Yes, yes it is.
Just kidding.
I don't think it's too late to change your career or job in your 30s if you're unhappy doing what you're doing. I do encourage you to be strategic about it though and use an abundance of common sense. I'm not a "leap and the net will appear" kind of career counsellor. I want you to balance finding meaning and peace in your work while not putting your life into financial ruin. I also don't want you to increase your emotional, physical, or mental stress unnecessarily or without a plan or strategy to manage it.
People in their 30s often face a unique set of challenges and stressors as they deal with the complexities of work, relationships, family, and developing themselves as a person. When it comes to how appropriate it is to change careers, my sense has always been that age doesn't have as much to do with it as you might think.
For anyone wondering if it's too late to change careers in their 30s, folks in their 20s, 40s, 50s and beyond ask me the same question about their age, too. What does this tell us?
People representing every age group have told me they feel disadvantaged due to their age when it comes to their job search or career change. They say it would be better or easier for them to be a different age. They're either too young and inexperienced or too old and overqualified or something along these lines. There will be some people out there who won't hire you because they agree with you. Maybe those aren't your people. The truth is, we all have to be the age we are. So what? There is no perfect age. All you can do is present yourself in the best light and approach your career change or job search strategically.
Balancing career aspirations with the desire to have some sort of life outside of work can be stressful at any age. When you're in your 30s, you may feel the pressure to establish yourself in a career, climb the corporate ladder, or take a business to the next level.
You may be dealing with increasing financial responsibilities such as mortgage payments, high rental costs, student loans, and family expenses. Managing finances these days is no joke. If you're planning for major life events like buying a home, starting a family, or starting a business, that can add an extra layer of financial complexity.
Building and maintaining relationships or navigating marriage or committed partnerships, can feel like a lot, too. Throw a few little kids in there and yeah, life is full. The responsibilities of raising children can be overwhelming. Juggling parenthood with career demands can make it feel like there's no time, energy, or money left for much else.
The 30s are also a time when societal expectations and peer comparisons can be particularly impactful. You may feel pressure to measure up to societal norms, whether it's in terms of career achievements, homeownership, or lifestyle choices.
But you know what? You're going to have life stressors, responsibilities, and obligations at every stage of life. They'll just look different. If you're a parent, once you survive the sleepless nights of babies, daycare costs, and constant ear infections you may simply replace these things with the years of rep sports and teenage heartbreak and still have the same number of things taking your money and time and energy. If it's not kids, maybe you'll be focused on paying off your own student loans, planning your retirement, or perhaps helping care for aging family. Life will keep happening whether you prioritize what you want for your work now or later. You get to decide.
So my advice is for anyone wondering if it's too late to change careers in their 30s, it is not. Don't regret what you wish you did or didn't do in your past and don't save all of your plans for the future. If you're wondering if you should change your career, give yourself the gift of looking into it. You can always decide not to make changes but make it a conscious decision rather than something you just kept putting off or ignoring all together.
Rooting for you,
Christine
p.s.: Did you know that I’ve spent the past 23 years devoted to helping established professionals manage the challenges of working life?
My approach helps to boost confidence, reduce self-doubt, and clarify direction, so decisions feel easier and more seems possible.
I offer 1:1 coaching to professionals looking for longer term support as they navigate career or retirement transitions. Reach out to learn more.
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