Career change — a grounded guide
You don't need permission to change careers. You need a plan that respects both your rent and your soul.
The four honest questions
- 1. What am I running from? (A bad boss isn't a bad industry.)
- 2. What am I running toward? (A vibe isn't a career.)
- 3. What can I keep from the last 10 years? (Skills, network, reputation — bring them.)
- 4. How long can I fund the transition? (Runway is strategy.)
Changing careers at 30
You have runway and no dependents on your identity yet. Optimise for range — pick a field where the next 5 years teach you something rare, not just something well-paid.
Changing careers at 40
You have leverage: reputation, network, judgement. Don't restart at zero. Bridge — take your existing skill stack into a new context where it's undervalued. That's where mid-career switches quietly win.
Changing careers at 50
The question isn't "can I start over" — you can. The better question is "what do I want the next 15 years to have taught me?" Design backwards from that.
Common traps
- — Quitting before you've named what you want.
- — Retraining for a job market that will change before you graduate.
- — Confusing rest with a new career.
- — Ignoring how much of your identity was in the old role.