Considering a career change

[Draconator]

2 minutes ago, davefan66 said:

Wife is also a nurse and has had some health issues - still working. Kinda feel I was meant to be a nurse to make sure she is taken care of properly!

Here's hoping that your wife's health issues aren't serious and she makes a full recovery.  What happened is meant to be. 

[EmotionallyUnstable]

Only fans?

[Captain Hindsight]

Started reaching to some old contacts to get a feel of what else is happening in my industry. It’s becoming more and more clear my current role isn’t going to work and frankly, I need a paycheck. 
 

I’m considering going back to school and started researching some programs for mental health counseling. That was my original goal when I started college and I talked myself out of it. If I do go back to school, I told my wife I’d have the plan set by January 1st. Whether that’s starting something right then, or planning for the fall

Thanks for all the perspective in this thread. Helped me collect my thoughts a bit 

Edited September 8 by Captain Hindsight

[boater]

You're in your 30's... not a bad time for a career change. Strike while the iron is hot. Do it while you can.

 

I tried a career change in my 50s--bad idea.

[billsfanmiamioh]

5 hours ago, Captain Hindsight said:

Started reaching to some old contacts to get a feel of what else is happening in my industry. It’s becoming more and more clear my current role isn’t going to work and frankly, I need a paycheck. 
 

I’m considering going back to school and started researching some programs for mental health counseling. That was my original goal when I started college and I talked myself out of it. If I do go back to school, I told my wife I’d have the plan set by January 1st. Whether that’s starting something right then, or planning for the fall

Thanks for all the perspective in this thread. Helped me collect my thoughts a bit 

I did this a couple years ago and it has turned out to be a great move for me. I’ll be 42 in Feb and I spent 17 years with the same company that I started with a couple weeks after graduating from undergrad. 
 

This work was in a highly specialized / niche type industry that wasn’t directly related to my degree, but it was an opportunity to earn some money while deciding what my next move would be. This was a family owned company that I had a connection into and I eventually worked my way up from an entry level position into management. I was very well compensated but was very unhappy (hard to explain concisely). I became married to the paycheck and just kept plugging along dispute many years of unhappiness, red flags, and my gut telling me to do something different.

 

i eventually found a masters program that was mostly online and in a field that was very interesting to me in an emerging industry. It also allowed me to get back to my science background from undergrad (where I had underperformed overall due to screwing around too much freshman year and having to play “catchup” on my GPA, which is what originally put me in a tough position post graduation and was the main factor for me taking my previous job). 
 

I was able to still work full time while completing the masters degree in 2 years (including summers) and after I graduated I quit my job. I didn’t even have anything lined up yet but I was mentally done and needed to escape. Luckily my wife has a great job and we had planned ahead for a possible extended period of unemployment for me as I made the career change, so we were prepared financially.!

 

I eventually landed the exact type of job I was hoping to by going back to school and it has been a blessing. I’m now a state employee and while the money isn’t near what I was making, I’m infinitely happier and have so much more flexibility in my life to spend time with my wife and son. I’m only a 15 months in and it sounds like there’s already opportunities for advancement on the horizon which would put me back in the realm of my previous earnings. 
 

Most importantly, I actually like my job now. It’s not easy by any means but it’s exciting, fast paced, and is a great marrying of my skills from my old

job and the knowledge I obtained from my masters program. If you can swing this move financially, I highly suggest going for it. You are younger than I was and I regret not making the move sooner for my own mental health and wellbeing. It took a lot of hard work going back to school after 15-16 years off but it all worked out in the end. Hoping it will for you as well, so good luck! 

[Captain Caveman]

On 9/1/2025 at 6:35 PM, BringBackFergy said:

So easy, a caveman could do it!!!

Where's the application link?!

[Fleezoid]

[Augie]

8 minutes ago, Fleezoid said:

 

You look familiar. What section do you sit in? 

[Your Brown Eye]

On 9/2/2025 at 4:10 AM, davefan66 said:

I changed careers at the age of 35.

 

Worked telecom out of my first stint in college. Pulling telephone and computer cabling, fiber optics, installing phone systems.  After 6 months, went to a start up for a few years doing the same thing.  Moved up the ladder to an office position designing systems. Moved around a few more companies until I landed at local computer company opening their cabling division. Worked there until my pension was about to be vested and was laid off. A bit of a kick in the gut because the local office president told me no matter what happens, I’d have a job with them…. Guess not. Always thought I hated having a boss, so started a business and was back at that office in two days and became their subcontractor.  Owned my business and did pretty well for the following two years before I realized I hated telecom.

 

Got drunk with my wife camping when we discussed my changing careers. Landed on nursing as it was something I thought of out of high school…but male nurses back then were not as accepted as they were when I changed careers. Got my pre-reqs done for nursing school and the rest is history.

 

Most fulfilling work I’ve ever done. Make good money and landed a decent pension where I work.  Best decision I ever made. Was difficult because we had just moved into a new (old) house 6 months before being laid off.  2 kids aged 6 and 7. Incurred a bit of credit card debt, but totally worth it. 
 

Best part of nursing is the career paths once you get your RN. You can work specialties such as ortho, cardiac, cancer care. You can work surgery and get your RNFA (RN First Assist) where you scrub in and help the MD.  You can get your Nurse Practitioner. You can even become a Nurse Anesthetist.  Great career.

 

 

I did the same. Went to school to be a teacher/administrator and coach, got my teaching degree, got my Master's degree, and spent 5-6 subbing and coaching. Had to have 2 other jobs to support a subbing career, always the bridesmaid, never the bride when it came to landing a teaching job. 

 

I decided to move on to a career where I can call the shots, and I would be in demand anywhere I go on the map. I narrowed it down to Physical Therapist, Physician Assistant, or Nurse Practitioner. Of the three, the latter was the only one where I could get my RN in 2 years at a community college and had the hospital where I worked pay for the rest. That's exactly what I did. Just this summer, I became a Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner, basically all paid for by my employer. Not a penny of debt. And as an FNP, I can work anywhere I want, inpatient or outpatient, pediatrics to geriatrics, and everywhere in between. I can dictate what and where I want to work.

 

After 3000 hours, I can open my own practice (in NY), unlike my wife, who is a Physician Assistant, has to always practice under a Physician until their certifying body can make the necessary changes to ensure they can practice likewise (in the works).

 

Going into healthcare was the best decision I made. I always say that my 20's was a lost decade because the first 3/4ths of it was trying to become a teacher and subbing. Now, for the last 7 years, I have worked for a renowned regional hospital with basically a 8% company match in the 403b, starting a new FNP career with same hopsital,  so barring any unforeseen circumstances, life is looking pretty good now.

[4th&long]

I changed my career and it was the best thing I ever did. I went from an office job to contracting. I hated being in an office, felt like I was going to prison everyday. Flooring was tough on my body but I never worried about a paycheck again never got laid off, no office politics. The trades are great and you can make great money. It would seem like you could turn your skill set into some kind of consulting business where you Could be self employed I don't know obviously? But after being self employed I recommend to people to find something they can do for themselves. You will be way better off. 

[Fleezoid]

15 hours ago, Augie said:

 

You look familiar. What section do you sit in? 

 

Center, front row. Always the front row. 

[Augie]

11 minutes ago, Fleezoid said:

 

Center, front row. Always the front row. 

 

Somehow I get the impression you could be in any seat, and make it front and center.