5 Proven Paths to a Fulfilling Career Change
Real-life career relaunchers featured on my blog over the past two years.
Two years ago, I started this blog to share real-life stories of people who followed their passions and created their own dream careers.
I started the project in part to prove to myself—and to anyone reading—that it’s 100% possible to do work that you love and have a thriving career.
I had also set out to learn how exactly people change careers, because I happened to be in the midst of my own transition. A few common paths for a career change emerged along the way.
Based on my interviews with people who have successfully reinvented themselves professionally, here are five potential paths to a career change:
Relaunch Path #1: Creative Entrepreneurship
Yes, it’s possible to get paid for doing something you love. This path begins with identifying a specific service and offering to others. The possibilities are endless, but here are a few profiles to inspire you:
Cynthia Loaiza was a wedding photographer who discovered a passion for boudoir photography while going through a divorce.
Melina Selimbegovic left a long career in finance and opened a dreamy neighborhood art studio offering classes to all ages.
Rebecca Eisner took one aspect of her work in digital marketing—website design— and chose to offer it to the types of clients she loves working with.
Chloeé O’Hayon-Crosby is a Paris-trained fashion designer who first discovered styling while working at a hotel in Southern California.
Relaunch Path #2: From Side Hustle to Full Time Career
It’s often not feasible to quit your day job and pursue your passion full time, but fear not. Pursuing your dream as a side hustle might actually make it more enjoyable and creative, since the pressure to earn a living from it is off.
One of my favorite relaunch stories is from fashion stylist turned novelist Nicola Harrison. Nicola wrote her first book, Montauk, in the evenings after her son went to bed.
In fact, Nicola kept working fulltime as a stylist until she was halfway through writing her second published novel, The Showgirl. She now considers herself a fulltime writer. Her third book, Hotel Laguna, was just released.
Relaunch Path #3: Consulting
Why not take the expertise you’ve honed and share it with clients who could benefit? For many, the consulting path is attractive because it can offer the magical combination of flexibility, variety and financial rewards.
Think you’re up for it? Check these relaunch stories for consulting insights and inspiration:
Rachel Dreyfus was a corporate market research exec who launched her own marketing strategy and research consultancy over 10 years ago. Her business has been going strong ever since.
LaTresse Snead is a nonprofit leader who left the salaried world to launch a fast-growing coaching, consulting and talent recruitment firm, Bonsai Leadership Group.
Relaunch Path #4: Go Back to School
In some cases, formal training is the best way to make a career change. Going back to school may also provide helpful structure and networking opportunities that could be difficult to re-create on your own.
Plus, it’s never too late to learn something new. Just ask these career relaunchers:
Pooja Mittra hated her engineering job, so she enrolled in interior design classes at the local community college and started over as an intern.
Gillian Mollod felt stagnated in the nonprofit field. A master’s program helped her make a big industry leap into sustainable investing.
Rachel Butler Green was a professional dancer who needed a flexible schedule, which led her to get certified as a strength and conditioning specialist and launch her own personal training business.
Relaunch Style #5 : Grow Where You Are
The grass may not always be greener somewhere else. If you are proactive and you have a supportive employer, consider forging your own path of growth where you are today.
You may find that it’s enough to stay and evolve at the same company for 20 years like Rachana Garg.
Or, you can build the skills and experience you need on your resume before moving on, like Kim Harris did. As part of her plan to pivot from higher ed administration into tech recruiting, Kim built recruiting skills into her experience at the university where she worked.
No matter which path you follow next, I hope you draw inspiration from these courageous career relaunchers. I know I did!