Time With Sands – Career Switching

I had a career I once loved, but the industry and people in it have changed. I no longer want to “hang in there” until retirement. On the other hand, mid-life career switching sounds risky and I don’t want to compromise my retirement savings. Do I have a chance at finding a middle ground where I can be happy while still making enough to put away?

– Dana T.

There are a lot of options. It’s really important that you clarify for yourself what has changed, what’s forcing you to look elsewhere. If those things were changed, would you still stay in the company? If the answer is mostly yes, then you might want to consider becoming more of an intrapreneur/change-agent in your company and industry, to see how you can have an impact and assist the industry and turn it into something you could love. On the other hand, if your values and vision for the future are not in alignment with the industry and a career you were following all these years, it’s time to make a change. Mid-career is exactly the time to enact this change. It’s not risky unless you’re risky in how you navigate it. It does take risk, faith, and it’s certainly far worth it! 

There are two ways to do this: one, you could change to another company. However, that might be like moving the furniture around a room and saying you’ve redecorated. Or you can see this industry for what it is and undergo a radical reinvention, which takes time, dedication, commitment, and strength––and change to another industry. For those who are determined to live their destiny and maintain their personal agency and authority, what makes it risky is if you throw everything out and jump out. It would be much better to make a slow change with the time to develop a strategic and tactical plan for shifting careers. Go to industry meetings, both the one you’re in and one(s) you’re outside of. Career switching used to be unheard of––now it is the way. Change awaits, but do it smartly, and with support! Reinvention is not something you can or should do all on your own. A Master Coach like myself can get you through to the other side.

I recommend keeping your job in the industry long enough to do due diligence so you don’t use up your savings to cover the cost of doing a radical reinvention. This way you don’t have to compromise your retirement savings. You could also have a side hustle while continuing your career in the industry. This opens you up to new possibilities while giving you more agency. Try one of these options out and see if it could work for you.