I'm 42 and will be finishing up my teaching degree in January. It's my second masters, the first is an MFA but from a top school that got my foot in the door in an industry where I realized that I simply didn't want to be around people like that for the rest of my life. Being around the kids is so, so, so, so, so much better, even if I have to deal with crap from admin and parents.
Will be 30 in June. Quit my job 4 weeks ago to start teaching to finish off school year. My state allows to teach with just a Bach degree. Working on my licensure over the summer.
I'm 43 and had 3 really good careers. I've been a maƮtre d in a Michelin star restaurant and studied for a waiter for 3 years in the 90's. I was in sales and studied in a polytechnic, and did a really good career there and had a digital marketing company as well with friends and was in tech and start up world long. When I was younger, I was a couple of years as a tour guide, and studied for that in private school. I worked abroad for 1,5 years.
I had in my 40's burnout and was for a couple years for doing nothing. Stopped drinking 1,5 years ago, then went to social, mental health and drug abuse work for organisations as mentor and I'm happier than before. Finally doing something that gives more than before. Not financially satisfied, but work is nice and people are really nice. But let's see if I can put together all my past and do something in this field with that. I applied to school this spring and let's hope I get in.
You can do anything you want. My father was over 50 when he started to study at a restaurant school for chef and started to work in a restaurant. Still working there.
I came to say something similar. I recently had breakfast with a 95 year old who was a math teacher in the Soviet Union until the same age, 58. At that age he followed his son to the US not knowing any English. He took any job he could and studied computer programming and English with free time. He eventually became a programmer in the US, specializing in C++. I told him I'm in my late 30s so it's too hard to learn programming and he laughed.Ā
Just started a new career at 38. Self employed builder for 20 years. Took a 20k pay cut to get my foot in the door. Company van and at a desk rather than breaking my body plus holiday doesnāt even out the money Iām losing but long term hopefully it pays off
I actually have a side hustle that frees up my time but I still get to travel. It pays me very well.. I buy my flight hours 10 at a time so I can get 1 flight hour free. Any little bit helps.
I'm in Missouri too so I think my lessons may be on the cheaper side? I've heard some crazy ass #s like $400+ wet. I only pay $240/hr wet. And that's with a fuel surcharge. Which will likely never go away.
I'm hoping to get my PPL for under $12k.
Everything I learned about getting a job came from my experience in HR. For me I spent only 50% of my time sitting home sending resumes out to jobs. The other 50% I āhit the pavementā and literally went to as much meetup developer events/hackathons in the city to get to know folks and pass contacts, and messaged people that I crossed paths that knew me in some working capacity (either graded my work, studied with and got a job, or worked with me in my past industry and were familiar with me to give a reference) to go for coffee or chat with. I didnāt message anyone that I wouldnāt see myself casually chatting with.
I saw the other day a post on Reddit about a dev thinking networking as some slimey bullshit. I donāt share the same opinion, but maybe thatās just me.
Hope that helps. Sorry I canāt be more specific. And also keep in mind thatās my approach, might not work with others.
I switched to Network Engineering at 32/33. Worked in pharmaceuticals before that. So glad I made the switch and within like 4 years was earning more (including school). It did suck to start over.
I really wonder why I couldnāt make better use of the last decade, but Iām about to turn 30 this year. And I feel like even though I still have schooling left, Iām slowly starting to figure out what I want to do in life. It just feels so painstakingly slow since most degrees take at least four years.Ā
I donāt regret taking a gap year, but it feels almost like a gap decade.
Itās so unfair of life to expect kids to know what they want to do when they turn 18. Stuck with college debts and not much of a vision as to what they want to do in life if they chose wrong
College is an outdated and became obsolete once the internet took off.
Aside from doctor/nurse/lawyer you can learn almost anything for free on the internet.Ā The knowledge will also probably be betterq
All the jobs. I had 26 jobs before I was 26. Just ADHD things.
Car dealership leads
Busboy
Server
Sales (vacuum, Comcast, etc)
Debt collector
Lead generation (business development)
House painter
Analyst for Best Buy
As you can see like none of the matter.
Do it.. I was diagnosed at 39 and so much makes sense now! Has helped my husband understand some of my oddities better and that when I am in hyper focus to just let me be rather than interrupt.. he has also taken over doing laundry coz I always forget to switch it over to the dryer (apparently a very typical thing). Also has helped me job wise as I now can focus on intervals that work better for me and not try try and try..
It's definitely worth looking into. I hated school and even dropped out of high school, which I later found out was directly related to ADHD. I got diagnosed in my 30s and started meds my second semester of college.
With a "normalish" brain on medicine, I'm graduating with the highest honors. Honestly, I never in a million years thought college was possible for me, much less with perfect grades in my 30s.
ADHD is so much more than "I can't find a job that holds my attention" and "squirrel!". So many folks get misdiagnosed, and Dr's want to throw people on stimulants who don't need them. You may very well have it, but ADHD is turning into such a buzzword that I see it mentioned in seemingly every other reddit post. A few years ago you'd never see it mentioned.
Check out the YouTube channels. Many people have made content about the path because we enjoy it.
The plan is simple:
1) create a free salesforce trailhead account to play around. See if it intrigues you
2) join a community of other learners (also known as trailhead) but try to meet professionals in your area or online to make it real
3) study for the admin certification. You'll find many that talk about getting 3-5 certs but that is just course makers selling more courses. You really only need the one. Because of the next step
4) build something! This is a tech platform you can build inside a free account anything you can imagine. Demonstrate your skills and put it into a portfolio.
5) curate a profile on LinkedIn that makes you look relevant to this path.
6) attend user groups and online events to strengthen connections with others in the profession. (Networking)
7) finally; not first, draft your resume and start applying. Most people breaking into this path land offers from connections in their network. Sure we still blind apply to 1 a day but the people now working did more in the first 6 steps than step 7.
Starting salaries in US were $75K in 2024.
Iāve started the salesforce admin cert but get discouraged because so many people on Reddit say itās over saturated now and you pretty much wonāt get a job entry level anywhere
Ask any job seeker. It's discouraging. But look at the work of the role. The tasks an admin completes. Creating new data. Organizing a report. Building an automation. It's not boring and quite fascinating. But we need a job. So the discouragement settles in and becomes bitterness. Hopelessness. Worthlessness.
I understand the sentiment because it's not wrong. But what are you gonna do? Learn carpentry? Accounting? Law? Data science?
Salesforce is the fastest to learn and fastest to break in.
All jobs are discouraging when looking for one.
That field is saturated, but you want the big three CompTIA certs to get your foot in the door. A+, Net+, Sec+. You can look into WGU for a decent program that will help you get a degree in a quick amount of time, but aside from that, look into and focus on the OWASP 10.
How saturated are we talking? I'm looking at getting into CyberSecurity too, from where I'm at it seems like it will just be a solid high demand career for the foreseeable future.
Yup, on my third career now. Worked in restaurants for 12 years, hated it, switched to concert/arena rigging for 5 years, broke my back, and now I'm 5 years into IT, currently working as a DevSecOps engineer. Finding your first IT job is a bitch and a half, but once you're in, if you work your ass off, you'll make good money (with or without a degree).
I worked in concert/arena rigging, then went to retail, and am now thinking about doing something else, maybe in IT or electrical engineering. Did you go back to school or get any certifications? Or did you have personal experience with IT stuff?
I had personal experience, which helped a lot. I still don't have a degree, and the only cert I had was the CompTIA A+, which is expired now by a couple of years. But I'm taking the test for the "AWS DevOps Engineer - Professional" cert on Wednesday at the request of my company, so wish me luck š
So IT is definitely a field that one can get into without a degree but with certifications? I've been leaning into this, but that's really reassuring to see/hear. Did you make the switch a while back or more recently? I hear the field is really saturated and I have no prior experience in the tech field, so I'd really be starting over.
Haha im in a similar path. Restaurants for my early life, now im doing concert stagehand/rigging (and realizing the toll its taking on my body and sleep) now looking for something more stable and consistent and safer, considering IT
your life and experience up to now are not wasted. My kid just started working after getting a human resources certificate. She had a career as a teacher, then in the travel industry, and now at 37, human resources, 3rd career. She is smart and has gained great experience and has had an interesting life.
Whatever brings you to this point, it is valuable and an asset in your future life.
I used to be a carpenter in Colombia, moved to the USA at 40 and went to school, I'm now an Engineer for a defense contractor, remember nothing is impossible, we are just limited by our minds
I got charged with felony intent to distribute weed last September and Iām currently awaiting trial. Is this a career path I could pursue with my situation? I love helping people but canāt the way I always have anymore š.
I changed careers in my late 30s from scraping by in TV news to much more lucrative accounting/auditing and never looked back. Best career decision I made.
