Why It Is Never Too Late To Switch Your Career
Published January 22, 2023 by Sabah V.
Switching career paths can definitely seem very intimidating. But, it is a lot more common than you think. A new survey conducted by Harris Poll exclusively for Fast Company found that 52% of U.S. workers are considering a job change this year, and as many as 44% have actual plans in place to make the leap.
How I switched my career path
I started college as an architect major, but after taking a couple criminal justice courses I decided to make the switch. I graduated college with a Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice, and had planned on going to law school. But, I decided to work for a year to get some money that would help me with my future expenses.
I started to realize that this path wasn’t for me. The reason I got into criminal justice in the first place was for the psychology behind it. I had a strong passion for understanding why criminals behave the way they do. This was really outlined during my internship where I worked with juvenile offenders, where I started to make a connection between childhood factors and the likelihood of someone becoming an offender later in their lives.
I felt so confused. I knew I didn't want to be a lawyer, but I felt like it was too late. All my friends were working fancy business jobs and making a decent salary, meanwhile I was at a crossroads.
Why it is never too late
During this time, I practically lived on reddit. It started with looking up why people like/dislike being a lawyer. To my surprise, everyone that liked it as an occupation had switched to it halfway through their lives. I started to look this up for a bunch of other jobs and I realized that a LOT of people switch career paths in their 40’s and 50’s. A lot more people than you think go back to school and get another degree to pursue a different career altogether at nearly any age. This made me realize two things:
1. No matter how old you are/what your circumstances are, you can always change your destiny.