If you have found yourself stuck in the same 9 – 5 job for longer than you care to admit, it’s possible you’ve dreamed at least once or twice that about making a career change. This can seem like a daunting task, and you may be tempted to just stick it out and accept the status quo. In the spirit of YOLO (you only live once), I’d propose finding a job and career that makes you happy, and consider making a change!

As you are deciding to make a change, you probably have many questions running through your head. Am I too old? Is it too late? Will I be happy elsewhere? Is it worth the effort? Can I afford to change? Can I afford not to change? As you’re mulling through these questions, I’d like to offer a few pieces of advice!

From my own personal life, I’m currently in my third full-time job. I was very strategic, and somewhat lucky (although maybe we just make our own luck?) in changing jobs. I made sure that I was learning skills and developing personally so that I was able to leverage those skills and experiences as I was attempting to make a change.

I’ve personally seen a few examples of young professionals making a total 180 career change. One friend was a lawyer who realized law really wasn’t what they wanted to do long-term. After a year or so of looking, researching, and interviewing, they finally landed a job in sales at a tech company. Another friend was in their final year of residency of becoming a doctor when they realized that being a doctor wasn’t for them. He’s currently a travel blogger, leveraging his love of travel, points and credit cards to encourage others. A few lessons I’ve learned from them and some self-reflection:

It’s Never Too Late

The first thing you should realize is that in today’s world, there are always going to be opportunities for everybody and no matter who you are or how old you are, if you are willing to put in the effort, you will be rewarded with what you want.

While it may not be too late, you should know that any journey into changing career is going to be challenging. The challenge will generally come if you have a bunch of responsibilities. If you are a young person without bills, you can, of course, quit and restart at any time. For somebody who needs to pay bills still, you will often have to work and study at the same time while you are on your journey to your new career.

Never stop learning

You should never stop learning, even if you aren’t looking for a new job. Whether it’s a new skill or topic, watching a TedTalk, or even getting a certification, learning is one of the best ways to improve your job situation. In the case of a total career change, it might make sense to go back to school and obtain a new degree or certification. Whether this is a night school part-time program or attending school full-time, getting a new degree can help you restart and change careers.

Of course, you’ll have to balance the cost of going back to school with what you can afford or take loans for. I’d recommend a cautious approach, as although debt is a tool, it can very easily become a huge burden. Consider the pay of the job you want and are going for, and balance that with what you’ll pay to obtain that job. In the modern world, we are lucky to be blessed on an international scale with online universities that offer something for everybody. One buddy I know got a great deal on a university out of the U.K. for his MBA and takes classes remotely. So, whether you choose a small personal evening school or a larger option like Norwich University, you should be able to find a qualification that suits your needs and that will be able to help you on your journey into a new job!

Change doesn’t have to be drastic

Changing jobs and changing companies isn’t an easy process, and it may be worth looking internally at your own company before looking outside. You may be surprised to find opportunities right around. A lot of larger companies have great resources and will be supportive of you making a change. Whether it’s some sort of tuition reimbursement, a training program, or maybe a process to internally apply and interview, it’s worth checking out!

Whatever you decide, if you aren’t happy, it’s important that you do something about it, suffering in silence can affect you in so many ways, and it won’t stop at work. Be bold, be brave and start the process!

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