Why Are Career Changes So Popular?

Many years ago, most people aspired to find 'a job for life'. However, an increasing number of people are switching to entirely new industries in their 20’s, 30’s, 40’s, and beyond. Why are career changes becoming more popular than ever before?

Changing Interests

What you enjoyed doing at 18 may be very different from what you enjoy doing at 35. As we grow and develop more life experience it is normal for our priorities, values, and interests to change.

With many people now having to work into their late 60’s and 70’s, the thought of spending another 30+ years in a career that you already feel unfulfilled by may lead you to change industries to something which aligns better with your current beliefs, values, and goals.

There is often an expectation that you will choose your career in your late teens/early 20’s. However, at this age, many people don’t have much (if any) money and may also be experiencing poor quality and unpleasant housing situations.

Deciding on a career when you are in this situation is a bit like food shopping when you are hungry. You may have lots of ideas but will ultimately pick the option which will fulfil your current needs in the quickest and simplest way, even if it isn’t the best decision in the long term. Many people only start to consider what they would really like to do for a job once they are older and in a stronger position both personally and financially.

More Options

We now have more flexibility than ever before around how and where we work. If your current career can’t accommodate your preference for remote working, flexible hours, or a healthy work/life balance, you may decide to find one which can.

Many people experienced remote working for the first time during the pandemic but found that once things got back to normal their employer insisted on having them back in the office. These people may decide to switch to an industry where working from home (at least some of the time) is accepted or even encouraged.

Studying Is More Accessible

Not that long ago if you wanted to learn a new skill you would need to attend classes at your local college at set times every week or month. This made it difficult for people in full-time employment to gain the skills and knowledge required to switch to a new career.

There are now a huge range of self-paced, online courses that can be done from home. The flexibility to study wherever and whenever can make all the difference when balancing studying with full-time employment. Many of these online courses award recognised qualifications and contain thorough and in-depth content.

More Awareness Of Our Values

Times of stress and uncertainty (e.g. a global pandemic!) can make us consider what really matters to us.

Whether we want a better work-life balance, to do meaningful work which makes a difference, to earn more money, or have more opportunities to progress in the future, when we look closely at what we want from a career we may find that our current one doesn’t match our aspirations.

The Snowball Effect

The more we hear about people who have successfully changed careers the more we believe that it is possible for us. Whether that is an ex-colleague who left to pursue a new opportunity, friends and family, or people we follow on social media, it can sometimes feel like career changers are everywhere!

If your career change has involved starting a business I can help by providing writing that connects with your target audience and sets you apart from your competition.

Find out more or get in touch to arrange a free, no-obligation chat.