Choosing a career is difficult even after a lifetime of experience. It’s even harder when you are first starting out and not sure what direction you want to go in. You have no real idea of what your work will be like, whether you’ll enjoy it, or even if you’ll end relocating. As a result, you often wind up making decisions you later regret.
Sometimes it can take you the whole of your twenties (and thirties for that matter) to realize that you’re in the wrong career. When that happens, it can feel like a kick in the teeth. You’d love to do something different. But can you? Is it realistic?
Many people spend years in a specific industry like finance or retail and discover, one day, their real passion is healthcare work. They want to help those with terminal diseases or get involved in the healthcare system. They want to be involved in a way that allows them to make a massive impact. But is the career change feasible?
It Depends On Which Role You Want
In principle, nothing is stopping a forty-year-old mechanic from becoming a doctor. But in practice, the payoff is questionable. By the time you’ve qualified, and you can practice independently, you would be around fifty years old. You have to ask yourself, “Do you want to start a new career a 50?”
What’s more, you have to somehow finance yourself through all the training, without having much of a time horizon to pay it off. However, there are other, much more accessible roles across the healthcare sector that don’t involve direct provision of care.
Take backend technicians, for instance. These guys provide a supporting role to front line staff, preparing tests, conducting research, and taking notes. The job doesn’t require the same level of responsibility as becoming a surgeon. And, so, the training is less arduous. You can get into the sector faster. Other opportunities include care work, administrative roles, and even launching a startup that solves a fundamental problem in the industry.
It Depends On Your Strengths
Switching to a healthcare career after 30 also depends heavily on your strengths. If you fantasize about operating on people but also don’t have the stomach for it, you can quickly find yourself struggling.
By the time you reach thirty and have been in a career for almost ten years, you usually know where your strengths and weaknesses lie. Deep down, you typically know whether roles in healthcare are suitable or not and whether you can take them on.
If you’re an extraverted type of person, then a managerial role could be right up your street. If you’re conscientious to a fault, you might be better off filing health records. I filed health care records for a private doctor’s office before I joined the military. The work was not stressful, and I did enjoy it. After a while, I was given more responsibility and earned a position of trust within the office.
It Depends On Your Finances
Lastly, it depends on your finances. We live in a culture that tells people they can do pretty much whatever they want when they want. Rarely, though, is this a practical reality. You can easily go for a career change if you have plenty of money in the bank. In this case, you can afford to take the risk of switching to the healthcare sector. If, however, you can’t afford training or you are experiencing a temporary hit to your income because of, say, a family illness, it may not be worth the risk. You would need to take out loans, borrow money from friends or family members, or clear out your savings account.
Before switching careers, take a good look at your finances. Track your spending and create a budget. Know what you are willing to give up to make the career change possible.
Is it possible to switch to a healthcare career after 30? It sure is! Be sure to take time to plan it out by researching the industry, taking note of your strengths and weaknesses, and know where you stand financially. If you are not sure which path you should take, consider working with a career coach or counselor who can assist you along the journey. Here’s to YOUR success!
Carolyn R. Owens has over 25 years of proven experience and serves as a Career Strategist, Leadership, and Life Coach. She is the Chairwoman and CEO of Infinity Coaching, Inc., where they help you up-level your skills so you can up-level your income. Infinity Coaching, Inc. provides one-on-one and group coaching, organizational training, and personality assessments. Carolyn is certified to give both The Energy Leadership Index Assessment and Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) Assessment. You can find out more about both assessments and other products and services at https://infinitycoaching.net.
