Changing careers is much more common than people may think. In today’s uncertain economic climate, many are going back to the drawing board of life and asking themselves, “What do I want to do now?” There are many reasons someone may want to change careers, including unhappiness in their present position, lack of promotional opportunities, obsolete job skills, or just the need for new midlife challenges.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that by the time a person reaches the age of 44, he or she has had between 11 and 15 careers. I’m personally going through a career change myself, moving from the field of communication to the paralegal profession. So far, it’s quite exciting and new and I look forward to finally getting started in my current career.
Changing careers isn’t easy and it takes a great deal of thought, planning, and determination. But it can be done, and has been since the beginning of time. Vincent Van Gogh, the impressionist painter, was a schoolmaster, student priest missionary and art dealer before he became a painter. You don’t have to go that far back to find successful career changers. Joy Behar, co-host of The View, was a high school English teacher before becoming a comedian, and U.S. Senator Al Franken was a comedy writer and performer before joining Congress.
So, if you’ve been considering changing careers, do some research, follow your heart, and go for it!
Velez Communication 