning or Growing

Do you feel like you’re on autopilot? Maybe you’re not learning anything new and feel stuck. If you don’t feel challenged by your role anymore, chances are your skills could be better used elsewhere. Therefore, changing careers at 30 could be right for you.

3. You Don’t Have an Answer to “Where Do You See Yourself in Five Years?”

Does the idea of getting a promotion at your current company sound dreadful instead of exciting? If you can’t see a future in the industry in which you’re operating, perhaps a career change at 30 is what you need.

4. You Work Just for the Money

Let’s be clear, there’s nothing wrong with this if you’re content as well, money is important to all of us whether we like it or not. But if you want more than monetary gratification and long for a sense of purpose, you might be on the wrong track. A career change at 30 could be your opportunity to seek an industry with which you share values and a mission.

How To Change Careers at 30

Starting a career at 30 the right way has the potential to unlock your long-term professional happiness. To be successful in your mission, you’ll need a lot of introspection and research. Here are a few steps you can take:

• Ask yourself what is not working in your current job. With a career change at 30, maybe you want to interact more - or less - with people, operate in a less stressful environment, or have more flexibility.
• Consider what you are good at. Perhaps you’re great with people and enjoy it, but in your job, you don’t get to use that talent because you’re stuck behind a computer screen.
• Understand what is important to you. Determine what needs you have and what compromises you’re willing to make or not make.
• Investigate what options you have with your qualifications. Landing a job in your sector allows you to avoid starting from scratch again in internships or entry-level positions. You might also be able to translate your qualifications into a completely new sector more easily than you think, depending on your education.
• Research other career opportunities. Learn about education requirements, growth outlook, and average compensation for alternate careers on Monster’s Salary Calculator.
• Consider hiring a career coach. Get the help of an expert that will guide you to discover what career change at 30 could be the right one for you.
• Be informed. Get in touch and network with people in your targeted new industry. Ask them plenty of questions, after all, there’s nothing better than firsthand experience.

Pros and Cons of Switching Careers at 30

Changing careers at 30 will inevitably come with a few challenges. However, knowing in advance what you might have to face can be really helpful. Consider the following:

• You might have to invest again in your education, whether it’s going back to school or taking a course. However, to stay relevant, you’d likely have to do the same with your current role at some point too.
• You might have to start from an entry-level position or take a pay cut. Knowing this though, you can start saving before you move to ease your transition.
• You’ll have to build a new network. Don’t be afraid to use family and friends to find connections in your desired industry.
• You’ll be entering your new career at a different stage to others who started out there. So, your colleagues and even your boss might be younger than you. Remember that you don’t have to fit into traditional patterns and instead focus on what you’re building.

On the other hand, a career change at 30 probably won’t feel like entering the job market all over again. In whatever sector or role you’ve been working in until now, you’ve surely acquired certain soft skills, like collaboration or teamwork, that can be used in other jobs. Plus, at 30 you’ll likely have more confidence in your skills than when you were younger and inexperienced.

What is the Best Second Career After 30 ?

Now that we’ve clarified why you might want to pursue a career change at 30, how do you do it and what can you expect along your journey? We’ve compiled some options for careers to start at 30 that include a combination of roles that are in high demand, and those for which you don’t necessarily need to pursue a completely new education or both.

1. Project Manager

A project manager leads projects from beginning to end, tracking progress, finding solutions and helping team members achieve their best results. To become a project manager, you don’t necessarily need to obtain a college degree, although one will certainly put you ahead of the game.

These professionals often come from a variety of different backgrounds including IT, business, engineering and finance, so this is a perfect career change at 30. Project managers are extremely in demand and can make up to $128,429 a year.

Find project manager jobs on Monster.

2. SEO Specialist

A Search Engine Optimization (SEO) specialist oversees a company’s strategy to increase its website traffic. This is one of the best careers to start at 30 as in your SEO resume you won’t be required to hold a degree.

A marketing qualification can be useful, but otherwise, an SEO certification and continuing to learn will take you further. Plus, SEO managers make up to $112,826 a year. Not bad, right?

Find SEO jobs on Monster.

3. LPN Nurse

LPN nurses are medical professionals that monitor and check vital signs, assist patients with their hygiene and feeding, apply bandages and administer medicines. Unlike other types of nurses, to become an LPN you only have to follow a program of an accredited vocational school to train, so no college degree is needed. The job outlook for this role is great, and you could earn $24.61 per hour on average.

Find LPN jobs on Monster.

4. Fitness Trainer

If you’ve always wanted to turn your sport into a career then this is the best second career after 30 for you. You’ll lead fitness classes of various types and help clients execute exercises without injuring themselves.

You’ll have to acquire a certification and have at least a high school diploma to land this role, but fitness instructor makes $28.85 per hour at the top end.

Find fitness trainer jobs on Monster.

5. Real Estate Agent

As long as people are looking to buy houses, real estate agents will be required to ease the process of buying and selling homes. Any aspiring real estate agent will have to complete a course and pass a licensing examination, but again no formal education is required. In this role, your salary can reach up to $98,741 per year.

Find real estate agent jobs on Monster.

6. Sales Representative

Starting a career at 30 in sales won’t be too difficult if you enjoy talking to people, have a passion for helping clients find the right product for them, and are confident and persuasive. You can even be hired with no experience and be trained on the job. $51,138 is the average salary for a sales representative, but considering commissions you can make much more.

Find sale representative jobs on Monster.

7. Social Media Manager

Social media managers need at least an undergraduate degree, but the subject can vary from English to communication, marketing, and more. So, as long as you hold a degree in a relevant field, a career change at 30 into social media is doable.

You’ll have to be able to keep up with the changing trends of the sector, produce content quickly and be able to embody your company brand flawlessly. Your salary could reach $44,963 per year on average.

Find social media manager jobs on Monster.

8. HR Manager

Do you like working with people? A position in HR is your future if you think you’re able to find the talent a company needs while assisting the rest of the staff and managing administrative tasks. You can move into HR roles from a variety of different fields and you’ll make $67,544 a year on average.

Find human resources manager jobs on Monster.

9. User Experience Designer

A user experience (UX) specialist studies and creates the best way for clients to interact with a product. Their job is crucial to increasing engagement and sales. It’s another great career change at 30 if you have a background in an industry including marketing, sales, business, communication, or psychology. However, you can land this job with online certifications and training as well. The median salary for this role is pretty desirable at $96,894 per year.

Find user experience jobs on Monster.

10. Technical Writer

Becoming a writer is an excellent career pivot at 30, both if you’re an expert in a certain field or if you are good at explaining and delivering complex concepts. You can work as a writer in pretty much any industry, and you will earn $33.24 per hour on average. To become a technical writer, a degree is essential, but you have more options than English, communication, or journalism. Based on what you write about you can also have a degree in business or in the medical field, for instance.

Find writer jobs on Monster.

Make a Career Change at 30 with Help from Monster

Changing careers at 30 will be a walk in the park with Monster’s help. With our free resume assessment, we can help you build the perfect resume for your next move. Upload your document and we’ll get back to you with the best tips to showcase your skills and optimize your application to pass any screening.