Career change at 30? It’s not as far-fetched as it might sound in your head. Would it surprise you to learn that the average age people make a career change is in their thirties? The average age a person changes careers is 39.
Many things can happen that can change your thinking about your current career. If you find yourself considering a career change, there are some important things to look into.
If you are ready for a career change, start your search on our favorite job posting site - ZipRecruiter. ZipRecruiter is free for job seekers and easy to use. You can also upload your resume to their resume database so that recruiters and employers can reach out to you.
Discover Your Dream Job Find jobs near you and apply with 1 click! New jobs posted daily.
Career Change At 30: Things To Consider
Why change careers at 30? Many driving factors can lead to workers wanting to change career paths:
- Better pay
- Less stress
- More job satisfaction
- Better work-life balance
- More challenge
1. Better Pay
Getting paid more is one of the chief reasons why employees are looking for a career change. According to this source, better pay was why 39% of workers wanted to change careers.
Money isn’t everything but it certainly helps. As you age, your interests, goals, and values can shift. The salary you’re earning now might not measure up to the personal goals you have for yourself now and in the future.
Buying a house, preparing to raise a family, traveling, saving for college, and other reasons are some drivers pushing workers toward earning a higher wage in their work.
If better pay is important to you, you’ll want to read about 10 of the highest-paying jobs in the U.S. and how to get them.
2. Less Stress
Less stress was the second reason why employees were looking to change careers, according to Joblist's Midlife Career Crisis survey.
Stress can impact physical and mental health, pull you away from your loved ones, and lead to unhappiness and burnout.
3. More Job Satisfaction
Job satisfaction is about how happy you are at work. Do you feel satisfied with the work you do? Do you have the right tools and environment to be a happy worker like work-life balance, job development opportunities, and a positive work environment?
If you don’t, this might be a reason to consider switching careers.
4. Better Work-Life Balance
Work-life balance is the ability to balance your work life with your personal life. When work life spills onto your personal life it can impact you and your family.
What can lead to poor work-life balance?
- More work responsibilities
- Increased home responsibilities
- Longer working hours
- Having children
You’ll have less time for your interests, passions, and hobbies.
Poor work-life balance can also lead to:
- Health problems
- Stress
- Mental health problems like anxiety
Read about the jobs that offer the best work-life balance.
5. More Challenge
Being challenged at work is important and is a critical part of job satisfaction. Lack of challenge can lead to a lack of motivation, sadness, and boredom.
A recently poll shows that 25% of workers were looking to change careers due to a lack of challenge at work.
Signs You Need A Career Change At 30
If you’re wondering how to know if it’s the right time to leave your job in favor of a new career, there are signs. You might be showing these warning signs. Here’s how you’ll know.
These warnings signs might reveal it’s time for a career change in your life:
- Your company’s values don’t measure up to your values
- Mental and physical exhaustion
- Feeling undervalued
- Jealousy and envy around other people’s careers
Your Values Don’t Align With Your Job
If your values don’t align with the company you work for or your job, this can lead to job dissatisfaction. Job dissatisfaction is one of the leading causes of a career change.
Less than half of workers are happy at their job. Job satisfaction is about important factors like:
- Being happy with your work benefits
- Trusting management
- Having a strong work-life balance
- Being satisfied with available advancement opportunities
If these things are missing, it can cause feelings of anger, sadness, stress, or anxiety. That’s why having your values not measured up to your company’s is a major red flag. It’s a warning sign that a career change might be best for you.
You Feel Exhausted
Feelings of physical and mental exhaustion can be a sign that it’s time to switch careers. This can be from your excessive workload, poor work-life balance, career dissatisfaction, and other factors. Feeling exhausted can lead to burnout.
You Feel Undervalued
Feeling undervalued is about not feeling important at work. You don’t feel like you’re a valuable resource to the organization. This could be due to how you’re treated by management or peers, your pay, or both.
If you don’t feel like a valuable part of the company, this isn’t a feeling you can easily shake and if you’re at this point, it might be time to move on.
You’re Jealous Of The Careers Your Friends And Family Have
Feelings of jealousy and envy about the careers of your friends and family are another clear sign that it’s time to change careers. Others might be doing work you want to do or getting the work benefits you want. This can cause resentment, sadness, and anger.
If you’re experiencing any of these warning signs, then switching careers might be the right path to take.
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How To Change Your Career At 30
When you’re ready to change careers, follow these steps.
Update Your Resume
First, you want to start with your resume. Add your achievements, awards, and skills gained from your current employer. Tailor your resume to the career you want to work in and consider getting your resume prepared professionally.
Here are some of the best resume writing services you can look into to get a polished and professional resume.
Determine Your Strengths
Look at your strengths and skills. Reflect on your current job to identify the things you liked and disliked then align your career search accordingly.
If you need help determining your strengths, talk to a trusted friend or colleague and ask for candid feedback.
Level Up Your Skills
If needed, consider upgrading your current skill set. It might be a requirement for the career path you set out on.
This could mean:
- Obtaining a new degree
- Getting a certification
- Enrolling in a Bootcamp
- Working an internship
These things can improve your skills, make you stand out from the competition, and give you a confidence boost in your career hunt.
Then, update your resume again with these added competencies and skills you’ve acquired. You can follow these steps to learn how to update your resume for a career change.
Start Your Career Search
Lastly, you can kick off your career search. You can look at applying for jobs at job search websites and career banks. Don’t discount networking, either. It’s how most jobs get filled, believe it or not. It’s often referred to as the hidden job market.
Join A Like-Minded Community
Joining a like-minded community like The Break Community is a great way to meet other people who are in a similar situation.
The Break Community is an empowering platform for job seekers, designed to redefine work and equip them with essential tools for professional success. Members learn to balance work and personal life, develop strategic career advantages, and build resilience against setbacks.
The community also encourages strategic thinking, opportunity capitalization, and navigating job market uncertainties. Joining The Break Community is a step towards a fulfilling career, offering a path to freedom, financial independence, and becoming 'UnBREAKable'.
Want to do meaningful work, earn more, and enjoy life? See how we’re all creating momentum in the face of change and uncertainty.
Best Places To Find Your Next Career
When starting your job search, some of the best places to begin looking for a new career are right online. These are some of the best websites and job banks to start your career hunt.
ZipRecruiter
ZipRecruiter is one of the leading job search engines online. They’ve been home to millions of different job listings in various industries. You can search for jobs, look at salary insights and read jobseeker insights on ZipRecruiter. It goes beyond the typical job bank. You can get the full picture about a career and the employer hiring.
For more information, check out our ZipRecruiter review.
Discover Your Dream Job Find jobs near you and apply with 1 click! New jobs posted daily.
LinkedIn is a social network for career goers. Not only can you search for jobs on the platform but, you can also research companies, create your professional profile, get access to insights, network with peers, and more. It’s a great opportunity to network online.
For more information, check out our LinkedIn review.
Glassdoor
Glassdoor is a career resource that pulls the veil behind salaries that employees are earning. You can read employee reviews, look at actual salaries workers are earning, research companies, and apply for jobs. They also have a salary calculator and other tools to help in your career search.
For more information, check out our Glassdoor review.
The Bottom Line
Your thirties are one of the best times to make a career change. You’re still early in your career journey and it’s a good time to have experienced the job scene, determine what you like and dislike, evaluate your goals for the future and then align your career to match.
With these tips, you’ll have the information you need to smoothly transition away from your job and embark on your new career journey.
To begin your career search, visit ZipRecruiter!
