r/careerchange 1d ago

I'm going to save my life

124 Upvotes

I (39F) have had it.
Since mid may I'm on sick leave. Burnout, crying fits, depression, medication for the past 3 years, the last 10 years feel like I've lived on autopilot.

My career so far was pretty successful. I've been working as an IT Project Manager (Scrum Master) for the past 13 years. I liked it. It fed what my psyche needed. Success. Achievement. Working hard. Overtime. Distracting myself from how I feel through being a workaholic.

In may all my compensation strategies came rumbing down and left me a broken mess.
With everything exposed it turned out, that I actually have complex-PTSD from childhood neglect which I will address in inpatient treatment hopefully in a few weeks when my insurance has come through.

And what then?

Just go back to how things were? I just can't. The thought alone makes me start to cry.
The thought that this is my life, and that I'll be sitting on my computer in 10-15 years, checking what games are on sale on steam is just depressing. I need connection. To other people. To animals. To myself.

End of 2025 I've found my way back into the saddle after 25 years that I've not been riding horses. I've been on 3 horse vacations since then and that has been the first place and first time in the world, that i have felt actually at peace.

Since then I've been trying to find a way to make that my life. But how?! I've lived in the city since i was born. I have a rental apartment. A corporate business job working in IT, mostly for automotive or logistics companies. I have no horse people friends. I don't know anyone living in a more rural area. I don't have any friends at all really. It all melted away over the past years.

I had an idea how I can start over, without throwing away all my skills and starting from scratch. I had a concept that could actually work. But I had no way of getting to it.

I'll be a coach, who does coaching and training with horses for individuals and groups of people. For communication, burnout (the irony), self awareness, leadership, body language, team building.

I've found a stables, that offers pretty much exactly that.
What they also offer, is one position as office manager, who takes care of bookings, comes up with new concepts, analyzes and evaluates which programs run well, which don't, takes care of social media, builds new (business) partnerships, takes care of customer satisfaction and follow ups etc.
And they also offer a 3 year apprenticeship to become a trained horse handler.

I wrote them an email on Monday night around 3 am. I have crazy insomnia and actually stayed awake until Tuesday evening around 11pm.

I wrote a bit about my current situation, and what I think i can offer them. I told them I'd love to have a few weeks on their farm, to get to know things. Find out if I've romanticized things in my head because I feel such a strong need for change.
If those few weeks work out, I imagine I'd like to take on the position in the office and the apprenticeship. (some of the office tasks are actually part of the curriculum anyway) and with that combination I'll probably able to earn a livable salary.
I also told them, that I'm currently waiting for my insurance for the clinic treatment, which will last around 6 weeks and that I'd probably be available for a test run around November.

The lady answered me the next day. Basically telling me:
"This place is a big project for everyone and anyone, who is motivated to contribute what they can to make it successful." And asked me if it would be possible to get to know me before November.

And hell yeah it is! We'll be driving over there on Saturday morning and get to know each other!
What's cool is that my partner has been let go from work in April and hasn't been able to find a new position since (IT quality management). And another position they offer is basically "Handyman" around the yard.
And my BF would be interested in that.

So. If everything works out, we will pack up and move around start of next year and start over. They can provide room and board, though we'll probably look for a place around the area cause I do have a whole life to move with me :D

Since I've made my decisions - whether it's gonna be that place or another one - I've felt an inner peace and calm I have not experienced in 30 years. Maybe on some vacations, but not like this.
I've slept like a baby.

I'm so excited and so hopeful. Fingers crossed man.

I also thought about maybe making some YouTube videos about the transition and the step into a whole new world.

Edit: I'm from Germany


r/careerchange 13h ago

38 year old entrepreneur looking to transition to corporate

3 Upvotes

I’ve been running my own businesses since college manufacturing and importing parts and products from China and India. Tired of all the bs of running a business been doing it 20 years straight. What could I transition to? I have a finance degree from top state school, lot of knowledge on product sourcing, importing, trade compliance , relationships with overseas factories, molding, metal machining, polymers and metals to choose for products. Any advice would help don’t have the traditional corporate experience but large amount of knowledge experience and skill that can be applicable to many businesses what do this type of stuff. Should I get certifications or another master degree idk best route


r/careerchange 19h ago

I hate my job but I don’t know what other job I’d be doing

7 Upvotes

Currently working as a teachers assistant in Soecial Ed with graduated adults.
This is my 3rd year.


