Changing Careers After 30

Hello again my friend,

Changing careers is never easy, and it gets harder with every passing year. The 20s are a time when we’re full of energy, ‘paying our dues,’ and making a name for ourselves. But changing careers in your 30s or beyond, that’s tough.

Does it mean having to pay dues for another decade? Or a fat pay cut? Is it even worth it?

Hard work is required, but no, it’s usually not that extreme. In fact, some of the statistics below may surprise you.

Today, I’m sharing more on completely restarting my career after thirty years of age. I’ll cover my personal experience, and offer suggestions for anybody else looking to do the same.

I used 30 as the example because that’s how old I was when I did it, but this applies to anyone in their 40s, 50s, or better.

Let’s get into it.

My Experience Changing Careers

A study by the American Institute for Economic Research found that 82% of survey respondents reported successfully switching to a brand new career after the age of 45. But it gets more interesting.

Another study from The Conference Board shows that 80% of people over the age of 45 consider changing careers, but only 6% pursue it. Again, the vast majority of people who pursue the career change, are successful.

A big part of why I’m covering this topic in the first place, is how I think we can make light work out of anything, even if it seems difficult on the outside. This concept of “light work” (the slang), is something I’m becoming very fond of in general.

Take that statistic. I would have never guessed that 82% of people over 45 who change careers can make it work. Keep in mind, the modern technology we talk about week over week is recent, and most people are not using AI today (despite what the news suggests). This is all without advanced tech.

Now, maybe these studies aren’t enough. Maybe I’m not even a credible source, as if I “don’t count,” sure. There’s more to consider. And it’s not about me, or the numbers. It’s about the world around us.

What Options Do You Really Have?

Look, if you hate your job, or your job doesn’t pay enough, or you’re about to be replaced by AI, answer this: what choice do you really have?

It’s either:

• Stay at the job.

• Leave / do something else.

The problem with staying at the job is that it sucks. There’s a reason why so many people over 45 (see the stat above) consider changing jobs.

And no, most of you should not leave your job tomorrow away. You can always start something new, and phase yourself out over a few months. It could be a side-hustle during evenings and weekends. You can learn how to use AI (you won’t have to learn how to code).

I feel terrible encouraging people to make such a big, potentially life-altering decisions on a whim. Do not do this on a whim. Take time, set yourself up, start something small on the side, and slowly carve out parts of your day to work on your passion, before taking any big leaps.

But, don’t let the idea that it’s scary or difficult hold you back:

• I’ve changed careers after 30 into something 100% brand new to me.

• At least a couple of studies suggest the very few people who pursue a new career are disproportionately successful.

• You already know you have to do something eventually, so staying put is not really an option. It’s just a matter of when to make your move, not if you should or should not in the first place. Starting tomorrow costs you nothing since you can stay at your job in the meantime.

If you’re still reading, I’ll assume you’re open to hearing me out, so let’s get into the details.

I’ve been told my write-ups are longer than they need to be. So for this run, we’ll be keeping it short.

Industries

• The tech industry pays better and you can have zero experience and make a big impact at a startup if you work hard. Consider doing what you love, but in tech.

• If not tech, media is always growing. Publishing content related to your passion is always a safe bet, and can set you up for a smoother transition to a new career (I wish I did this more). Media and building an audience who trusts your judgement on an industry gives you credibility.

• A job that pays $50k a year in Canada sometimes pays the same or better in USA (and that’s in USD). USA has a bigger market, more opportunities, pays better, and having them pay you as a business (instead of a T4 income), can be easier on your tax bill. Ask an accountant. Either way, consider working for an American company.

Skills

• Communication. Absolutely necessary to change careers. But I don’t mean using fancy business terms. I mean highly responsive, clear, and easy to understand. Responsive is #1.

• Prioritization. There is nothing worse than watching someone new spend 3 hours prepping for meetings, formatting emails/reports, or deciding what to wear - when there’s a legitimate issue that needs resolving. Part of having experience means recognizing what’s important and addressing the right priorities (even when no one else tells you what they are).

• Hard Work. Not a ‘skill’ per-se but still critical. Part of the anxiety around switching careers later in life is knowing, deep down, is something like: “I’m 35 and don’t have it in me to work as hard as I did when I was 22, again.”

  • No matter what anyone tells you, paying your dues does not (should not), mean getting a free pass later. Hard work is always required in my opinion. If you know you’re not working very hard at all at your current job, don’t expect that to continue.

• Professional. Experience suggests your acumen will stand out. Interns ask about how to write emails and are dead without ChatGPT. Someone who can read the room (even a little), and overall gets it can immediately build critical relationships in a new industry.

Projects

• Newsletters. Again, easy to start (use beehiiv), and can run it part-time without having to risk leaving your job right away. Share your creative work, the latest on your industry,

• Social Media. It’s never been easier to create credibility (for that new industry/career you’re moving into), then making talking head videos on instagram and tiktok. You can leave your name and face off the account if you prefer. 10,000 followers suggests you’re credible in today’s world.

• AI-projects. Someone who’s never coded in their entire life built a vintage photo studio online in a weekend. If you don’t want to write a newsletter, or dedicate time to social media, these types of smaller projects are the new way to pad your resume.

Final Words

Today’s topic came up because I thought about how I landed at beehiiv, and how much our team has grown since. But not every company is like beehiiv.

So many young, talented people have their time and energy go to waste working for companies that suck. They underpay, don’t nurture talent, and are a dead end for most people’s careers. I’ve worked at such companies too.

It’s so easy to think of these awful jobs as stepping stones.

“I’ll do great work here, build my resume, and then go to a top firm, or move to a bigger city, or…”

It just doesn’t work that way. No matter the age, talent and hard work still win. The area-code someone works in doesn’t automatically make them better at the job.

Take beehiiv. We hire people from all over the world to ensure we get the very best regardless of location. We’re a fully remote company partially for this reason. But, flip that for a second. Does that mean you’re not as good, or less deserving of a six or seven figure salary because you’re in a suburb in Canada?

If being in New York or LA doesn’t automatically make someone great, then being in small town Canada doesn’t automatically make someone bad.

If the advantage of hiring young is “they work hard and have energy,” then doesn’t working hard in your 30s, 40s, or better mean you have that, plus everything else you’ve learned over the years - even in a new industry?

Remember, 82% of people over 45 reporting success changing careers is not a small number.

Yes, this is about making a move if you’re unhappy or underpaid. It’s also a reminder that making moves has never been easier.

Feel free to reach out if you have any questions.

Thanks again for reading.

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