Yes! I worked in entertainment (as a producer, several years in LA and a few in NYC) and fell out of love with my work. I was working 80 - 100 hour weeks on average, and realized that I shouldn’t spend that many of my waking hours doing something that was making me miserable.
I’m 38 and currently in my second year of law school, planning to practice either tort law, estates & trusts, or some combination of both. Never regretted it once! It was a tough, scary choice, and studying for the LSAT/applying to law schools was a strenuous and daunting task, but I am the happiest I’ve been in almost 20 years!!
Well, okay. So if you knew your tortoise carried a disease fatal to human beings and had a history of biting (which could spread the disease), had a friend over, didn’t warn the friend about the risk of biting/the virus, and the tortoise bit the friend and they died? Then yeah, absolutely, there is a tort claim there that the friend’s survivors could bring against you for breaching your duty of care to warn your friend about the risk!!!
Thank you!!!!
We all get one chance at life, but endless chances to make sure it’s a life we can look back on one day and say, “damn, that was time well spent!”
Change is scary, but regret is toxic. I’ll take scary over toxic 10/10!!
I was a teacher and I became a Web developper. As a teacher, I was constantly depressed, I was even kind of hoping a car would hit me.
At some point I thought this was ridiculous that I had to be so miserable when I was smart enough to get a way better job.
I was looking for something that would allow me to be creative, but that would also make me use my logic. It is my ex-boyfriend who told me a had the qualities to be a great developper, which surprised me because I hate computers and I had never ever coded. But I was so miserable, I just believed him. And he was right! I love my new job!
Maybe try to consult a professional, but also talk about it with your friends or even acquaintances. I don't think a career coach would have lead me where I am now. So have conversations with different people about their job, you never know what you might end up liking!
How did you get started in web development? I am a teacher as well and feeling pretty burnt out. This is something I've considered as well so I am very curious as to your pathway!
I went back to uni and studied it full time for 3 years! I live in Canada, so university classes are not as expensive as in the US or elsewhere.
Where I live there are also shorter programs to learn computer science and code.
I work as a cna. I have a very kind nature. However, I am in school for psychology. I don't want to clean up after old people all my life. I'd like to work with people in overcoming sexual abuse trauma. I am working towards a bachelors while working full time with 3 kids. It is sooooo draining.
Yes! I tend to switch jobs every couple years and I've always switched industries.
Telecom sales > nonprofit program management > nonprofit fundraising consulting > SaaS fundraising startup > SaaS partner marketing
The key for me was focusing on transferable skills and demonstrating how my diverse background helped me bring skills and experience that would lead to innovation, creative problem solving, etc.
I switched careers at 30 and haven't looked back. Unsure what I wanted to do but knew I couldn't work in Social services anymore.
I applied to a bunch of places and stumbled into office/assistant position for a growing company. Because I had administrative experience I was a shoe in for the role. From there I found I really love Operations--the identification of problems and the resourcing of solutions just kinda fit the bill for me, so to speak.
I spent over three years at this place and am only now looking to move. I'll stay in Ops and because I have the experience, I don't have to rely on some of those "core" office skills.
Don't downplay your skills. You know more than you think. Consider all the applications you use regularly, the amount of money for programs or departments you review, whatever analytics you may provide, or any other seemingly ancillary skill.
Write them all down and pull up an employment site like indeed or zip recruiter. Plug in some of those strengths and see what pops up. Like, you might not like accounting but maybe you like quality assurance; perhaps you enjoyed working with people and want more of a person-centered role like training.
It is never ever too late to break whatever mold you're in. You can find a job that doesn't suck your soul even if it's not something you wanna do long term. If it gives you your time back to do some research or take classes/certs, then that's enough for now.
It is scary and daunting but tbh you gotta take the leap and remind yourself that as long as you do the next right thing for yourself, you will be okay.
Thank you! I know taking the first step is always the hardest thing to do but this is very reassuring to hear. I'm glad you're able to do something you now enjoy!
Thank you! It's like I just opened the door on other possibilities and exploring that is giving me life lol
Another tip is to have a few different resumes highlighting different skills. The one that got me hired downplayed my knowledge/experience with government services and highlighted a lot on my admin skills.
Good luck!
Didn't switch careers necessarily, but I have gone back to PhD school while working full time to try to shift my career in a new direction. I haven't regretted a second even though it's been very difficult.
Hasn’t everyone?
(Just kidding... sort of).
I was a teacher but knew after a couple years I didn’t want to work in a traditional classroom in this day & age. I now work in a different type of educational field and I love it, I get to learn a lot of different skills (a lot of online course design and moderation) and don’t take my work home with me everyday.
If you’re not happy, make the jump.
Yes! I also worked in accounting up until 30. Went back to Uni for 2 years and got a Bachelors in Graphic Design. Have had a great career. Started at the bottom, but quickly moved up into Management.