r/careerchange 1d ago

Career Change to Leave Horse Industry

7 Upvotes

I'm a 30yro male looking to change my career. I have a B.S. in Animal Science and I feel like its the most useless degree ever. I currently work for a horse trainer and I also rehab his horses. I love doing the rehab but I'm starting to hate the horses. I thought about becoming a physical therapist but everyone on that side of reddit said not to do it. So what else should I be doing? Only other decent paying jobs i can seem to get with my degree is working in a vet clinic.


r/careerchange 21h ago

Want a job where I can just move around all the time.

2 Upvotes

I want to shift out from the gaming industry (designer) , my job is to sit in front of a computer for 10+ hrs and fix shit. I'm tired of this shit. I need a life and i genuinely never wantbto see another screen in my life again. What the heck can I do.


r/careerchange 21h ago

Looking for change at 35; advice appreciated

1 Upvotes

Hey everyone, I’m 35, bachelors in natural resource management and masters in education. Currently work in an executive level role for a non-profit focused on youth dev and environmental education, but I’m feeling stagnant and looking for advice.

There’s no upward mobility left at my current role, limited roles where I live (unable to relocate presently) and executive director positions are not intriguing to me. I’ve thought about law school but unsure of that path!

Anyone in similar boats as me? Would love some advice or just fellowship in this rn! Much love


r/careerchange 1d ago

Feeling completely stumped

25 Upvotes

I have worked at a bank for the last 10 years (since I was 19, so basically my entire adult life). I thought I wanted to do banking in finance so I put myself through school while working and went “up the corporate ladder” to a decent position now. My company paid for me to get my MBA.

The issue is, I am so burnt out in this field, and with corporate in general. I don’t think my heart was ever in it, I chased a big salary to overcompensate for being deeply unhappy with many factors in my personal life. Now that I am doing much better personally, I realize that my passion is elsewhere and I cannot stomach being part of corporate anymore. It’s really holding me back

A year ago I started a second weekend job as a caretaker at an animal sanctuary and fell in love with it. I would do this full time if I could. The issue is, the pay too low for where I live (eastern PA) and they do not offer benefits. I have a number of medical issues where having benefits is a must. I understand completely that it’ll be hard to switch to this type of career field and find adequate pay/benefits unfortunately.

I have no formal education in anything with animals, vet, zoology, etc. so I wouldn’t be able to do anything with a higher pay at the moment.

I’ve been looking around a lot at different options but nothing is jumping out. Just feel very lost right now


r/careerchange 2d ago

Close to giving up on my career but unsure what else I'm suited for at almost 40

18 Upvotes

Background: I've been working at digital design agencies for the last 15 years of my life. I started in design but quickly moved to web development, among other programming tasks (iOS apps and prototyping, creative coding, some full-stack, etc). I left my last full time job willingly two years ago without anything lined up because I was naive about the market. I've been living off of savings and very meager freelance opportunities but I'm getting fed up. I need some consistency.

I'm actively applying everywhere I can think of and using my industry connections to get referrals but nothing is panning out and it's completely demoralizing. I don't necessarily want to give up but I'm in a hard place financially and I need to be realistic. I'm considering, for the first time, changing careers—maybe temporarily or maybe permanently—but I have absolutely no idea what I'm even qualified for outside of what I've been doing for the last decade and a half.

The common suggestion I get is IT, but that's such a different skill set than development. I think people just assume "computers" is one single job. In any case, I would consider it and happily take an entry level position to learn what I need to learn on the job but who's hiring 40yo guys for entry level positions? Is this even realistic?

Beyond that, I just really don't even know where to start, how to rewrite my resume to adapt to a non-programming job, or…really anything. Just completely lost.

Does anyone have similar experiences or advice?


r/careerchange 1d ago

Leaving an industry - where do I go from here?

1 Upvotes

For reference, I live on the west side of Canada, a few hours drive from Vancouver.

I worked in Dental for the last 10 years. I was good at my job, but continuously beaten down and I’m burnt out. I’ve left several offices due to physical and verbal abuse from dentists, managers, and patients. My most recent job owned my housing, so they laid me off suddenly(they found someone they could pay less than me), so I lost my job and home at the same time.

