If Falguni Nayar had not moved from banking to entrepreneurship at the age of 49, we might never have seen the rise of e-commerce platform Nykaa.

A similar situation arose with Priyanka Khanna (name changed), who was thinking of taking a bold step at the age of 35. After working in law for a decade, she thought of leaving courtroom work behind to pursue her passion for the beauty industry.

Meanwhile, Surajit Dasgupta, 35, spent seven years as an electrical engineer at a central PSU but felt his career had stagnated. Seeking more excitement, he enhanced his skills with an MBA and landed his first role as a product strategy manager at the age of 31.

He describes this transition as a significant cultural shift, in which he embraced the fast-paced environment despite the challenges he faced. For him, it was a wise decision that fostered personal growth.

On the contrary, Khanna was not inspired by growth; her well-paid job as a lawyer did not satisfy her. Instead, her passion kept pushing her to become a beauty content writer. Although her current income is less, she finds more satisfaction in her work.

Have you ever thought of changing your career, whether it be for passion, growth or just to escape monotony? If so, you’re not alone.

“Choosing a new path is not easy and getting into a different kind of job is really challenging. However, more than 30 per cent of people want to make a fresh start. They expand their horizons in the age group of 25 to 44 years,” said Mamta Shekhawat, career coach and founder of Grading.com, a study abroad platform. india today,

She adds, “There are certain occupations that have a good tenure, such as managers, high-ranking professionals, and more. Also, service professionals may not have a long tenure; they change almost every 2-3 years. Also, the length of the career depends on the domain they work in. However, a person works for an average of 90,000 hours in his lifetime. Around 13-15 years, people think of changing their career with the prospect of better growth and exciting new opportunities.”

Apart from this, career coach Dhairya Gangwani explains Harper’s Bazaar (July 2024), “People who have worked in an industry for more than 10 years usually suddenly realize that they don’t want to do the work they’ve been doing for so long. This stems from a number of places, and it’s mainly from a need for change.”

Changes are being made, but why?

Ahmedabad-based psychiatrist Dr Sarthak Dave believes, “People change careers for various reasons, influenced by personal, professional and market factors.”

• Job dissatisfaction: Lack of satisfaction with the current work situation
• Career Development: Looking for Better Opportunities
• Work-life balance: Desire for less stress or more flexibility
• Financial instability: the search for a stable income
• Job security: moving to areas with better security or opportunity
• Personal interests: Pursuing your passion in another field
• Education and skills: New skills or higher education opens up opportunities
• Life changes: major life events that lead to change
• Burnout: Seeking a more manageable or enjoyable career
• Corporate misalignment: Discomfort with the culture or values ​​of the current employer.

Dr. Dave says that people also change careers due to personal problems. Many times, to bring back peace in the family, they have to change their workplace or way of working.

Guidance on change

Mamta Shekhawat explains that one of the challenges you will face is accepting a low salary.

“It takes persistence and determination to deal with this situation, as there are many instances when a career changer has to accept a pay cut just to pursue their new path,” she says.

According to Shekhawat, another difficulty you may face is the lack of new skills. It is not all about leaving behind the experience and starting afresh, but about using your expertise in other ways suitable for your new career.

Changing your career means creating a new network of intellectuals, which can be an exciting opportunity.

“Finally, I would like to mention the mindset barrier. Many people lose their confidence because they consider themselves ‘too old’ for the profession they are entering,” she adds.

Meanwhile, Divija Bhasin, a New Delhi-based counselling psychologist, says a career change in mid-life should be seen as a fresh beginning.

“People who change careers midway are often seen as confused or immature. Being stable is considered the key to a good career. But stability is good only if you are satisfied with where you are. A career that makes you unhappy can leave you exhausted and affect your mental health,” she explains. Harper’s Bazaar,

Making a career change can be really intimidating. Experts believe that before taking such a step, apart from keeping the odds in mind, you also need to be sure that you definitely want to leave your current profession.

According to Divija Bhasin, it is important to have a backup plan. “The most important thing is to make sure you have the money to live comfortably and don’t have to completely change your lifestyle overnight,” she says.

It is also important to understand the industry you are entering and upgrade your skills accordingly.

Dr. Sarthak Dave says, “Before changing careers, self-assess to align your interests and skills, research the new field thoroughly and acquire the required skills. Build a network for insights and job opportunities, remain flexible to adapt to challenges and discuss the move in detail and seek support from family, friends or career counsellors to make the transition smoothly.”

social pressure

It is the expectation of the community that surprises people.What will People Say,

But according to Mamta Shekhawat, you have to answer for yourself about this step. Always remember that your happiness matters the most.

At a time when people believe in influencing the society, be the one who stands out from the crowd and climbs the mountain of victory.

This could be a positive step

A career change in midlife can bring a renewed sense of purpose in life, increased job satisfaction, and improved work-life balance.

Dr Dave says, “With maturity and experience, you can make more informed decisions, leveraging your skills and insights. It also gives you the opportunity to pursue your passions and interests that you may have sidelined earlier in life.”

It is obvious that you will face obstacles after changing careers, but remember that by using various strategies, you can overcome these obstacles, which can be beneficial.