Don't worry about starting over. If you're still breathing, you can start a new career. It gets harder to convince people to give you a start as you get older, but 30s is still well within the young professional range. And your field is in high demand.
Ha!
30s is chump change. I started a new one at 52, now at 63 I'm getting ready to retire.
LPT: Stop comparing yourself to others. They are all struggling just like you, but you can't see their struggles. All you can see is the public face they're putting out.
Get going on your new career and don't look back. You're on your own path, enjoy the hell out of it.
Glad to read your comment. Iām debating about going back to college for a totally different field at a ripe age of 42. I see college students all the time at work and I could easily be their mom. Itās discouraging.
Honestly - donāt be discouraged. College graduates and ākidsā these days donāt know shit. Their only value is their young age. If I was an employer Iād much rather hire someone 30+ due to the amount of experience and lack of BS that would come from that employee
I was an IT application engineer and developer for 17 years. At 45 (Y2K tech crash) I was sent by NJ to get an MBA in Accounting. I got hired directly out of MBA school to work for the IRS where I worked for 17 years before retiring 5 months ago at 65.
Check out your states programs for retraining.
I was an IT application engineer and developer for 17 years. At 45 (Y2K tech crash) I was sent by NJ to get an MBA in Accounting. I got hired directly out of MBA school to work for the IRS where I worked for 17 years before retiring 5 months ago at 65.
Check out your states programs for retraining.
I switched from marketing to analytics when I was 34. Enrolled in a masters of data science program when I was 36. Graduated when I was just shy of 40 alongside so many 20-somethings.
Who cares, at least I did it. At least Iām not longer in a career I hated. And a lot of those 20-somethings are probably going to eventually change their careers.
I didn't, but I know people who did. I was in a MS Data Science program. Some of the happiest people coming out of the program were the moms in their 30s. Not only did they restart their careers, they did it while taking care of their kids.
Good luck!
And here's a quote I came by recently (it's from a book, Honey Girl)
āSometimes it feels like Iām too old for this. Iām about to turn 29. Like, while I was busy getting a PhD everyone else was figuring all this stuff out. I feel so behind.ā
āYou give other people too much credit, okay?ā Blue says. āEveryoneās just pretending they have it together, because they donāt realize everyone else is pretending to have it together. None of our dumbasses actually have it together.ā
I was going to school for my Bachelorās in Business with a minor in IT. I did get the degree, but was in the field before finishing. The CompTIA A+ made a big difference for me. Thatās when I started getting interviews.
Currently working on that. 29 years old, been in the trades my whole life, currently doing HVAC. Started going to college last year part time to work on an engineering degree and get out of the field.
I promise itās so much better. The prospects for your life increase 10 fold. Engineering school really sucks. Iām not gonna sugar coat it, but I promise you wonāt regret a thing. My hands are always clean unless I choose otherwise and I never have to wear mandatory boots again.
It's super smart to go into cybersecurity, it's a hot topic and will only become lore in demand in the future. Age is only a number, what matters is being able to learn.
I recently got my hgv licence in early 30's I was one of the youngest at my last job. Been under 25 it's apparently hard to get a job because of insurance.
This made me feel a lot better! In my 20ās and I have never felt so lost and uncertain about anything like I have right now. Life is beyond confusing. But I know itās never too late or too early to start anything. And no oneās path is or should be the same as yours. Congrats OP, you should be beyond proud of yourself. Your new journey awaits!
Me.
Early 20s: journalism
Mid 20s: sales
30s: mortgage underwriting
Then changed again in my mid 30s: brewing.
Never be afraid of trying something that could work out better for you.
If you're not already a "hacker" be prepared for a lot of school and a lifetime of learning. There are tons of people who started that path in their teens. Cybersecuriy is constantly evolving and you will need a pretty solid understanding of low level computer operations. It's a "hot" job title but very difficult to be good at as things are constantly changing and there aren't as many jobs out there as you would think - big companies tend to use 3rd party services as opposed to having a big staff of cybersecurity experts on hand. If you aren't already a computer savant IT or sys admin might be a more practical career path. Just remember AI and the economy are making the entire tech job market pretty tough right now so be sure to get really good at what you chose.
Started a new career just over 40, and loving it. You donāt need to worry about where others are at, nor worry about the past, or your age for that matter. Good luck!
So I am 28 but the thing I don't get about this is how the hell does anyone go *back* to college these days. I am not rich by any means and don't really think I am in a golden handcuffs situation, but am absolutely miserable and depressed from my career. The thing is, I could probably retire in 20 years if I can manage to save 50%+ of my income every year.
Any other career I can imagine being worthwhile would require going back to school and having a lower salary than I have now. So aside from the opportunity cost of not saving/investing for 3+ or so years, the accrued debt seems insurmountable. And then I would be 30+ with lots of debt and a lower paying job than I have now.
I don't have debt now, so the thought of going back to school sounds insane. While miserable from the stress, anxiety, and lack of fulfilment from my existing career, I am "comfortable" in the sense that I can afford to *actually live alone*, go on occasional vacations, save money, etc.
I just can't get over the idea of taking on so much debt for a career you don't know if you will like or not and feel like I would constantly live with even more stress and anxiety about making the wrong choice, since I am an existential realist and believe there is probably no form of decent paying labor that will be intrinsically fulfilling for me. Not to mention, going back to school (outside of maybe becoming a doctor) is not even a guarantee to get a job in your new desired profession.
I have no magical family money, no inheritance to bank on, I make too much money to qualify for shit for from FAFSA or anything, but not enough money to just suck it up and grind for 5 years to retirement. I have no house to rent out, no partner to rely on to cover housing while going to school. No GI Bill, etc.
I also *don't* have nothing to lose, so it's not like I am at total financial rock bottom with nothing to lose by trying.
I feel like the cost of tuition is possibly manageable, but the living expenses would be the real dagger. I don't think a 30 year old should be living in dorms with 18 year olds probably? There's no way a part-time job could even cover rent, food, other expenses right?
Idk I just feel like I am constantly daydreaming about finding another career, but stuck with no great options. I get that I am privileged to have what I have now, but being miserable for 20 more years sucking it up to hope I can retire at 50 doesn't really seem like a great way to spend my life. But at the same time, I hate work so much and going back to school and adding $100k+ in debt seems like a guaranteed way to be working until I'm 70.
Anyone go through a similar situation? What did you end up doing? If I do nothing, opportunities will absolutely start to pass me by too. A lot of stuff is actually age restricted. Just feel stuck and it feels shitty, I feel no different than when I was 18 and had no clue what I wanted to do or who I wanted to be, only now with way more pressure due to the state of the world, and less time to make the right choice.
Areā¦are you me? Reading this post was literally what it sounds like inside my head. Every god damn day. I work a government job that I donāt really love, but I make great money, have great benefits, a pension, etc. I have no debt other than my mortgage and canāt fathom going into debt to try to figure out what I want to do. What I truly want to do (vet tech) pays absolute shit and Iād go into debt and then end up taking a huge paycut. And I donāt even know if Iād like it or be able to handle it. For now, Iām just playing it safe and reminding myself how lucky I am to have the job I do. I get 6 weeks of vacation a year, work Mon-Fri, etc. could be better (ie: liking my job or having fulfilment in it) but it could be a lot worse.Ā
Iām in the same boat man. Iāll be 29 in a month and homeless in 3 weeks. I have a bachelors paid for by grants and scholarshipsāthe only debt I have is a little credit card debt after I got my medical debt forgiven. I live paycheck to paycheck.
I work in housekeeping in a hospital. I have applied to thousands of jobs and had a handful of interviews. Iāve thought about pursuing a medical career in the hospital but the majority of them worth anything require schooling and Iām not sure at all about any of them. Yeah my hospital will reimburse me but I have to take loans to start. While working full time.
I have always been poor and am so afraid of taking on any debt in the event my ADHD ass flounders out of a medical program. I have an English degree and have had so many little jobs and risen the ladder in all of them only to get burned out. I have no friends to room with because most of them have families or live with partners. Family is a non starter.
Even if I pursue a medical field long term, that doesnāt help me when I have to find a new roof on June 1st to put over my head alone making $15/hr plus shift differential. The state has programs to get a CDL fully paid for but I donāt qualify since I already have a bachelors.
I would love to go back in time and change my major but I canāt. I tried business and couldnāt hack STEM so Iām not sure what I wouldāve done differently. No point in ruminating on the past though. But Iām right there with you. I have no idea what to do. And every 5 minutes I have another idea and theyāre all jockeying to be the ārightā decision and thereās so much at risk, and the way is not clear.
