Career change

@Truefriend734

 Do you have your new career in mind.   Is this something you have a passion for and you may have looked deep into it?     Some careers / jobs look or sound good but in my experience i need to see day to day and the downfalls before making the leap. 

I know that the idea has a lot of what if's etc but in general many people every day change careers...  

@Truefriend734 hello True, and thank you for posting this- it's a topic that I think will resonate with many, when we find ourselves having outgrown the role that we're in, but not knowing how to look for a new one.

That being said, there's a lot more factors at play in our mid-thirties: the first of which is ease and cost of retraining. Was there a vocation you always wanted to pursue but couldn't for whatever reason? is it feasible to consider this now? Degree apprenticeships may also be an option, depending on where you live.

The second - if degree-level retraining is too lengthy and costly - is to look at your current skill set and how best to leverage that. At 35, we tend to know our strengths and weaknesses very well, and I imagine you've already taken all sorts of careers/aptitude inventories online. Have you tried telling chatGPT what you're experienced/trained in, and letting it suggest ideas and how to go about them? We now live in the age of MOOCs, so upskilling is easier than before.

Another is whether you even want to work for someone else but would be better suited to self employment. Like I said, lots of things to consider. Wishing you the best of luck with this!

@Truefriend734 Hey there! First, I hope all is going well. I am here to share a story about my colleague and to encourage you to follow your dreams, even if it means a career change! For context, I am an undergraduate college student, and one of my colleagues at my research lab is 43 years old and he just restarted college to obtain a new major (genetics). He worked in the tech industry for all his life before deciding that he wants to pursue a PhD in science. He is someone I look up to, and is living proof that it is never too late to chase your dreams or switch careers. All the best to you! 

@Truefriend734 hi there! Indeed, changing your career when you are in mid-thirty feel anxious. However, your feelings and intentions also matter. I have a lot of collegues who changed their career paths drastically even in their fifties. However, no one can tell you for sure what to choose. Remember that only you know what is better for yourself :)

@Truefriend734 I am also planning :(