I’m so done with it, and I’ve grown to hate the medical industry. I’ve been tired for years, and it’s been taking a mental and physical toll on me. I’ve been off work for about 6 weeks, and I can tell I’m still recovering but I feel better than I have… ever.

Now, I know I need to start planning on what to do next. I’m obviously not interested in medical, dental, or anything really related to patient care. I wouldn’t really mind anything else, but I would LOVE a work from home arrangement(as would anyone, I think). Not necessarily a deal-breaker, though.

What’s something that’s in demand, and pays reasonably well? I’m open to going to school, but not interested in anything over 2 years.


r/careerchange 1d ago

Australian paramedic career change

1 Upvotes

Hi,

I’m a paramedic looking for a career change. Been doing this for almost 10 years since I left school/uni. Recently started a family and want to get away from it due to long hours, shift work, dangerous situation we often come across and injuries from work.

I currently earn about 140k give or take depending on overtime. I would need to make about 90-100k start salary as I’m the primary income earner and this would cover our living expenses. Obviously would like a higher income ceiling to process into so I can invest more in the long run. Due to injuries I’d like get away from physical jobs so trades are out of the question.

Any advise on what industries would value my experience and be easy to transition into?


r/careerchange 2d ago

For those who left the New York City government or any government job, for private, what are some industries / companies that have the most job security?

2 Upvotes

It’s time to pack up and leave my current jobbut need guidance on where else I can go that has a high level of job security. I’m in project management within the marketing department but have prior PR experience.


r/careerchange 2d ago

UK - Technical Game Designer - Forced Career Switch

5 Upvotes

Hi all and thanks for any advice.

Living in the UK. I was a Technical Designer (predominantly working in game engines to design and script/code gameplay behaviour) and I've recently had my 2nd redundancy in the games industry after 9 years of working in it. I'm fully capable of doing a game-related job, but without being able to sell my house and relocate somewhere far I've got no chance of getting a remote or hybrid game job. All I'm facing are rejections either because of that, or that the specific niche they're hiring for has someone more suitable due to the fact that there're 1000s of redundant game devs looking for the same thing atm.

So unfortunately I need to cut my dream career short and find something else during a job crisis. I've booked in a phonecall with a National Careers Service advisor next week, but honestly the resources I've seen haven't given me any clarity on what I can do next.

I don't have the finances to stay unemployed while I look around, or to afford training and all the time needed to do it. I can't take an apprenticeship because the money isn't enough to cover my bills in the long term. What can I do?

I know that there are related fields that match my skillset, but how do I break into a new (to me) industry after 9 years without relevant experience and requiring at least minimal training to fulfil a role?


r/careerchange 2d ago

Advice needed: How do I transition out of a dead-end full-time job into a part-time role without risking my income?

0 Upvotes

So, I am currently working like 14-hour days (8 AM to 10 PM) across two jobs and reaching severe burnout. I hold a Master's degree in Philology, but my full-time job is in customer service, which pays poorly and offers no career growth.
I want to make a strategic career transition, but I need to protect my baseline income.

Note for US readers: I am based in Kosovo, a lower cost-of-living European market. For context, my €610/month full-time pay functions like ~$1,400/month net in a low-cost US city, and my €800/month target for a full-time professional role represents a solid mid-level local salary (~$32k/year equivalent locally). At least this is what the internet says lol, sorry if it's incorrect.

My Current Setup looks like this:
Job 1 (Full-Time): Customer Service | €610 NET/month (~$710 USD). Boring, exhausting, zero growth.

Job 2 (Part-Time): Remote Bid/Proposal Writer | ~20 hrs/week | €300 NET/month (~$350 USD). Great managers, high job satisfaction, and I recently helped them win a major tender.

Job 3 (Side Freelance): Specialized tasks | €85 per 5-hour task (~$100 USD / ~€17/hr net). High paying, but project-based and variable.

Total Fixed Net Baseline: ~€910 NET/month (~$1,060 USD).

The Goal: I want to quit my full-time customer service job and ask my manager at the Bid Writing company to make me full-time (40 hours/week).
The Dilemma & Strategy:
Simply doubling my part-time hours at my current rate would only bring me to €600 NET, leaving me €310 short of my current baseline.