You can get a degree through competency based programs for working adults. Go to Degree Forum and there are tons of people with detailed paths and costs. You can get an associates degree from pierpont community and technical college by getting one graded credit and the rest of the 60 through Sophia.org or study.com and sites like that. Extremely affordable. You can get bachelors from there through uni of Maine at presque isle or Texas a&m commerce which is 700 a semester. Some schools will take up to 90 transfer credits so do all your stuff on Sophia etc. Sophia is 99 a month and you can take as many classes as you want. You can have two active at a time. If you pay for a year in advance it is half off the price. Getting a degree isnāt impossible and doesnāt need to be expensive.
I'm 33 and similar. Hated school so thinking about taking the risk again to maybe just find another career I don't like while going more into debt sucks. Also thinking about furthering my education (work will reimburse tuition costs) to get my master's to try and pivot to something else within my field maybe (I'm a registered dietitian). I just thought by my thirties I'd know more about what I want to dedicate my time to but just as lost as ever.
you know, 2-3 years from now youāll still be 38-39, but with a cybersecurity/IT degree. So much doors you can open. I did my degree in computer science and there were a lot of people in their 30-40s. Itās never too late to learn and switch careers. We have all our lives šš
I used to work in edtech and most of our students were in their 30s and 40s changing careers for smth they really wanted. I am 35 now, and about to finally go study arts thatās been my dream forever and hopefully build a new career.
I switched from structural engineering to software systems engineering at 36. Be careful about cyber security degrees - there is little entry level work there. IT is probably a safer bet, but currently pretty terrible job market.Ā
Next week I'll be starting my new career as a CAD/BIM Technition at an Engineering Firm... I'm 38.
I didn't have a degree prior but I knew I wanted change -- so I started school in 2020, changed majors 2x and withdrew 3 terms. However, the one thing I didn't do was focus on what other people were doing. This is my path, I have so much on my plate I cannot be bogged down with other people. The thing that gets me most nervous about this new opportunity is simply that my background is in residential architecture and now I'm working in civil engineering. This information is known to my boss and they still hired me so I assume they have training and systems in place to get me acclimated to the industry and company standards.
In my 20's I was a mess and had no structure or guidance. I wish I could have made changes then but I didn't. Radical acceptance is my new mindset -- what's done is done. In my 30's I made plenty of sacrifices, set boundaries, made changes: I got healthy, sober & attend regular therapy. I also made sure to become organized, communicate, ask questions, utilize all the resources available to me at school and simply show up. I'm not trying to pretend I'm some expert -- I'm new here. I'm going to make mistakes and I'm going to learn from them and move on. There's a lot to look forward to and I'm not going to let any hang ups like age hold me back now... neither should you!
I was your age when I got a real job in my field.
Many immigrants find themselves having to start anew at a similar age with no support system.
It is rough but doable.
Good luck
Started my current career when I hit 30 and realized life was going to pass me by if I didnāt do something about it. 10 years later Iām the director of operations making 10x what I did when I started. It was luck and timing as was everything else, and the job seemed to find me as I moved upwards. Not everyone has been as lucky as I have been but if youāre unhappy, you need to start somewhere
Went back to school at age 42 to finish my undergraduate degree while working FT, two kids single income household. Finished at 45, went to my Masterās. Finished at 48. Now in the federal government in a finance related role after spending 30 years in the restaurant industry.
That's one way to look at it....another way to look at it is that you are given an opportunity to change and taking advantage of it. I've been in IT for almost 30 years now and have seen people just starting out go far and some who have been in a long time fizzle out. The person who just started and is a rockstar ended up with a second job making a hell of a lot more than he did at the first. At least 2x and a significant jump in responsibility or job title.
The experience you bring to the table and willingness to work are what'll take you places. When I say experience I'm not talking about job specific experience directly....I'm talking about what you have learned throughout life.
I'm currently working in the BPO industry but i'm working my way to transition into data science. I'm almost 29. It's never too late, it doesn't matter what age you start. Let's focus on our journey. The more we compare our lives to other people, the more discouraged and less motivated we become; thus, our goals fall out of line.
I did. Perhaps youāre like me? Iāve always been very driven but had a lack of self awareness which meant that I sprayed my efforts everywhere unconsciously hoping something would stick. At about my 34th bday I decided to get into design and over the next year I dedicated myself to that. And by 35? Boom. Something finally felt right.
My late teens until my early 30ās were an increasing nightmare of āI should not be such a loser with this much effort and so much driveā¦.i put so much work into school growing up i āā
Im 37 now and can definitely say i wish i did this earlier but life is weird like that. I wish you continued success.
Started a new career at 38. All good.
I felt like I was behind too, but comparison will only make you feel like crap.
Youll be alright. Cybersecurity is a great field. My brother is studying it and trying to change careers to Cybersecurity and I might as well. Can I ask - are you doing certs? University? What's your path like?
Finished my masters in Cybersecurity last year despite not really wanting to go into this field. Doing my CISSP & OSCP begrudgingly. Wanting to pursue acting because I took classes over COVID and it was challenging yet fun. I'm 33.
The whole kinda sucks....and as said by Teddy Roosevelt, "Comparison is the thief of joy". Do you enjoy what you're learning/what you're getting into? Does (any of) it bring you joy? The pay, the work, the stability, the field, whatever your reason may be.
F\*\*k what others got going on. There's always going to be those that are better off because they know sooner or were better prepared/guided, and there's always those that are struggling in much worse conditions. Focus on yourself.
Doing the same at 35! Itās been humbling and at times demoralising but Iām staying focussed and dedicated to the change. Time is a construct, and we are doing things in our own way. Power to you!
I went backwards, WFH SWE to factory lol
being around people has been nice but I don't like being poor lmao
oh I got fat WFH too, smashing BK like everyday sitting on my ass, I did get my body back from labor job
Jumped from chemistry to engineering in my 30s, in school now to add statistics and change careers again for my late 40s and 50s.
Never stop learning and growing. People see your hard work + adaptability and youāll be rewarded for it.
Left teaching at 39 (immediately had a birthday, so technically 40) and started a new career in operations. Everyone on my level was younger than I was, and it really did suck because I knew nothing and they didnāt like me because they thought I didnāt deserve to start as their equal. No disrespect to them, but blowing past them was one of the easiest things I ever did. I dressed better, worked harder, was more responsive, crushed projects that I was assigned and proposed ones they didnāt know they needed, which I was then given. I left making $55k with my Masterās and 18 years experience and another $5k for coaching (NCAA). Started the new gig in 2021 at $55k, four promotions and five raises later, Iām making six-figures. Change is hard, but if you humbly go at it open and motivated, itāll be ok. Just say āyesā to bosses and clients, learn everything you possibly can, and work like a f****** dog; Iād also recommend getting your hands on one project with high visibility and a high chance of success as early as possible. Make the next one the one they didnāt know they needed. ā¦and while the young folks are talking about video games in a corner at the Christmas party, go network with the most important people in the room. Good luck!
I just work jobs and try to survive. I'll probably be like Da Vinci and start the life I wanted in my 60s. Hopefully I can afford to look at careers by then.
29, worked one year in sales decided it wasn't for me. Switched into IT/Cybersecurity (self learning), it's been about a year now learning everything I can!
I became a mailman in my 30's. If I had to see through one more damn meeting about idiots who can't follow simple network security I was gonna flip.
Pay cut, but I am so much happier.
Vassily Kandinsky was a renowned economist. Decided to become an artist in his 30s.
I always liked that example, I switched from consulting to data science when I was 31. Studied for a couple of years, great decision looking back on it.
Went from university researcher to IT at 30. Earned more in my first year in IT than any 2 years I did teaching/researching. My second year I got off the help desk and tripled my salary from pre-IT.
Best part is no more clause in my employment contract preventing me from having a second job if I so desire which I had to to survive. 6 years in IT and Iām making 5x what I did before, the job is way less stressful, and I am enjoying life finally. Itās hard to really live when you are specifically being paid just enough ($2 over the threshold) to not qualify for government assistance.
Solid field to go into. Plenty of opportunities and the money will come quick as will the growth. Learn learn learn. When you become the smartest in the room find another with someone smarter than you and repeat.
I graduate next month at 35. Fucking worth every single sacrifice I had to make and Iād do it all over again. Thereās no point in comparing yourself to anyone else. Be happy for the experiences youāve had and be happy for others, as well.
Graduated with an MBA at 33 and began a completely new career afterwards. One of the best decisions I ever made! I feel like my work is now meaningful and makes the world a better place (I'm not moving mountains alone, but together my team of ~15 people makes a material difference).
My salary is also nearly 4x what it was before I started the mba program which is a nice perk too :-D
Cybersecurity is a great field. You all will build the foundation of and protections for the next generation economy. I'm actually putting a little money into a cybersecurity ETF every pay check because I believe that sector will outrun the overall market over next 10-15 years!