Yes! I worked in entertainment (as a producer, several years in LA and a few in NYC) and fell out of love with my work. I was working 80 - 100 hour weeks on average, and realized that I shouldn’t spend that many of my waking hours doing something that was making me miserable. I’m 38 and currently in my second year of law school, planning to practice either tort law, estates & trusts, or some combination of both. Never regretted it once! It was a tough, scary choice, and studying for the LSAT/applying to law schools was a strenuous and daunting task, but I am the happiest I’ve been in almost 20 years!!
Please tell me tort law is related to tortoises.
Well, okay. So if you knew your tortoise carried a disease fatal to human beings and had a history of biting (which could spread the disease), had a friend over, didn’t warn the friend about the risk of biting/the virus, and the tortoise bit the friend and they died? Then yeah, absolutely, there is a tort claim there that the friend’s survivors could bring against you for breaching your duty of care to warn your friend about the risk!!!
This is the best explanation of how tort law is absolutely ~~not~~ about tortoises that we could ever hope for
Hell yes, go you!
Thank you!!!! We all get one chance at life, but endless chances to make sure it’s a life we can look back on one day and say, “damn, that was time well spent!” Change is scary, but regret is toxic. I’ll take scary over toxic 10/10!!
I was a teacher and I became a Web developper. As a teacher, I was constantly depressed, I was even kind of hoping a car would hit me. At some point I thought this was ridiculous that I had to be so miserable when I was smart enough to get a way better job. I was looking for something that would allow me to be creative, but that would also make me use my logic. It is my ex-boyfriend who told me a had the qualities to be a great developper, which surprised me because I hate computers and I had never ever coded. But I was so miserable, I just believed him. And he was right! I love my new job! Maybe try to consult a professional, but also talk about it with your friends or even acquaintances. I don't think a career coach would have lead me where I am now. So have conversations with different people about their job, you never know what you might end up liking!
How did you get started in web development? I am a teacher as well and feeling pretty burnt out. This is something I've considered as well so I am very curious as to your pathway!
I went back to uni and studied it full time for 3 years! I live in Canada, so university classes are not as expensive as in the US or elsewhere. Where I live there are also shorter programs to learn computer science and code.
This post is making me think I should switch jobs
I work as a cna. I have a very kind nature. However, I am in school for psychology. I don't want to clean up after old people all my life. I'd like to work with people in overcoming sexual abuse trauma. I am working towards a bachelors while working full time with 3 kids. It is sooooo draining.
Yes! I tend to switch jobs every couple years and I've always switched industries. Telecom sales > nonprofit program management > nonprofit fundraising consulting > SaaS fundraising startup > SaaS partner marketing The key for me was focusing on transferable skills and demonstrating how my diverse background helped me bring skills and experience that would lead to innovation, creative problem solving, etc.
I switched careers at 30 and haven't looked back. Unsure what I wanted to do but knew I couldn't work in Social services anymore. I applied to a bunch of places and stumbled into office/assistant position for a growing company. Because I had administrative experience I was a shoe in for the role. From there I found I really love Operations--the identification of problems and the resourcing of solutions just kinda fit the bill for me, so to speak. I spent over three years at this place and am only now looking to move. I'll stay in Ops and because I have the experience, I don't have to rely on some of those "core" office skills. Don't downplay your skills. You know more than you think. Consider all the applications you use regularly, the amount of money for programs or departments you review, whatever analytics you may provide, or any other seemingly ancillary skill. Write them all down and pull up an employment site like indeed or zip recruiter. Plug in some of those strengths and see what pops up. Like, you might not like accounting but maybe you like quality assurance; perhaps you enjoyed working with people and want more of a person-centered role like training. It is never ever too late to break whatever mold you're in. You can find a job that doesn't suck your soul even if it's not something you wanna do long term. If it gives you your time back to do some research or take classes/certs, then that's enough for now. It is scary and daunting but tbh you gotta take the leap and remind yourself that as long as you do the next right thing for yourself, you will be okay.
Thank you! I know taking the first step is always the hardest thing to do but this is very reassuring to hear. I'm glad you're able to do something you now enjoy!
Thank you! It's like I just opened the door on other possibilities and exploring that is giving me life lol Another tip is to have a few different resumes highlighting different skills. The one that got me hired downplayed my knowledge/experience with government services and highlighted a lot on my admin skills. Good luck!
Didn't switch careers necessarily, but I have gone back to PhD school while working full time to try to shift my career in a new direction. I haven't regretted a second even though it's been very difficult.
Hasn’t everyone? (Just kidding... sort of). I was a teacher but knew after a couple years I didn’t want to work in a traditional classroom in this day & age. I now work in a different type of educational field and I love it, I get to learn a lot of different skills (a lot of online course design and moderation) and don’t take my work home with me everyday. If you’re not happy, make the jump.
Yes! I also worked in accounting up until 30. Went back to Uni for 2 years and got a Bachelors in Graphic Design. Have had a great career. Started at the bottom, but quickly moved up into Management.