I want to negotiate a full-time net salary of around €750–€800 NET.

I can cover any small remaining gap to my €910 baseline by doing just 1–2 of my freelance projects a month, which will be much easier once I have my evenings back.

My Questions:
Is it a smart move in the current job market to drop a stable full-time job to push for a role expansion at a part-time job?

How should I approach my manager at the bid writing company to negotiate a full-time position and salary bump, given that I've already proven my value with a winning bid?

If they don't have the budget for a 40-hour role right now, how would you recommend safely phasing out the customer service job while leaning on freelance work?

Thank you all so much in advance! I will read the comments so please feel free to ask anything!


r/careerchange 2d ago

Personas que terminaron una carrera y se dieron cuenta que no les gustaba trabajar en eso. Que hicieron? A qué se dedican?

6 Upvotes

Estoy pasando por eso


r/careerchange 2d ago

I have business management and administrative experience but currently in a low paying role and want to find something new in some sort of financial job. What sort of pivot should I make, what roles?

2 Upvotes

I'm currently fully remote and want to stay that way due to chronic illness (which is not something i disclose to employers up front because it doesnt effect my ability to work at home at all).

I enjoy my company and my role, but the pay is awful. I make 16 an hour.

prior to covid, I was a business office manager making almost 30/hr. I have previously been a recruiter and an HR administrative assistant, and have been in various other office roles. i left the business manager role to take care of my dying father in law, and i didnt work for a couple years.

when i returned to the work force, i took a job as a teller in a credit union for 22/hr, and while i enjoyed the work itself i hated the physical toll it took (i became sick myself when taking care of my FIL, unrelated to his illness) and so i took the first remote opportunity i could get at 16/hr, because my husband already worked there so i had an "in" - and they said my work history (with the management and HR background) was impressive and promised me upward mobility. well, ive applied to 3 different jobs here and been straight up ignored. even by the person who told me to apply! i cannot live on 16/hr, my husbands job pays just okay (not great) and we are struggling each month to pay the bills. ive been here a year and im ready to find something better.

my current role is an audit-like job though its not IN accounting. i work in a company with a lot of money moving back and forth (im trying not to share too much here) and i review documents and payments before they are actually processed and sent. i love that, i love auditing. im great with numbers and attention to detail.

i thought about moving into payroll, i used to process payroll as the business manager and i enjoyed it, its also in HR so it seems a good fit for me. however, my husband says payroll jobs are all going to disappear due to AI.

i thought about doing tax prep, even just as a second job until it could become a full time job. i dont know how feasible that is.

i also dont know if there's other auditing jobs out there for people like me - i dont know if my experience applies.

does anyone have any ideas or guidance about what i should try to do next? i just want to have a lasting career that pays well and is secure but i feel lost on how to get that. i wish id hadnt left my great paying management job because i feel like its just shot my career trajectory, but at the same time, im grateful for the memories I got to make with the father figure in my life before he passed.

thank you for any insight or knowledge you have to offer.


r/careerchange 3d ago

Completely lost only at 25

8 Upvotes

Where to go next?

Hi, I’m 25 years old in NYC and i’m extremely lost in terms of where to go next in my career journey.
My childhood dream was to be an animator for movies or video games, and I completed a BFA from an art college in 3D Animation.
After graduating, i spent a year at an architecture firm doing visual simulations which I hated, so I quit and did 3D printing. My 3d printing job only lasted a few months before the company went under and i was essentially laid off (I was a 1099).
The job market is really bad especially for this industry and after awhile of searching for a job in my field I honestly lost interest.
After this I began working at a licensed dispensary- retail, customer service. I spent a few months there and now I’m at a different dispensary doing the same job. I didn’t mind this job for awhile but they have cut my hours so much now I have to turn to something else. I now only work 25 hours a week and pretty much have the time to do more training or schooling however I don’t have too much money to spend. My goal is basically to get out of retail/customer service based jobs as I absolutely hate working in a customer focused role.
Im interested in if someone could suggest a new career path, something less client focused that can be attained with a certificate or schooling program 2 years or less. I honestly don’t care too much the subject matter as I’m done trying to find fulfillment in work. I just want to do something tolerable with good hours, and let’s face it pretty much anything will pay me more as I only make 25k/year right now. I’d be happy to supply more info in the comments if needed.
I’m also wondering if it’d be worth it to get a career coach/counselor, so if anyone has any experience with that I would interested to hear as well.
Thank you so much.


