Career crossroads - start again at 30?

[lamby12]

Just wondered if many people had experience of 'starting again' with a career after 30.

I'm currently 30 and I'm not planning on doing anything imminently but I've become sure that I need to change direction and it feels daunting.

I'm not doing anything imminently because I'm currently pregnant with DC#2, and I was always going to stay in my current job to get another maternity leave and of course have something to go back to just in case.

I won't go into a detailed career history but I did a generic subject at uni, fell into a grad scheme, didn't like the company and sort of changed direction in the field but all still 'corporate' (think HR type) and I've job hopped until I had my first DC. The job has changed while I was on mat leave, the type of environment where there's always restructures. To be honest I never thought it was my calling before but I got a bit from it, the money is average and the work life balance is fine. It's become more remote working, spurred by lockdown and is now mostly virtual and more administrative. There isn't much else I want to do in the company and I dislike all the big company politics. I find it all boring and uninspiring. I'm quite a creative person and really regret not doing a creative degree as I considered.

A couple of years ago I set up a creative side project and invested lots of time and energy, but it got squished by COVID just as it was taking off (wedding related) I've adapted and carried on doing some crafty stuff over lockdown but more for a bit of extra cash than proper income. My 'proper job' is part time and I have my toddler the rest of the week.

Now I'm pregnant I've stopped the crafty stuff on the side as I'm too knackered and enjoying a break from it. Realising I've spent the last couple of years obsessed with making it work and not sure how much I truly enjoy it now. Or is that just fatigue talking?! I was previously set that I wanted my own business to be my future but I'm not sure if I'm romanticising it at all costs, and not actually enjoying it.

I'm obviously staying put whilst I have my next child but want to use pregnancy and maternity leave to really think about what I want to do as I won't have any more children after this. I always wanted to be an art teacher but I've lost all self confidence doing a very insular job and I can't imagine having the balls for it now. Or other people focussed roles, I want something that feels like a vocation rather than hating my job. The salary doesn't matter too much as OH is the main earner, but we do need me to have an income.

I suppose I'm just looking for some inspiration or experience of anyone who has switched careers or started again after children? I know I need to work out WHAT I want to do too!

Much depends on your personal financial situation and attitude to different kinds of risks.

I don’t love my job but it’s reasonably well paid, decent hours and secure. I’m cautious and have prioritised financial security / stability and my personal earning ability over job enjoyment. I’m married but retaining my personal earning ability is important to me, eg in the event of job or relationship problems, divorce or ill health.

This approach has pros and cons! Everyone will have different priorities/attitudes to risks.

You say ‘OH’ not ‘DH’: if you’re not married and not personally wealthy would avoid reducing your personal earning ability.

You could stay in your current job whilst fully investigating a range of other options.

Moving to another organisation doing a role in similar field but with more of what you might like would be one option.

Making money from crafts seems unrealistic.

Teaching PGCE would have high direct costs and ‘opportunity costs’ of lost earnings while training, lower starting pay etc.

Motivation for entering an occupation (eg money, hours, sense of vocation) doesn’t necessarily correlate with enjoying and staying in it (or not).

Sorry, my previous message got deleted - not sure why!

The gist of it was this: absolutely you can change career after 30. I’m 38 and just done it myself (went from corporate HR to being an independent career coach). And I see a lot of clients that do, too - changing career in your thirties and forties is really common these days, so please don’t worry. It can be done!

You do seem to really love your crafting business and I wonder whether it’s possible, with a few tweaks, to increase your income from it so that it fulfils what you need from it without you having to put in long hours while your baby is so young. Can you tell me a bit more about what products you sell?

I changed careers twice in my 30s.
From the Police aged 22, to health and safety in construction aged 34 and now back in to criminal justice related work aged 39 (I missed the police too much but am not daft enough to go back to it). I'm staying here I think, the work-life balance is fabulous and I really love the actual work.

I changed totally at the age of 41 - pleased I did and still have more working life ahead of me than behind, so well worth it!!!

I had a complete career change a couple of years ago aged 31, went from being a qualified financial administrator to a Veterinary care assistant. I volunteer for 6 months first unpaid. I much prefer the actual role I'm in now, but boss is an absolute t**t and makes everybody's life hell, also I'm on minimum wage now whereas before I was on a really decent salary, and I am struggling with that to be honest.

I'm 40 and changing career after maternity leave. I really don't enjoy my current job and the thought of returning fills me with despair.

I've been offered another job in a different sector and I'm going to take that. It's a £10k pay cut but there are opportunities for promotion etc over time. I'm excited about the role and looking forward to a different working environment and ethos.

I have another nearly 30 years of working ahead of me, so I can't spend that in a career that makes me thoroughly miserable. Working lives are long. It's increasingly common for people to switch track mid-career.

You're only 30. You should do something you feel you can do potentially til you're 68.

I plan to have a career change in my late 30s, when I have less outgoings.

Planning on having 2 parts to my career. The corporate side, and then more fun side later on where its more about work life balance. Just trying to figure out what to work towards for the fun side. I can't imagine staying working in a bank forever though. Nothing depresses me more than that thought!!!!

@workoholic

I plan to have a career change in my late 30s, when I have less outgoings.

Planning on having 2 parts to my career. The corporate side, and then more fun side later on where its more about work life balance. Just trying to figure out what to work towards for the fun side. I can't imagine staying working in a bank forever though. Nothing depresses me more than that thought!!!!

Do you know what, more and more people are planning to do something like that! I love it

I did this recently and went back to uni in my late twenties (graduated when I was 30). Pre-DC I worked in a facilities services role for an engineering company. Nothing exciting and it was very much a dead-end job. I went and did a textile design degree when DD was pre-school/starting school age and now I work as a freelance designer. It was the best decision I've ever made!

Healthcare to Software/IT. I had 2 kids and a mortgage at the time, so was not keen on doing more uni (though DH is main earner). He works in the industry and helped me prepare - it took a few years of looking on jobs boards and hobby coding before the right opportunity came up. But really happy now, good work life balance, interesting work, supportive team and company.