Changing Career Paths as You Age - CareerAlley

Changing Career Paths as You Age - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. It can be challenging to choose a career at a young age and continue the same path all the way to retirement. Opinions and circumstances change and influence individuals lives. Here are some examples of people who have changed careers with time. Business Owner Turned Comedian/Professor Lakshmi Balachandra once found herself taking over the family business. It had been family owned for generations. After a few months of setting everything in place, the store was as successful as it had ever been. Eventually, this woman grew bored. The day to day dealings of running a store seemed less appealing than the startup phase. She decided that she wanted to become a venture capitalist. Unfortunately, this required much more education. After being denied entry to her desired schools, she decided to pursue a long time dream that involved comedy. She moved to California and joined an improv group. Eventually, a professor at Harvard invited her to create a class combining her improv talents and her business background. She now runs a class on Improvisation For Negotiation. In the end, she has the opportunity to perform each day, while passing on her business experience to students. Her dream has directly been influenced by her past. CEO Turned Realtor Susan Phillips Bari, founding president of the Womens Business Enterprise National Council, worked for years in the nonprofit sector. At a certain point, she was ready to make a change. She had always wanted to sell real estate. She figured that selling something tangible had to be easier than raising money for nonprofit groups. Her first career affected millions of people. This new path only involved helping one or two people at a time. Her role shifted from leader to role model. She now has a more flexible schedule and free time. On the downside, she traded a solid six figure salary for an income based solely on performance. However, with proper budgeting and planning, she has broken free from the restraints that kept her from living a fulfilling life. Financial Analyst Turned Beautician Sarah Kelly worked as a financial analyst at Wells Fargo Bank for 15 years. As she spent time in the business world, she received numerous promotions, but also came face to face with office politics. She was becoming unhappy and frustrated, but was afraid of change. She was in the middle of a divorce and needed stable income and health insurance. Going out on a limb to make a positive example for the son, she quit the banking world, went to beauty school, and opened her own hair salon. She is the perfect example of someone who did not sit idle as her dream job seemed like an impossibility. She realized that a dead end job is a chance for a new beginning instead of an end. Lawyer Turned Skills Trainer Betsy Munnell was a partner in a prestigious law firm. She withdrew to develop a consulting business. This change in careers allowed her to provide training to law students. She initiated this change because of her family. With a husband and three children at home, she could not offer the necessary time that was needed to maintain a large firm. While a partner at her law firm, she implemented a training program for new recruits. This experience led her to develop her own business as an adviser. She can now pass on tips and lessons from her own experiences onto others who are entering the world of law. Most college graduates begin on a career path that may not be fulfilling. In the beginning, it is important to become established and earn a good salary. After time, it may be necessary to review life and think about what career is most fulfilling. It is not always necessary to remain stagnate and unhappy at work. Even though it may be scary, the above examples are proof of the positivity that may lie ahead after changing careers as you age. Author Bio Joshua Turner is a writer who creates informative articles in relation to the field of business. In this article, he describes a few individuals who changed careers as they aged and aims to encourage further study with a masters degree in aging. This is a Guest post. If you would like to submit a guest post to CareerAlley, please follow these guest post guidelines. Visit me on Facebook