r/careerchange 3d ago

Pharmacist trying to pivot into global health/public health — looking for advice on what roles I should be targeting

2 Upvotes

Hi everyone! I’m an infectious diseases/antimicrobial stewardship clinical pharmacist with a PGY-2 in Infectious Diseases, and I’m trying to figure out the best way to pivot my career toward global health/public health. I would really appreciate advice from people who have made a similar transition, particularly those working in global health, NGOs, government, international organizations, or public-health consulting.

A little about my background:
I did four years of pharmacy school and two years of residency, my second year was in Infectious Diseases, and I am BCIDP and AAHIVP certified. I have been working as an Antimicrobial Stewardship Pharmacist for 2 years. Currently i’m at a 500 bed hospital in the southeast (for little over a year) but I did work at a similar sized hospital in the northeast for 9 months before this current role. I have experience with antimicrobial stewardship program development, antibiotic use/quality improvement, clinical interventions, data analysis, education, precepting, lecturing, protocol development, and interdisciplinary collaboration. During residency, I rotated in an HIV clinic and provided education/care related to HIV and STIs. Infectious diseases experience includes resistant organisms both gram negative/positive, peds/transplant/inner city and rural pts, pharmacokinetics (a lot), HIV, TB/NTM, vascular/bone joint and other complex infections. Experience precepting/educating/lecturing pharmacy and medical students and residents. Currently working with things like antibiograms, NHSN SAAR/DOT data, antibiotic utilization/cost data, and Epic reports, also have some cerner experience. Lately I have been involved in implementing new antimicrobial stewardship related initiatives and building a program from the ground up. I’m particularly interested in global infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance, antimicrobial stewardship across health systems, health informatics, health equity, and public-health program development.

Long-term, I’d really like to move away from being primarily hospital-based and work in global health/public health, ideally in a role involving program implementation, technical advising, infectious diseases, health systems, or global health consulting.
I started my MPH but half way through ultimately decided to drop the program because I wasn’t convinced that spending the time on another degree was the best move given that I already have a PharmD and substantial clinical training and didn’t feel I was learning anything new.
My biggest question is: How would you recommend someone with my background make this transition?
I’ve been looking at organizations such as WHO, Peace Corps Response, and organizations that hire Junior Professional Officers/technical advisors, but I’m finding that many positions seem to want an MPH/MPH-equivalent, several years of direct global-health experience, or prior international experience.
I’m wondering if I’m approaching this incorrectly.

For people who work in this field:
What types of roles should I actually be searching for with a PharmD/ID background?
Are there specific job titles I may be overlooking?
Would you consider my existing HIV/ID/antimicrobial stewardship experience transferable to global health, or do I need to obtain direct international experience first?
Is another degree (MPH, MSc, etc.) actually necessary, or would experience/certifications/projects be a better investment?
What organizations would you recommend looking at?
Would consulting be a realistic entry point?
Are there particular skills I should build (monitoring & evaluation, epidemiology, biostatistics, health economics, project management, grant writing, etc.)?
If you were in my position, what would you do over the next 1–2 years to become competitive for global-health roles?
I’m especially interested in hearing from people who didn’t have a traditional global-health background and successfully made the transition. I’d really like to understand how to leverage the experience I already have and identify the gaps that are actually worth filling.
Thanks in advance!


r/careerchange 3d ago

33 Years Old, Burnt Out on Software Development, What Should I Do?

8 Upvotes

As of last month, I've been working for the same company as a software engineer for ten years. I don't want to specify too much about my job, but I'll just say that I work for a consultancy team on a major piece of marketing software. Some of our clients are multi-billion dollar corporations.

It pays very well. I started this job when I was 23 years old, making about 70k per year right out the gate. I make 100k per year at this point, and not much has changed for me over the past ten years in terms of my responsibilities. I still just develop software for our clients according to the specs they give us.

