I am not sure why your 30’s tends to be a period of life changes, but it seems to be a time of reflection for a lot of people to change the course of their lives (both personally and professionally) for the better.
I changed my career and decided to embark on the journey called motherhood in my 30’s.
Today I’d like to share my journey and hopefully inspire whoever feels stuck in a job rut.
First and foremost I never had a “profession”. A lot of the choices that I made in life were plan A’s that turned into Plan B’s! For example by the time I applied to college I wanted to be an actress but I didn’t get accepted into the theater program so I enrolled in a social science program. Turned out I loved the program, specially doing research and I discovered my love of writing.
Then came university, I did some soul searching and decided to apply in a Communications program. The program at the school of my choice had a few places and many applicants. I didn’t get in. So I enrolled in an English literature program because I was told by a career counselor, it was very similar. Many of my electives were in communications so I could try enrolling again. And I tried and tried but was refused every single time. Finally I majored in English literature with a minor in Communications.
Armed with a degree I went on the job market which once again was competitive. In the end I got odd contracts here and there mainly doing administrative work. I became a temp! At some point I was even a dog walker…Anything to pay them bills!
At the last job it was clear that it was time to find myself a better fit. I was working as an administrative assistant in the insurance claim business and I didn’t have the right “profile”. I was told by my manager I was too dynamic and that’s when I started doing some more soul searching. I was tired of just reacting to what people say or circumstances.
I went back to the beginning, the moments when all I did was dream and it seemed safe. The moments when everything felt possible, moments were nothing is harder then it seems: My childhood.
I have been keeping a journal since I was 7 years old, So I got my box of diaries and read them. I changed my mind a lot even back then. I wanted to be a judge, a doctor, a nurse, actress… But what blew my mind is that every second page of each journal I drew a 2d plan of a certain house we had gone to visit and I would describe the rooms I saw, even the curb outside! I took note of that.
I signed up in a ”soul searching program” at a local employment center CJE. As part of the program I had to take a profile test that was to highlight my skills. Entrepreneurship came at # 1 and Arts at #2. I was really surprised by the entrepreneurial skills, I never saw myself like that so I went straight to #2 like usual.
After seeing my profile, and thinking back to my drawings I realize what I wanted to do my whole life but I never had a name for it. I wanted to visit houses regularly, I wanted to draw 2d plans and I suddenly remember all the times I spent playing with the doll house and moving furniture in my own bedroom! I Sandra Best was meant to be an Interior Specialist!
So while still working during the day I signed up for an evening class at college to get more technical skills. One of the first things I learned and had to accept is that just because you love and are passionate about something, it doesn’t mean you don’t have to work hard at it. I have no shame saying that I failed my first Interior Design assignment and my AutoCad one too! My teachers were all on the same page, I was the best at choosing quirky elements, and coming up with cohesive designs and great color schemes but my technical skills sucked! I worked very hard and by the next assignment I showed great improvements that made me and my teachers proud.
Changing Careers
During my time in school another project materialized. My husband and I found out we were expecting! Our son was planned but I never thought I would get pregnant so fast! We had given ourselves a year but after 2 months he was there making me nauseaus and giving me heartburn!
So I started planning. I knew I would be going on mat leave at the end of my pregnancy and I vowed not to go back to my admin job after my maternity leave.
Just before starting Sandra Best Decor I worked for a construction company and a well established Designer (you can read about it here) before flying on my own. This time it didn’t take too long for me to go back to #1!
I did it! I connected the dots that were there for so long!
My dynamic self with fabric samples behind me!
Is it everything I had ever expected? NO
I love what I do but I don’t love every single moment. One element for sure is that I feel very confident when I’m helping a client with a project.I get so excited and I celebrate their transformations with them.
Yup I took a huge hit in the salary department; as well as social advantages and I know it’s just the beginning. The BEST is yet to come
If you are thinking of changing careers here’s some tips:
- Research the career you want to get into by talking to people that are already in it.
- Question your fears.
Fear isn’t all bad. It can help you hone your ideas, find flaws in your thinking and prepare you for your next step. Try this exercise to transform anxiety into a productive tool:
- Write down any and all fears you have. For instance, you might be worried that changing careers will be too expensive.
- Next, turn each fear into a “how” question. For example, “How am I going to pay for my career change?”
This process turns undefined fears into actionable problems that can be broken down into doable chunks.
- Practice Persistance
“Persistence is the number one reason for our success” according to entrepreneur Joe Kraus. Most people wouldn’t disagree, but you don’t want to beat your head against a wall, either.
Reaching for absolutely impossible goals—the ones that no amount of hard work can achieve—will guarantee failure. Develop the savvy to differentiate between a temporary barrier and an immovable wall, and you’ll greatly increase your chances of having a calm career transition.
4. Don’t stick your head in a financial sand
“When you start over in a new career, you need to be in good financial health to help smooth your transition,” says Kerry Hannon, a career change expert. “This allows you to try new things without stressing over the initial salary.”
In other words, don’t ignore the numbers in your bank account! Start by creating a basic budget (try a tool like Mint.com) to get a clear picture of what’s within reach. If you’re going back to school, check out what financial aid offerings and tax breaks might be available to you.
- Carve out your own yardstick for success
The most traditional measures of success—money, power, fame—are all well and good. But they aren’t the whole picture.
What do you really want? When you picture yourself as a successful person, what do you see? What parts of your life matter most to your version of success?
If you can determine your personal definition of a successful life, you can then design a career change plan that will get you what you really want. It may take longer to get there, but meeting your own standards—rather than somebody else’s—is a formula for lasting satisfaction.
