Yesterday’s New York Times included an article on midlife career change. The guest author is an attorney who “switched” from being a prosecutor, working for the state, to being a defense lawyer in a private law firm. He is quite candid about his reasons: he wanted more money and a better work-life balance.
This type of midlife career switch isn’t really uncommon. I can see the advantage of hiring a former prosecutor as a defense attorney, because she would know how the other side thinks.
The author shared some stories about his friends who made career changes. My favorite quote is:
“A friend of mine went from working in counterintelligence for the military to working in the real estate field. In his last job, he checked government buildings for recording devices and worked long periods alone. As a real estate agent, he shows houses to prospective buyers and constantly interacts with the public.”
It’s helpful to read about career changes, even if they seem far removed from our own. We get a handle on what motivates people to make these changes and we realize that it’s not impossible or far-fetched to dream of a new life. We can also get creative ideas about the kinds of changes that people make. Sometimes they build on what went before and sometimes they seem to be heading in a totally new direction.
If you don’t know anyone who’s been through a career change, and you want an objective sounding board, you may want to consider hiring a coach or consultant. To learn about my career change services, visit https://midlifecareerstrategy.com/services.html