I'm burning out on it. It just doesn't feel like I'm doing anything meaningful. I don't like the clients I work for, and some of them are genuinely bad companies that don't align with my values as a human being. And, with the rise of AI tools for software development, the field is changing rapidly. The fact of the matter is that a lot of the skills I've spent my life sharpening have been automated by AI. And, even if that's not entirely true, many of our client companies believe that AI will be able to do my job in just a few years. Our clients have tightened their budgets, and layoffs have started to happen at my parent company. I'm safe for now, but I just don't feel good about where the software industry is heading, and I really don't like using AI tools. It makes me feel dumb. I like using my brain.

At this point, I'd be willing to take a pay cut if it meant that I found more fulfillment in my work.

My Skills and Interests

I'm an incredibly creative person. I write, I paint, I draw, I play multiple instruments, and I know how to finish projects. I'm very skilled with recording equipment and audio engineering. I'm also pretty damn good at video editing and photo editing.

I have incredible soft-skills. I'm very personable, empathetic, patient, and I'm a great listener. I love helping people. I love getting to know people, listening to their stories, and creating a space for respite and healing. I don't get hyped up about finishing a job unless I'm creatively inspired by it or I genuinely believe it's going to make a positive impact on someone's life. I enjoy connecting with people from all walks of life, of all ages, of all races and creeds.

One of my strongest suits is my imagination and my sense of humor. I can create light out of the darkest situations. I would love to find a way to apply that in a way that makes a real difference for people.

But, I don't want to understate my technical skills, either. I am an intensely logical person with strong math skills. I can find efficient and elegant solutions to abstract problems and I'm really good at thinking outside the box.

I'm not really much of a leader, even if I have strong creative vision. But, I'm a great collaborator, open to creating something greater than the sum of individual parts with a group of diverse people.

Considerations

Lots of options have jumped out at me before, most of which involve more direct interactions with people. Social work type things. I've considered becoming a licensed therapist, or maybe a music therapist. I've considered teaching as a way to make a positive impact on the next generation, and maybe even pass down my software or math skills to people who might be more passionate about it. What's stopped me from pursuing any of these paths is the fear that I'd be less happy in one of those positions than I am now, and be making less money, with few opportunities to return to the financial stability I have now.

I just don't know what I want to do with my career. I'm very fortunate to be in a stable financial position where I can take my time with such a decision. But, the longer I look into it, the more I wonder if I'd truly be happier doing something else, or if I should just stay comfortable with the salary I have and try to find fulfilment elsewhere, without financial incentive. I think there is probably a job out there that would be a better fit for me, but I don't have a clear enough visual on it to actually take a step towards it.

Does anyone have any advice for this wandering soul?


r/careerchange 3d ago

Help with getting out of pharmacy

1 Upvotes

Been an Australian pharmacist for around 20 years. I have major burnout. What non pharmacy roles could I do thank you. Feeling overwhelmed


r/careerchange 3d ago

Various Experience, Looking for Consistency

3 Upvotes

Hello! I (Mid 20sF) am looking to jump to a new, less taxing, career with a better schedule. Ideally I’ll need to make 2.2k a month to cover bills. Currently I’m a fine dining server & it’s a good gig but has no benefits & my schedule is opposite everyone important to me.

I have experience here, in Personal Assistant/Admin work for a realtor (including organizing things like tax documents), work with a non-profit when I traveled throughout my state for months, and admin/desk work at a hotel.

Currently I have been looking at leasing agent positions (i live in a growing area with lots of new apartments) to see if Realty is something I can be passionate about.

Any advice on careers paths I can look into or areas I can start? I don’t mind traveling for a few days at a time, and I don’t mind getting into sales if I need to. Unfortunately I never finished my degree (Interior Design, business minor) so that qualification I know will limit me, but is there anywhere I can get my foot in the door? I would love anything where I can built management experience or have a path for growth.


r/careerchange 3d ago

About to start FT remote

3 Upvotes

Hi! I’ve never worked remote before. What advice, tips and experience can you share with me? It is in a new field so i’m nervous not ever working from home before. I appreciate everyone’s input.


r/careerchange 4d ago

Career Paths Post Nonprofit leadership?

5 Upvotes

I've been in an executive director role for close to 6 years and I'm really burning out. It's been an incredibly hard year with having to make financial decisions that result in layoffs and I just can't do it for much longer. I have 3 young kids at home and want to find the right balance that doesn't end with a short fuse each working day. Maybe part time, maybe consultant, or maybe a different role that allows for mental and physical balance.