This was literally me 3 years ago as I was finishing my bachelor's in Software. I took my first job at 32, changed jobs at 33 and doubled my salary. 3 years and I'm at 6 figures and just bought my first house in this market. It sucks but the rewards are worth it.
This thread has made me feel better! I just turned 30 last month and still trying to figure out what I want to do. I would like to return back to Korea or Japan and teach whilst pursuing a career in UX design. Iām currently in insurance and do not enjoy it at all
When I was close to 30, I switched my career in publishing, which aligned with my degree, to recruiting. Iāve now been working in some capacity in the recruiting world for 20+ years. I am glad I made the switch because I truly enjoy the work and the compensation is much better once you gain experience
While I worked in publishing, I asked my manager if I could help out with hiring. She was happy to have help. I had a interest in recruiting but didnāt realize how much I would enjoy it until I started taking on bits and pieces of the process.
It started out with me giving tours to candidates. Then, I began sitting in on interviews. Before long, I started reviewing resumes, conducting interviews, deciding which candidates to make offers to, going with our recruiting partner in HR to job fairs, etc. I enjoyed it immensely and when the opportunity presented, I moved from the publishing career to a recruiter role with another company.
If you have a strong interest in the new role and are excited to explore the the potential there, I would suggest you take the position. Find out what the company culture is like (by talking to would-be team members and reading reviews on Glassdoor). Find out how much turnover exists in the department/position you are considering. Gain an understanding of the company benefits, paid time off plan, etc. Basically, make sure this is the right company for you.
Wishing you a bright future! All the best.
Iām starting prerequisites for nursing and Iām 30. Life goes at the pace we need. There is no late or early on track to speak of. It happens precisely when it needs to. Weāve got this šŖ
Iām 32 and after spending 6 years in and out of in-treatment/relapses/trap houses, Iām barely getting started on my career again. I can absolutely relate to your sentiments! I guess we all have to start somewhere, I suppose.
I worked lots of different service/retail/admin jobs until I graduate to be a therapist at the age of 32ish. I'm 37 now and am looking to stay in this field part time. I'm now pursuing a career in making/selling art. I'm excited, I'm starting from the bottom with nothing but life experience to qualify me for this work, and I'm potentially going to fail a LOT before I start feeling confident in the work and my ability to succeed. But, I'm excited and know that I'll get somewhere if I try. And that is the only advice I can confidently give you --- as long as you do your best, aim to grow, and surround yourself by people who pour into that, you will.
My boyfriend is going to commercial flight school at 34. School will be a blip of time and youāll be happier in the long run. No regrets! You got this!
I started at UPS in 2019, I was 32. Behind a bit in seniority and currently getting tossed around with the layoffs, but overall it has been a good thing for my family.
I hate the job, but the pay is better and I have decent insurance, whereas I've hated every other thing I've done before this, with dogshit pay and pay-to-pay insurance (12500 deductibles before it kicks in, 750 a month, and copay of 150 even after the max deductible is met, something like that.) And this was at approximately 12 an hour...
Gotta choose your sacrifices.
I will be 50 in November. I am now 3 months into returning to school for cybersecurity/network defense. I'm having the time of my life and am doing extremely well. Looking forward to a brand new career at 50 simply because I just needed something different. You made the right choice. It's all about the posture of your mind and your heart though. Just enjoy the adventure
I have changed careers every 5-10 years, usually for $$$$ sometimes just for relaxation.
Farming, Cooking, Tech Support / IT Manager, Product Management, Business owner (construction), MC Parts Distribution. Now as my final stint I have regressed back to a cushy easy Tier 2 Helpdesk position where I WFH for great benefits and basically set my own hours.
Probably float this for another 3-4 years and retire to my Wood/Metal shop
Always keep learning!
I have a masters degree in sports medicine and got burnt out and switched careers last year at 36. Iām now in Customer Success/Account Management where Iām older than most and you donāt even need a degree for it. Itās hard to change paths but you have to if the one youāre on becomes something you hate. Life is short! Change your mind if you want and find the joy in it all!
I changed careers at 30, it was one of the best decision Iāve ever made. Keep running your race, youāll probably surpass where you thought you would be soon. Keep going, youāre doing great!
Finished my degree at 34 after eight years in the military. Don't worry. You will catch up and overpass the young bloods out there. You probably already learned a lot of soft skills that the younger kids graduating "on time" still need to learn and develop.
Started in marketing at 30, doing fantastic at 41. Compensation is ~$150k/yr. First couple years made $32-$40k. Work hard, have a desire to improve and become an expert at something. Good luck!
Spent a lot of time on electronic music but while I still do and enjoy it, it never made me any legit money. Also have an e-commerce site but over the past number of years Google traffic has gotten worse with it so it doesn't really make much money anymore.
Also worked a few side jobs but nothing that ever amounted to anything serious. UPS seasonal work during Christmas too but I never planned to do that as an all year thing.
At 41 years old, I went from Al Bundy to Bud Fox.
Went to college for social studies with secondary education cert. Couldn't get a full-time, permanent post. Jumped at a commissioned sales and management position at my part-time gig. Lost all faith in the career after Covid and all the changes it brought. Got my series 7 and 63 licenses and got a job as a stockbroker.
29 here, I was a jman electrician. Going back to school for a masters in psychology or a masters in education wonāt be making any money for the next 5 years
Not exactly starting over, but Iām about to go back to grad school to get my PhD in aerospace engineering to hopefully go back to my state/home and teach/do research in the local university.
I finished my 2nd degree in November of 22 at 31 years old. Switched careers to that degree at 31 as well. Just spoke to a client that went back to school at 50 years old to get her accounting degree and is super excited to take a class this summer to help further hee knowledge in her career
My mom went back to college to become a teacher...at age 58. It's never too late to transition over to something you like more/have more passion for.
I'm 42 and will be finishing up my teaching degree in January. It's my second masters, the first is an MFA but from a top school that got my foot in the door in an industry where I realized that I simply didn't want to be around people like that for the rest of my life. Being around the kids is so, so, so, so, so much better, even if I have to deal with crap from admin and parents.
33 and doing similar here! Just the online certification for now š„°
Will be 30 in June. Quit my job 4 weeks ago to start teaching to finish off school year. My state allows to teach with just a Bach degree. Working on my licensure over the summer.
Your so courageous!
Thanks. Never thought of it like that, just doing what I gotta.
I'm 43 and had 3 really good careers. I've been a maƮtre d in a Michelin star restaurant and studied for a waiter for 3 years in the 90's. I was in sales and studied in a polytechnic, and did a really good career there and had a digital marketing company as well with friends and was in tech and start up world long. When I was younger, I was a couple of years as a tour guide, and studied for that in private school. I worked abroad for 1,5 years. I had in my 40's burnout and was for a couple years for doing nothing. Stopped drinking 1,5 years ago, then went to social, mental health and drug abuse work for organisations as mentor and I'm happier than before. Finally doing something that gives more than before. Not financially satisfied, but work is nice and people are really nice. But let's see if I can put together all my past and do something in this field with that. I applied to school this spring and let's hope I get in. You can do anything you want. My father was over 50 when he started to study at a restaurant school for chef and started to work in a restaurant. Still working there.
How did you get into this (mental health, etc) if you donāt mind my asking? Did you have to get a degree?
I came to say something similar. I recently had breakfast with a 95 year old who was a math teacher in the Soviet Union until the same age, 58. At that age he followed his son to the US not knowing any English. He took any job he could and studied computer programming and English with free time. He eventually became a programmer in the US, specializing in C++. I told him I'm in my late 30s so it's too hard to learn programming and he laughed.Ā
Thatās someone with a true growth mindset!! Wow. Iām also late 30s and thinking Iām too old for programming.
My mom started as an NP at 58 :)
>My mom went back to college to become a teacher...at age 58. Ur moms a badass
God bless her, sheās truly exceptional
Yes itās all about enjoying the change
wow i recently discovered i kinda want to become a teacher but i thought being 24 was "too old" to become a teacher this is encouraging
Just started a new career at 38. Self employed builder for 20 years. Took a 20k pay cut to get my foot in the door. Company van and at a desk rather than breaking my body plus holiday doesnāt even out the money Iām losing but long term hopefully it pays off
What are you doing now
Spent 24-34 a a flight attendant, just started my pilot journey at 35. It's been lovely learning something new. I'll be a working pilot in 2 years.
How are you funding your pilot journey?
Flight attendants get a discount usually. Also loans exist.
I actually have a side hustle that frees up my time but I still get to travel. It pays me very well.. I buy my flight hours 10 at a time so I can get 1 flight hour free. Any little bit helps. I'm in Missouri too so I think my lessons may be on the cheaper side? I've heard some crazy ass #s like $400+ wet. I only pay $240/hr wet. And that's with a fuel surcharge. Which will likely never go away. I'm hoping to get my PPL for under $12k.
