Starting a new career at the age of 30 or 30+?

Actually 30 is a good time to change a career as far as I am concerned. Between 20-30 is when you take your first steps into the career and start really applying your education to a job. You get to know what you are good at and what you like to do. So around 30-35 is when you really understand what you are good at and what is it that you want to do going forward. So I actually think 30-35 is a good time for one to reassess and look at an option of new career. I did a career change for me at the age of 32 from technical to management, and felt really good about it. Cheers! Ram

I am happy you saw your potential and realized you can go better places and go further. When one doesn't dream they have elected failure, keep that always at the back of your head.In America people change careers often at age 30 and many even start studying for a new degree so don't worry as 30 is still young! I myself will be changing careers roughly at that time. Let us know in 3 months how you are finding your new job and if it was the best decision for you. In this day and age we have to be happy to have a job even if it is just a part time job at a factory, call center or McDonalds etc. Happy MyLotting!

i started working as an engineering technician after college. and for almost 15 years, i worked with different private companies. i am an electronics technology graduate. but at age 35, i started working in the government until this time and i found no problems changing careers as long as it will make our lives better.

I have a friend who is turning 50 at the end of this year, and next year she will graduate with a Psychology degree. She was a hairdresser for most of her life, and then decided that she would like a change in her career so she is becoming a psychology graduate. She has four children and has had to juggle university work with raising her children, the youngest being nine, and she has done a very good job of it. It just shows that it is never too late to do what you want to do in your life. Why stay in a career that you're not happy with when there are things out there that you could do that mean so much more to people. You only live once, so you might as well do whatever you like with your life rather than ending your life wishing that you'd done something more with it.

Changing careers is very common. Sometimes you think you want to do one thing but then after doing it, you find out it's not for you. Some people lose their jobs when they are in their 30's or 40's and this causes them to have to take just about anything that comes their way. They are forced into a career change. We just do what we have to do to support ourselves and our family.

All I can say is this that you are a brave person. You have changed the path of your career. If you feel that you can do better with the IT sector then go for it. A person is the best judge for himself. I wish I could have such talents so that I can do many jobs at the same time in the different fields. Thanks for posting, have a nice day.

Hi there. I'm not sure if it's just coincidence that I came across your discussion. I feel that this particular topic is where I'm heading to right now. I'm in my mid-30's already and I'm quite doubtful if it would be right to change my career path. I finished Accountancy and my jobs were related with this course. As a background, I've worked for about twelve years in the banking industry. I guess I could say that I'm both fulfilled and frustrated at this point in time. I've experienced the best years of my employment when I was in my third employer, where the Human Resources department of that savings / thrift bank was so supportive of its employees. Aside from adhering with the labor standards (including wages and benefits) set by the nation's governing agency, it helped its employees for career advancement. Unfortunately, it was affected by the global economic crisis and had to trim down its personnel and eventually close. I also had my share of frustrations in the bank when I got hired by a rural bank. It was my first time to be with a rural bank but I managed to adjust. However, the set-up of the management was extraordinarily negative. At one time, I had to report an erroneous data to a reputable government body because it was a decision of the management. Deep inside, I was revolting. The wage was also below the required minimum wage an employee should receive. We were not provided with company uniform and valid company ID; and so on. So, I decided to resign from that firm more than a month ago. At present, I'm still out of job but I'm tending my mom's internet cafe where I had to learn a lot of stuff about computers, applications, software, internet, and a lot more. The previous technician / IT support hired by my mom decided to try his luck in a different nation so I'm faced with the challenge to shift from Accounting related matters to IT matters. I'm excited and a bit anxious at the same time. I do hope that I could either get a better employment in a commercial or savings bank, or be able to live up to being a great IT support / technician. Wish me luck and regards.

I think I share some of your sentiments. I always love writing and I thought that I could do this forever - in an ideal world, that is. Though I am still pursuing writing, the instability of the job make me think of what I should do in the future or perhaps now. I love what I do but I have that sinking feeling that there will be time that I will grow weary of it and I will abandon it. One of the reservation that my friends and family made is that I need a secure job - which is something that I find ironic in working or making a career. I cannot tell the future but I am getting antsy. I can't support any household with my meager earnings. I often had to do repetitive job despite working in an industry that I love. Perhaps I will cross the bridge when I get there. I just hope that i can continue doing and loving my work and that can at least make me feel no regrets in the future.

yes. u are right. call center jobs can be done by people for five years. after that people rot in that. the extent of rotting is less in other industries. I was into banking for 30 years and now am into teaching. I enjoy teaching soft skills and aptitude in engineering colleges.

I'm 30 and looking to change careers as well. The down side is, I need money yesterday since my last career change backfired. I was bar tending then I got a private security job, the pay was low but when I started it was part time with the potential to move up since I have a Criminal Justice degree. The down side was I ended up committing almost 24/7 to the job trying to get ahead while struggling with less income. It came to a head where even my boss told me I needed to take some days off, he subsequently gave me one or 2 a week and called me in on those days. I ended up sleeping through a shift and leaving the company. While it might have been the field I wanted the pay was just unbearably low, especially for the hours involved. Now I'm back at the bar part time hoping to get full so I can catch up on bills. I really hope 30 isn't too late to start or change careers. Statistically the average person has 5+ jobs between 18 and 30, often taking time off for school or other pursuits. I still want to go to law school and the average age for that is actually over 30. With the cost involved I can now see why. The down side is I fee like employers always have this ideal employee is gonna be someone who is either young or fairly young with a lot of experience. The one question I always get asked at interviews is why I haven't worked more, even though I've basically always had a job for the past 7 years. Even for entry level positions, people act like bar tending isn't a real job. I think the worst thing right now is the economy, there just aren't enough jobs for everyone who wants one.

I agree that call center industry is not a stable job. A lot of inconsistencies in the time considering that the work sched is "shifting". You can't enjoy holidays because that is the time that work load is at its peak. And most of all, it is also unhealthy all credit to the orthodox schedule. I am not at all bad mouthing call center, after all it is still a job and that pays considerably higher thanmost companies in its entry level position. It is just that negative aspects of the job outweighs the positive ones.