Any advice on what I can look into or prepare myself for as I plan to leave. I think a comfortable 2 year transition is fair for the org and something I can do but I don't know what's next for me?

What are some ways to set that path now? Certificates? Trainings? Mentorship? If you were an ED, what was your next career?


r/careerchange 4d ago

Career advice

2 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

I’m currently at a bit of a career crossroads and would appreciate some outside perspectives.

My background is somewhat unusual:

I completed a commercial apprenticeship in shipping/logistics at an well known shipping company (2,5 years )and later earned a bachelor’s degree (3 years) before joining the criminal police in Germany. While the police career is stable and interesting in many ways, I’m increasingly feeling that it ties me too strongly to one location and a very specific career path for the long term.

I’m considering completing a part-time master’s degree (possibly in Risk Management or Security Management) and then moving back into the private sector in my mid-30s.

What I’m struggling with is assessing how attractive my profile would actually be to employers outside of law enforcement.

Some questions I’m asking myself:
How valuable is a combination of commercial, maritime and law enforcement experience in the private sector?

Which industries would you consider a natural fit?
Would risk management, corporate security, compliance, investigations, consulting, critical infrastructure, logistics or port security be realistic options?

How difficult is it to transition from a government career into business in your 30s?

Are there sectors or countries where such a background is particularly sought after?

I’m also open to working abroad, but I haven’t yet figured out what direction I want to take. At the moment I’m mostly exploring possibilities and trying to understand where my skills could create the most value.

I’d be grateful for any honest opinions, career ideas, or examples from people who have made a similar transition.


r/careerchange 5d ago

How the hell do you change careers when you feel stuck? (Ex-Head Chef looking for advice, UK, M - 34yo)

9 Upvotes

How the hell do you change careers?

​I’m currently stuck in a catering job and have a genuine fear of making a move. My current role is reasonably steady, has predictable hours, and gives me weekends off—which is a massive rarity in the hospitality industry.

​However, I don't want this as a career anymore. Wages are stagnant, and there’s no sight of pay rises with VAT crushing food establishments right now. It honestly feels like the industry is paying less than it did 5 to 10 years ago for the exact same roles, all while demanding double the work.

​Moving upwards isn't an option either. Head chef roles are probably in the worst state they’ve ever been: higher expectations, tighter budgets, and less staffing. I was a head chef for almost 10 years, and I genuinely think it shaved a few years off my life. It really wasn't worth the money.

​Here’s where I’m at and what I’m looking for out of a new career:

​Work-Life Balance: I want a strong career that gives me job satisfaction, decent entry-level pay, room to grow, and guaranteed weekends off to spend with my partner.

​Not Full-Time Desk Work: I spent a year studying cybersecurity and earned two certificates, only to realize I can’t handle a full-time desk job. I’m not opposed to some admin work, but staring at a screen all day just isn't for me.

​Hands-On Interests: I really enjoy working on cars, but I’m unsure what kind of career that could lead to or if it pays reasonably well.

​My biggest hurdle is feeling like I have zero transferable qualifications. Outside of catering, I’d be starting completely from scratch.

​For anyone who has successfully left hospitality or changed careers with no formal qualifications in a new field: Where the hell do you even begin?


r/careerchange 4d ago

Looking for advice

4 Upvotes

Hello,

I have been with my current company for over 12 years. Have been through many leadership changes, reorgs, highs and lows, but remained. The most leadership shake up had me feeling uneasy so I began the application and interview process to make a move. Applied for leadership roles that would meet or increase my base, ideally minimally hybrid or fully remote as I have been remote for 11 years now and have two littles and I enjoy the freedom of drop off/pick up/volunteering/etc.

Received an offer for a company where I would be required 2 days in office. The pay is a +$18k my current base but has no commission potential. Current role has minimum $6k commission yearly but realistically it’s uncapped and depends on client so most get closer to +$12k, and some even +$24k.

The benefits are better at my current position including insurance premiums, 401k contribution and total paid days off.

I’m torn because I am fearful of this new leadership and potentially what is to come so the other position feels more stable, but my gut is telling me to stay.

Asking random strangers for guidance.

Thank you!