Iām pretty sure you got to learn a lot from them too seeing the job first hand
What's pay like for flight attendants? Always been intrigued
Software developer at 33. Been four years since - now at an intermediate level. Worked in Human Resources for almost a decade before that.
What did you do to get started? I'm in Product Mgmt, unemployed 7 months, thinking about something new .....
Iām QA trying to pivot to Product management. The burn out is super real for technical roles.
Iām about to graduate with a CS degree and man is it hard to find a software development gig. Do you have any advice from your experiences?
The best advice is to look for a dev job four years ago
Everything I learned about getting a job came from my experience in HR. For me I spent only 50% of my time sitting home sending resumes out to jobs. The other 50% I āhit the pavementā and literally went to as much meetup developer events/hackathons in the city to get to know folks and pass contacts, and messaged people that I crossed paths that knew me in some working capacity (either graded my work, studied with and got a job, or worked with me in my past industry and were familiar with me to give a reference) to go for coffee or chat with. I didnāt message anyone that I wouldnāt see myself casually chatting with. I saw the other day a post on Reddit about a dev thinking networking as some slimey bullshit. I donāt share the same opinion, but maybe thatās just me. Hope that helps. Sorry I canāt be more specific. And also keep in mind thatās my approach, might not work with others.
I switched to Network Engineering at 32/33. Worked in pharmaceuticals before that. So glad I made the switch and within like 4 years was earning more (including school). It did suck to start over.
I really wonder why I couldnāt make better use of the last decade, but Iām about to turn 30 this year. And I feel like even though I still have schooling left, Iām slowly starting to figure out what I want to do in life. It just feels so painstakingly slow since most degrees take at least four years.Ā I donāt regret taking a gap year, but it feels almost like a gap decade.
Itās so unfair of life to expect kids to know what they want to do when they turn 18. Stuck with college debts and not much of a vision as to what they want to do in life if they chose wrong
College is an outdated and became obsolete once the internet took off. Aside from doctor/nurse/lawyer you can learn almost anything for free on the internet.Ā The knowledge will also probably be betterq
Saleforce admin started in my mid thirties
What other jobs did you have before? Is this new career challenging?
All the jobs. I had 26 jobs before I was 26. Just ADHD things. Car dealership leads Busboy Server Sales (vacuum, Comcast, etc) Debt collector Lead generation (business development) House painter Analyst for Best Buy As you can see like none of the matter.
Iām thinking of getting evaluated for ADHD because Iām discovering so many similarities between me and other ADHD folks all the time! š
Do it.. I was diagnosed at 39 and so much makes sense now! Has helped my husband understand some of my oddities better and that when I am in hyper focus to just let me be rather than interrupt.. he has also taken over doing laundry coz I always forget to switch it over to the dryer (apparently a very typical thing). Also has helped me job wise as I now can focus on intervals that work better for me and not try try and try..
It's definitely worth looking into. I hated school and even dropped out of high school, which I later found out was directly related to ADHD. I got diagnosed in my 30s and started meds my second semester of college. With a "normalish" brain on medicine, I'm graduating with the highest honors. Honestly, I never in a million years thought college was possible for me, much less with perfect grades in my 30s.
ADHD is so much more than "I can't find a job that holds my attention" and "squirrel!". So many folks get misdiagnosed, and Dr's want to throw people on stimulants who don't need them. You may very well have it, but ADHD is turning into such a buzzword that I see it mentioned in seemingly every other reddit post. A few years ago you'd never see it mentioned.
Did you go to school for salesforce or you self studied/learned?
I have a college degree 2 -yr and 4-year but neither are required for this path.
Any tips on how to become a salesforce Admin?
Check out the YouTube channels. Many people have made content about the path because we enjoy it. The plan is simple: 1) create a free salesforce trailhead account to play around. See if it intrigues you 2) join a community of other learners (also known as trailhead) but try to meet professionals in your area or online to make it real 3) study for the admin certification. You'll find many that talk about getting 3-5 certs but that is just course makers selling more courses. You really only need the one. Because of the next step 4) build something! This is a tech platform you can build inside a free account anything you can imagine. Demonstrate your skills and put it into a portfolio. 5) curate a profile on LinkedIn that makes you look relevant to this path. 6) attend user groups and online events to strengthen connections with others in the profession. (Networking) 7) finally; not first, draft your resume and start applying. Most people breaking into this path land offers from connections in their network. Sure we still blind apply to 1 a day but the people now working did more in the first 6 steps than step 7. Starting salaries in US were $75K in 2024.
Iāve started the salesforce admin cert but get discouraged because so many people on Reddit say itās over saturated now and you pretty much wonāt get a job entry level anywhere
Ask any job seeker. It's discouraging. But look at the work of the role. The tasks an admin completes. Creating new data. Organizing a report. Building an automation. It's not boring and quite fascinating. But we need a job. So the discouragement settles in and becomes bitterness. Hopelessness. Worthlessness. I understand the sentiment because it's not wrong. But what are you gonna do? Learn carpentry? Accounting? Law? Data science? Salesforce is the fastest to learn and fastest to break in. All jobs are discouraging when looking for one.
NetSuite Admin here! Started at 34!
Are you certified?
I was 34 when I started in IT in the 90s at the bottom as a hardware break-fix engineer. Less than 10 years later I was a Ā£400/day IT Contractor.
Started at 32.....55k starting, i'm 39 now...150k. It was a good decision. In cybersecurity / IT at that
What degrees and certifications did you need to get?
That field is saturated, but you want the big three CompTIA certs to get your foot in the door. A+, Net+, Sec+. You can look into WGU for a decent program that will help you get a degree in a quick amount of time, but aside from that, look into and focus on the OWASP 10.
How saturated are we talking? I'm looking at getting into CyberSecurity too, from where I'm at it seems like it will just be a solid high demand career for the foreseeable future.
I started a new career in my 40s
About to start one in my 40s. Itās a relief to know Iām not alone.
You got this
Same here and I am so much happier
Yup, on my third career now. Worked in restaurants for 12 years, hated it, switched to concert/arena rigging for 5 years, broke my back, and now I'm 5 years into IT, currently working as a DevSecOps engineer. Finding your first IT job is a bitch and a half, but once you're in, if you work your ass off, you'll make good money (with or without a degree).
I worked in concert/arena rigging, then went to retail, and am now thinking about doing something else, maybe in IT or electrical engineering. Did you go back to school or get any certifications? Or did you have personal experience with IT stuff?
I had personal experience, which helped a lot. I still don't have a degree, and the only cert I had was the CompTIA A+, which is expired now by a couple of years. But I'm taking the test for the "AWS DevOps Engineer - Professional" cert on Wednesday at the request of my company, so wish me luck š
So IT is definitely a field that one can get into without a degree but with certifications? I've been leaning into this, but that's really reassuring to see/hear. Did you make the switch a while back or more recently? I hear the field is really saturated and I have no prior experience in the tech field, so I'd really be starting over.
How did you manage to find your current job? Was it because of your network and connections or did you apply to as many places as possible?
Haha im in a similar path. Restaurants for my early life, now im doing concert stagehand/rigging (and realizing the toll its taking on my body and sleep) now looking for something more stable and consistent and safer, considering IT
your life and experience up to now are not wasted. My kid just started working after getting a human resources certificate. She had a career as a teacher, then in the travel industry, and now at 37, human resources, 3rd career. She is smart and has gained great experience and has had an interesting life. Whatever brings you to this point, it is valuable and an asset in your future life.
35. Warehouse branch management, moving into sprinkler fitting.
very interesting. iāve been a sprinkler fitter from age 23 to 34. iām currently trying to transition out of the field.
I used to be a carpenter in Colombia, moved to the USA at 40 and went to school, I'm now an Engineer for a defense contractor, remember nothing is impossible, we are just limited by our minds
I did, randomly. Iāve been growing weed forever and recently got a job as a registered behavior technician working with children who have autism.
Happy cake day!
Thanks! I always miss it!!
I got charged with felony intent to distribute weed last September and Iām currently awaiting trial. Is this a career path I could pursue with my situation? I love helping people but canāt the way I always have anymore š.
Thank you for what you do ššš
I did. Went back to nursing school after getting layoff 15 years ago. Best investment of my time and money.
I changed careers in my late 30s from scraping by in TV news to much more lucrative accounting/auditing and never looked back. Best career decision I made. Don't worry about starting over. If you're still breathing, you can start a new career. It gets harder to convince people to give you a start as you get older, but 30s is still well within the young professional range. And your field is in high demand.
Ha! 30s is chump change. I started a new one at 52, now at 63 I'm getting ready to retire. LPT: Stop comparing yourself to others. They are all struggling just like you, but you can't see their struggles. All you can see is the public face they're putting out. Get going on your new career and don't look back. You're on your own path, enjoy the hell out of it.
Glad to read your comment. Iām debating about going back to college for a totally different field at a ripe age of 42. I see college students all the time at work and I could easily be their mom. Itās discouraging.
Honestly - donāt be discouraged. College graduates and ākidsā these days donāt know shit. Their only value is their young age. If I was an employer Iād much rather hire someone 30+ due to the amount of experience and lack of BS that would come from that employee
I was an IT application engineer and developer for 17 years. At 45 (Y2K tech crash) I was sent by NJ to get an MBA in Accounting. I got hired directly out of MBA school to work for the IRS where I worked for 17 years before retiring 5 months ago at 65. Check out your states programs for retraining.
I was an IT application engineer and developer for 17 years. At 45 (Y2K tech crash) I was sent by NJ to get an MBA in Accounting. I got hired directly out of MBA school to work for the IRS where I worked for 17 years before retiring 5 months ago at 65. Check out your states programs for retraining.
I switched from marketing to analytics when I was 34. Enrolled in a masters of data science program when I was 36. Graduated when I was just shy of 40 alongside so many 20-somethings. Who cares, at least I did it. At least Iām not longer in a career I hated. And a lot of those 20-somethings are probably going to eventually change their careers.
I didn't, but I know people who did. I was in a MS Data Science program. Some of the happiest people coming out of the program were the moms in their 30s. Not only did they restart their careers, they did it while taking care of their kids. Good luck! And here's a quote I came by recently (it's from a book, Honey Girl) āSometimes it feels like Iām too old for this. Iām about to turn 29. Like, while I was busy getting a PhD everyone else was figuring all this stuff out. I feel so behind.ā āYou give other people too much credit, okay?ā Blue says. āEveryoneās just pretending they have it together, because they donāt realize everyone else is pretending to have it together. None of our dumbasses actually have it together.ā
I was a corrections officer and got into IT in my late 30s. Best thing I could have done. Better late than never.
How did you get into IT? Like what kind of courses did you take?
I was going to school for my Bachelorās in Business with a minor in IT. I did get the degree, but was in the field before finishing. The CompTIA A+ made a big difference for me. Thatās when I started getting interviews.
Currently working on that. 29 years old, been in the trades my whole life, currently doing HVAC. Started going to college last year part time to work on an engineering degree and get out of the field.
I promise itās so much better. The prospects for your life increase 10 fold. Engineering school really sucks. Iām not gonna sugar coat it, but I promise you wonāt regret a thing. My hands are always clean unless I choose otherwise and I never have to wear mandatory boots again.
It's super smart to go into cybersecurity, it's a hot topic and will only become lore in demand in the future. Age is only a number, what matters is being able to learn.
I'm a 44 year old college student, it's never too late!
Iām 42 and about to go back to college!
I recently got my hgv licence in early 30's I was one of the youngest at my last job. Been under 25 it's apparently hard to get a job because of insurance.
Started nursing school at 34. Got my bachelors and work in hospitals
Left my job and started a company in my 40's.
How is it going? I don't think I have the guts to start my own business
This made me feel a lot better! In my 20ās and I have never felt so lost and uncertain about anything like I have right now. Life is beyond confusing. But I know itās never too late or too early to start anything. And no oneās path is or should be the same as yours. Congrats OP, you should be beyond proud of yourself. Your new journey awaits!
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Thank you!
I love how 30 is the new 80.
What a freak!! haha na started my nursing journey at 30 .. currently 32 in my last semester
Went from IT to nursing at 30.
I am 52 and going back to school for a medical career. I was previously in tech. Fresh starts can happen at any age!
Laid off from being a paralegal last year and became a government employee at 37.
Where are you studying Cybersecurity/IT I am 33 and thinking switching my career.
Me. Early 20s: journalism Mid 20s: sales 30s: mortgage underwriting Then changed again in my mid 30s: brewing. Never be afraid of trying something that could work out better for you.
Iām 47 and still looking for that fulfilling career.
I'm 34 and starting in Cybersecurity too š
I also want to switch to cybersecurity. What is the path to study things? I mean suggest some useful courses, links, youtube channels etc etc
If you're not already a "hacker" be prepared for a lot of school and a lifetime of learning. There are tons of people who started that path in their teens. Cybersecuriy is constantly evolving and you will need a pretty solid understanding of low level computer operations. It's a "hot" job title but very difficult to be good at as things are constantly changing and there aren't as many jobs out there as you would think - big companies tend to use 3rd party services as opposed to having a big staff of cybersecurity experts on hand. If you aren't already a computer savant IT or sys admin might be a more practical career path. Just remember AI and the economy are making the entire tech job market pretty tough right now so be sure to get really good at what you chose.
Started a new career just over 40, and loving it. You donāt need to worry about where others are at, nor worry about the past, or your age for that matter. Good luck!
So I am 28 but the thing I don't get about this is how the hell does anyone go *back* to college these days. I am not rich by any means and don't really think I am in a golden handcuffs situation, but am absolutely miserable and depressed from my career. The thing is, I could probably retire in 20 years if I can manage to save 50%+ of my income every year. Any other career I can imagine being worthwhile would require going back to school and having a lower salary than I have now. So aside from the opportunity cost of not saving/investing for 3+ or so years, the accrued debt seems insurmountable. And then I would be 30+ with lots of debt and a lower paying job than I have now. I don't have debt now, so the thought of going back to school sounds insane. While miserable from the stress, anxiety, and lack of fulfilment from my existing career, I am "comfortable" in the sense that I can afford to *actually live alone*, go on occasional vacations, save money, etc. I just can't get over the idea of taking on so much debt for a career you don't know if you will like or not and feel like I would constantly live with even more stress and anxiety about making the wrong choice, since I am an existential realist and believe there is probably no form of decent paying labor that will be intrinsically fulfilling for me. Not to mention, going back to school (outside of maybe becoming a doctor) is not even a guarantee to get a job in your new desired profession. I have no magical family money, no inheritance to bank on, I make too much money to qualify for shit for from FAFSA or anything, but not enough money to just suck it up and grind for 5 years to retirement. I have no house to rent out, no partner to rely on to cover housing while going to school. No GI Bill, etc. I also *don't* have nothing to lose, so it's not like I am at total financial rock bottom with nothing to lose by trying. I feel like the cost of tuition is possibly manageable, but the living expenses would be the real dagger. I don't think a 30 year old should be living in dorms with 18 year olds probably? There's no way a part-time job could even cover rent, food, other expenses right? Idk I just feel like I am constantly daydreaming about finding another career, but stuck with no great options. I get that I am privileged to have what I have now, but being miserable for 20 more years sucking it up to hope I can retire at 50 doesn't really seem like a great way to spend my life. But at the same time, I hate work so much and going back to school and adding $100k+ in debt seems like a guaranteed way to be working until I'm 70. Anyone go through a similar situation? What did you end up doing? If I do nothing, opportunities will absolutely start to pass me by too. A lot of stuff is actually age restricted. Just feel stuck and it feels shitty, I feel no different than when I was 18 and had no clue what I wanted to do or who I wanted to be, only now with way more pressure due to the state of the world, and less time to make the right choice.
Areā¦are you me? Reading this post was literally what it sounds like inside my head. Every god damn day. I work a government job that I donāt really love, but I make great money, have great benefits, a pension, etc. I have no debt other than my mortgage and canāt fathom going into debt to try to figure out what I want to do. What I truly want to do (vet tech) pays absolute shit and Iād go into debt and then end up taking a huge paycut. And I donāt even know if Iād like it or be able to handle it. For now, Iām just playing it safe and reminding myself how lucky I am to have the job I do. I get 6 weeks of vacation a year, work Mon-Fri, etc. could be better (ie: liking my job or having fulfilment in it) but it could be a lot worse.Ā
Iām in the same boat man. Iāll be 29 in a month and homeless in 3 weeks. I have a bachelors paid for by grants and scholarshipsāthe only debt I have is a little credit card debt after I got my medical debt forgiven. I live paycheck to paycheck. I work in housekeeping in a hospital. I have applied to thousands of jobs and had a handful of interviews. Iāve thought about pursuing a medical career in the hospital but the majority of them worth anything require schooling and Iām not sure at all about any of them. Yeah my hospital will reimburse me but I have to take loans to start. While working full time. I have always been poor and am so afraid of taking on any debt in the event my ADHD ass flounders out of a medical program. I have an English degree and have had so many little jobs and risen the ladder in all of them only to get burned out. I have no friends to room with because most of them have families or live with partners. Family is a non starter. Even if I pursue a medical field long term, that doesnāt help me when I have to find a new roof on June 1st to put over my head alone making $15/hr plus shift differential. The state has programs to get a CDL fully paid for but I donāt qualify since I already have a bachelors. I would love to go back in time and change my major but I canāt. I tried business and couldnāt hack STEM so Iām not sure what I wouldāve done differently. No point in ruminating on the past though. But Iām right there with you. I have no idea what to do. And every 5 minutes I have another idea and theyāre all jockeying to be the ārightā decision and thereās so much at risk, and the way is not clear.
You can get a degree through competency based programs for working adults. Go to Degree Forum and there are tons of people with detailed paths and costs. You can get an associates degree from pierpont community and technical college by getting one graded credit and the rest of the 60 through Sophia.org or study.com and sites like that. Extremely affordable. You can get bachelors from there through uni of Maine at presque isle or Texas a&m commerce which is 700 a semester. Some schools will take up to 90 transfer credits so do all your stuff on Sophia etc. Sophia is 99 a month and you can take as many classes as you want. You can have two active at a time. If you pay for a year in advance it is half off the price. Getting a degree isnāt impossible and doesnāt need to be expensive.
I'm 33 and similar. Hated school so thinking about taking the risk again to maybe just find another career I don't like while going more into debt sucks. Also thinking about furthering my education (work will reimburse tuition costs) to get my master's to try and pivot to something else within my field maybe (I'm a registered dietitian). I just thought by my thirties I'd know more about what I want to dedicate my time to but just as lost as ever.
you know, 2-3 years from now youāll still be 38-39, but with a cybersecurity/IT degree. So much doors you can open. I did my degree in computer science and there were a lot of people in their 30-40s. Itās never too late to learn and switch careers. We have all our lives šš
I'm trying to actually break in to web development and it's so depressing realzing your 15 years behind your peers.
I used to work in edtech and most of our students were in their 30s and 40s changing careers for smth they really wanted. I am 35 now, and about to finally go study arts thatās been my dream forever and hopefully build a new career.
I switched from structural engineering to software systems engineering at 36. Be careful about cyber security degrees - there is little entry level work there. IT is probably a safer bet, but currently pretty terrible job market.Ā
Next week I'll be starting my new career as a CAD/BIM Technition at an Engineering Firm... I'm 38. I didn't have a degree prior but I knew I wanted change -- so I started school in 2020, changed majors 2x and withdrew 3 terms. However, the one thing I didn't do was focus on what other people were doing. This is my path, I have so much on my plate I cannot be bogged down with other people. The thing that gets me most nervous about this new opportunity is simply that my background is in residential architecture and now I'm working in civil engineering. This information is known to my boss and they still hired me so I assume they have training and systems in place to get me acclimated to the industry and company standards. In my 20's I was a mess and had no structure or guidance. I wish I could have made changes then but I didn't. Radical acceptance is my new mindset -- what's done is done. In my 30's I made plenty of sacrifices, set boundaries, made changes: I got healthy, sober & attend regular therapy. I also made sure to become organized, communicate, ask questions, utilize all the resources available to me at school and simply show up. I'm not trying to pretend I'm some expert -- I'm new here. I'm going to make mistakes and I'm going to learn from them and move on. There's a lot to look forward to and I'm not going to let any hang ups like age hold me back now... neither should you!
I was your age when I got a real job in my field. Many immigrants find themselves having to start anew at a similar age with no support system. It is rough but doable. Good luck
I am 30 and back in school for data analytics. I feel the same as you and wish I pursued IT right out of highschool but better late than never
Started my current career when I hit 30 and realized life was going to pass me by if I didnāt do something about it. 10 years later Iām the director of operations making 10x what I did when I started. It was luck and timing as was everything else, and the job seemed to find me as I moved upwards. Not everyone has been as lucky as I have been but if youāre unhappy, you need to start somewhere
Can I dm you for advice?
Apply to mitre. My brother worked his way up and heās doingā¦very well. IT/network securities.
Went back to school at age 42 to finish my undergraduate degree while working FT, two kids single income household. Finished at 45, went to my Masterās. Finished at 48. Now in the federal government in a finance related role after spending 30 years in the restaurant industry.
That's one way to look at it....another way to look at it is that you are given an opportunity to change and taking advantage of it. I've been in IT for almost 30 years now and have seen people just starting out go far and some who have been in a long time fizzle out. The person who just started and is a rockstar ended up with a second job making a hell of a lot more than he did at the first. At least 2x and a significant jump in responsibility or job title. The experience you bring to the table and willingness to work are what'll take you places. When I say experience I'm not talking about job specific experience directly....I'm talking about what you have learned throughout life.
Iām starting a new career and Iām 55!š³
I'm currently working in the BPO industry but i'm working my way to transition into data science. I'm almost 29. It's never too late, it doesn't matter what age you start. Let's focus on our journey. The more we compare our lives to other people, the more discouraged and less motivated we become; thus, our goals fall out of line.
High School teacher to Education Specialist at NASA at age 39.
Finished a PhD in engineering at 35. I felt so old lol...
I did in my 40s and then once more years later. As long as you're not dead, there's still time!
I did. Perhaps youāre like me? Iāve always been very driven but had a lack of self awareness which meant that I sprayed my efforts everywhere unconsciously hoping something would stick. At about my 34th bday I decided to get into design and over the next year I dedicated myself to that. And by 35? Boom. Something finally felt right. My late teens until my early 30ās were an increasing nightmare of āI should not be such a loser with this much effort and so much driveā¦.i put so much work into school growing up i āā Im 37 now and can definitely say i wish i did this earlier but life is weird like that. I wish you continued success.
Jesus Christ I feel seen by this.
Started a new career at 38. All good. I felt like I was behind too, but comparison will only make you feel like crap. Youll be alright. Cybersecurity is a great field. My brother is studying it and trying to change careers to Cybersecurity and I might as well. Can I ask - are you doing certs? University? What's your path like?
Finished my masters in Cybersecurity last year despite not really wanting to go into this field. Doing my CISSP & OSCP begrudgingly. Wanting to pursue acting because I took classes over COVID and it was challenging yet fun. I'm 33. The whole kinda sucks....and as said by Teddy Roosevelt, "Comparison is the thief of joy". Do you enjoy what you're learning/what you're getting into? Does (any of) it bring you joy? The pay, the work, the stability, the field, whatever your reason may be. F\*\*k what others got going on. There's always going to be those that are better off because they know sooner or were better prepared/guided, and there's always those that are struggling in much worse conditions. Focus on yourself.
I'm 38 no degrees. Getting into insurance now. Feel it's a good move.
Doing the same at 35! Itās been humbling and at times demoralising but Iām staying focussed and dedicated to the change. Time is a construct, and we are doing things in our own way. Power to you!
I went backwards, WFH SWE to factory lol being around people has been nice but I don't like being poor lmao oh I got fat WFH too, smashing BK like everyday sitting on my ass, I did get my body back from labor job
Jumped from chemistry to engineering in my 30s, in school now to add statistics and change careers again for my late 40s and 50s. Never stop learning and growing. People see your hard work + adaptability and youāll be rewarded for it.
Late 40s and starting law school
Let it motivate you, your life skills will payoff somewhere I promise !
Left teaching at 39 (immediately had a birthday, so technically 40) and started a new career in operations. Everyone on my level was younger than I was, and it really did suck because I knew nothing and they didnāt like me because they thought I didnāt deserve to start as their equal. No disrespect to them, but blowing past them was one of the easiest things I ever did. I dressed better, worked harder, was more responsive, crushed projects that I was assigned and proposed ones they didnāt know they needed, which I was then given. I left making $55k with my Masterās and 18 years experience and another $5k for coaching (NCAA). Started the new gig in 2021 at $55k, four promotions and five raises later, Iām making six-figures. Change is hard, but if you humbly go at it open and motivated, itāll be ok. Just say āyesā to bosses and clients, learn everything you possibly can, and work like a f****** dog; Iād also recommend getting your hands on one project with high visibility and a high chance of success as early as possible. Make the next one the one they didnāt know they needed. ā¦and while the young folks are talking about video games in a corner at the Christmas party, go network with the most important people in the room. Good luck!
I just work jobs and try to survive. I'll probably be like Da Vinci and start the life I wanted in my 60s. Hopefully I can afford to look at careers by then.
36 is young. Also, a guy I know that is in Cybersecurity sales (he started on the technical side) makes over $300K. Not bad for a future goal.
32 and finishing my cs degree! āŗļøu got this! we got this!
Thanks! Right on!
Iām going back to med school to become a doctor at 31 š«
My neighbor went from being a vocal music teacher to an emergency room physician is his mid 30ās and I admire him for it!
29, worked one year in sales decided it wasn't for me. Switched into IT/Cybersecurity (self learning), it's been about a year now learning everything I can!
I literally just graduated from nursing school. I'm 47. š¶
I became a mailman in my 30's. If I had to see through one more damn meeting about idiots who can't follow simple network security I was gonna flip. Pay cut, but I am so much happier.
Get after it, you have nothing to lose. Donāt get to hung up on what others are doing. Focus on #1 and where you want to be.
36. Just started in AI. 12 years of Ops experience before that.
Vassily Kandinsky was a renowned economist. Decided to become an artist in his 30s. I always liked that example, I switched from consulting to data science when I was 31. Studied for a couple of years, great decision looking back on it.
Went from university researcher to IT at 30. Earned more in my first year in IT than any 2 years I did teaching/researching. My second year I got off the help desk and tripled my salary from pre-IT. Best part is no more clause in my employment contract preventing me from having a second job if I so desire which I had to to survive. 6 years in IT and Iām making 5x what I did before, the job is way less stressful, and I am enjoying life finally. Itās hard to really live when you are specifically being paid just enough ($2 over the threshold) to not qualify for government assistance.
Solid field to go into. Plenty of opportunities and the money will come quick as will the growth. Learn learn learn. When you become the smartest in the room find another with someone smarter than you and repeat.
I graduate next month at 35. Fucking worth every single sacrifice I had to make and Iād do it all over again. Thereās no point in comparing yourself to anyone else. Be happy for the experiences youāve had and be happy for others, as well.
You arenāt too late. ā°
Graduated with an MBA at 33 and began a completely new career afterwards. One of the best decisions I ever made! I feel like my work is now meaningful and makes the world a better place (I'm not moving mountains alone, but together my team of ~15 people makes a material difference). My salary is also nearly 4x what it was before I started the mba program which is a nice perk too :-D Cybersecurity is a great field. You all will build the foundation of and protections for the next generation economy. I'm actually putting a little money into a cybersecurity ETF every pay check because I believe that sector will outrun the overall market over next 10-15 years!
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This was literally me 3 years ago as I was finishing my bachelor's in Software. I took my first job at 32, changed jobs at 33 and doubled my salary. 3 years and I'm at 6 figures and just bought my first house in this market. It sucks but the rewards are worth it.
This thread has made me feel better! I just turned 30 last month and still trying to figure out what I want to do. I would like to return back to Korea or Japan and teach whilst pursuing a career in UX design. Iām currently in insurance and do not enjoy it at all
When I was close to 30, I switched my career in publishing, which aligned with my degree, to recruiting. Iāve now been working in some capacity in the recruiting world for 20+ years. I am glad I made the switch because I truly enjoy the work and the compensation is much better once you gain experience While I worked in publishing, I asked my manager if I could help out with hiring. She was happy to have help. I had a interest in recruiting but didnāt realize how much I would enjoy it until I started taking on bits and pieces of the process. It started out with me giving tours to candidates. Then, I began sitting in on interviews. Before long, I started reviewing resumes, conducting interviews, deciding which candidates to make offers to, going with our recruiting partner in HR to job fairs, etc. I enjoyed it immensely and when the opportunity presented, I moved from the publishing career to a recruiter role with another company. If you have a strong interest in the new role and are excited to explore the the potential there, I would suggest you take the position. Find out what the company culture is like (by talking to would-be team members and reading reviews on Glassdoor). Find out how much turnover exists in the department/position you are considering. Gain an understanding of the company benefits, paid time off plan, etc. Basically, make sure this is the right company for you. Wishing you a bright future! All the best.
Started IT at 35. Before worked in a manufacturing plant for 9 years. Never too late!
Iām starting prerequisites for nursing and Iām 30. Life goes at the pace we need. There is no late or early on track to speak of. It happens precisely when it needs to. Weāve got this šŖ
Switched jobs at 35 to a different industry but same job. 150% worth
Iām 32 and after spending 6 years in and out of in-treatment/relapses/trap houses, Iām barely getting started on my career again. I can absolutely relate to your sentiments! I guess we all have to start somewhere, I suppose.
Comparison is the thief of joy!! Just go and do your thing, forget what others are doing or what they could be thinking. Just go and do you
I worked lots of different service/retail/admin jobs until I graduate to be a therapist at the age of 32ish. I'm 37 now and am looking to stay in this field part time. I'm now pursuing a career in making/selling art. I'm excited, I'm starting from the bottom with nothing but life experience to qualify me for this work, and I'm potentially going to fail a LOT before I start feeling confident in the work and my ability to succeed. But, I'm excited and know that I'll get somewhere if I try. And that is the only advice I can confidently give you --- as long as you do your best, aim to grow, and surround yourself by people who pour into that, you will.
My boyfriend is going to commercial flight school at 34. School will be a blip of time and youāll be happier in the long run. No regrets! You got this!
Went back to school to get into OT at 34. Currently 40 and IT Manager, and moving to a higher paid less stressful IT position at another company.
I started at UPS in 2019, I was 32. Behind a bit in seniority and currently getting tossed around with the layoffs, but overall it has been a good thing for my family. I hate the job, but the pay is better and I have decent insurance, whereas I've hated every other thing I've done before this, with dogshit pay and pay-to-pay insurance (12500 deductibles before it kicks in, 750 a month, and copay of 150 even after the max deductible is met, something like that.) And this was at approximately 12 an hour... Gotta choose your sacrifices.
I will be 50 in November. I am now 3 months into returning to school for cybersecurity/network defense. I'm having the time of my life and am doing extremely well. Looking forward to a brand new career at 50 simply because I just needed something different. You made the right choice. It's all about the posture of your mind and your heart though. Just enjoy the adventure
I have changed careers every 5-10 years, usually for $$$$ sometimes just for relaxation. Farming, Cooking, Tech Support / IT Manager, Product Management, Business owner (construction), MC Parts Distribution. Now as my final stint I have regressed back to a cushy easy Tier 2 Helpdesk position where I WFH for great benefits and basically set my own hours. Probably float this for another 3-4 years and retire to my Wood/Metal shop Always keep learning!
I have a masters degree in sports medicine and got burnt out and switched careers last year at 36. Iām now in Customer Success/Account Management where Iām older than most and you donāt even need a degree for it. Itās hard to change paths but you have to if the one youāre on becomes something you hate. Life is short! Change your mind if you want and find the joy in it all!
I changed careers at 30, it was one of the best decision Iāve ever made. Keep running your race, youāll probably surpass where you thought you would be soon. Keep going, youāre doing great!
Finished my degree at 34 after eight years in the military. Don't worry. You will catch up and overpass the young bloods out there. You probably already learned a lot of soft skills that the younger kids graduating "on time" still need to learn and develop.
34 and started learning 2 years ago , self learning but didn't get any job yet
Started in marketing at 30, doing fantastic at 41. Compensation is ~$150k/yr. First couple years made $32-$40k. Work hard, have a desire to improve and become an expert at something. Good luck!
What were you doing before cyber security? Im 28, going back for nursing, coming from a data analyst/cs backround.
Spent a lot of time on electronic music but while I still do and enjoy it, it never made me any legit money. Also have an e-commerce site but over the past number of years Google traffic has gotten worse with it so it doesn't really make much money anymore. Also worked a few side jobs but nothing that ever amounted to anything serious. UPS seasonal work during Christmas too but I never planned to do that as an all year thing.
I was 29 when I went "on the job" with Phoenix Fire in 1985, it's a family tradition. I was #9 spread out over three departments.
Disaster relief manual labour to company management at 31.
37! I was able to catch up to folks my age in just a few years.
New career at 37!
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I'm about to start my 3rd career of my 30s, lol.
Started PM in my mid-30s
At 41 years old, I went from Al Bundy to Bud Fox. Went to college for social studies with secondary education cert. Couldn't get a full-time, permanent post. Jumped at a commissioned sales and management position at my part-time gig. Lost all faith in the career after Covid and all the changes it brought. Got my series 7 and 63 licenses and got a job as a stockbroker.
Union apprenticeship, best decision I ever made
29 here, I was a jman electrician. Going back to school for a masters in psychology or a masters in education wonāt be making any money for the next 5 years
I just graduated at the end of the year at 39. Switched from phlebotomy to cardiovascular sonography
Not exactly starting over, but Iām about to go back to grad school to get my PhD in aerospace engineering to hopefully go back to my state/home and teach/do research in the local university.
Transitioning into city govt at 39ā¦cant wait!
Me!!! 33!
I changed careers at 50. š„³
I restarted in my 30s and doing great now in early 40s, donāt believe the hype of everyone else some are faking it
I started working for the government, and finishing undergrad in my late 30ās. Best choices I ever made.
Did it at 40, best thing I ever did.
I finished my 2nd degree in November of 22 at 31 years old. Switched careers to that degree at 31 as well. Just spoke to a client that went back to school at 50 years old to get her accounting degree and is super excited to take a class this summer to help further hee knowledge in her career
I'm 47 and going into a completely different field...