If you are in the late twenties or even early thirties and find yourself dragging your feet to work, it is probably a good time to consider a career switch.
I found myself in a similar situation about a decade ago when I was in my late twenties. I was in a job that I didn’t enjoy. In addition, I couldn’t visualise myself doing that job ten or twenty years down the road. It was not easy to summon enough courage to do a career switch, but I eventually did it. I’m in my late thirties now. Looking back, it was the best decision I made in my career!
How did I end up in the wrong career?
It was in the dawn of the twenty-first century. I had just received my A-Level results. I was excited to know that it was good enough to enter the School of Engineering at Nanyang Technological University (NTU). Without much hesitation, I accepted the offer when it comes. Little did I know, that decision would haunt me for the next ten years! Things only started turning around when I decided to switch my career.
I’m not the only one. Several of my friends found themselves in the wrong course of study too. Should you find yourself in similar circumstances, don’t despair! Many of us successfully made a career switch. I’m sure you can do it too!
I planned a career switch even before I started my career.
Upon realising that I was in the wrong course of study, I made a firm decision to put engineering study at the back seat and explore other interests. I remember it was at the start of year 2 in NTU. Instead of focusing on the Engineering modules, I would go to the library to read reference books of other courses of study.
There were two rows of shelves containing books that I found fascinating. They house books of various disciplines in business, such as marketing, finance, accounting and others. As an engineering student, the terms appeared alien to me. However, I pushed on.
Engineering internship reinforced the decision for a career switch.
An internship was a compulsory program for NTU Bachelor of Engineering study. While working as an intern provided many practical learning opportunities for other undergraduates, it confirmed my decision to switch a career was indeed the right one. I was not good at what I was doing. Most importantly, I did not love my job.
Back to NTU, I intensified my efforts in studying business-related subjects.
Finance – I made my choice in the business discipline.
Once bitten twice shy, I made sure I wouldn’t make the same mistake. I researched thoroughly before deciding to specialise in finance, specifically in financial markets. When I landed a job in the banking industry in early 2008, I thought I have successfully transitioned from engineering to finance. Little did I know the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression was just around the corner. It struck the banking industry real hard. The cost-benefit of keeping the job was increasingly imbalanced. I was 27 years old by then. I had no other option but to execute the second career switch. Unlike engineering that I decided to let go of, I kept the finance knowledge to date.
The second career switch was not a walk in the park.
Changing a career path for the second time from finance to accounting was not quite the same as the first one from engineering to finance. Accountant as a professional role had a much higher barrier of entry. I had initially thought of getting a full-time job in the accounting department while pursuing my part-time study in ACCA at the same time. However, I did not have the opportunity to enter an accounting department until early 2011. My first accounting job was with a US global MNC in the management consultancy industry.
The next few years were not easy. By then, most of my friends who did accountancy in university had almost ten years of accounting experience. There was a lot to catch up on. I guess this is where perseverance plays a significant role in performing a career switch. It doesn’t pay to give up.
I’m glad I switch careers early.
If you are now in your late twenties or early thirties and found that you are not on the right career path, my advice is to execute a career switch as soon as possible. These are the three reasons why.
1. You have a higher energy level when you are young.
I’m in my late thirties now. One thing for sure, I need more sleeping hours as compared to when I was in my twenties. If you are switching a career into one that requires you to further your study, you may have to sacrifice a little bit of your sleeping time. I had a fair share of sleepless nights when I was pursuing the ACCA. I did well and emerged as ACCA Top 30 Graduate in Singapore. However, there were sacrifices made. It took quite a tremendous amount of energy to study and work full-time at the same time. At times I wonder if I could have repeated the same journey now in the late thirties. So, although you can career switch anytime in your lifetime, do consider doing it early.
2. You have a lesser financial commitment when you are younger.
At a younger age, you probably still live with your parents. Likely, you are still single too. You may have a boyfriend or girlfriend, but the dating expenses should be pretty much manageable. With low financial commitment, you can afford to take a lower salary. When you switch a career, you will likely have to take a pay cut.
3. You may want to spend more time with your wife and children.
While it is not impossible to balance family, work and study, things are more challenging than when you are single. If you have a newborn, you will have to spend quite a bit of effort taking care of the baby at night. There are many other commitments that you will have to attend to when you have a family. cut.
Freelance accountant – third career switch?
Having spent a decade or so in the accounting industry, I decided to challenge myself and be financially independent. While the technical knowledge is the same, being a freelance accountant requires a much diverse skill set.
Conclusion
Switching careers may not be as intimidating as you think. It is just part of our life journey. In the twenty-first century, it is no longer possible to be doing the same thing for a lifetime. Some skill sets will get outdated, while others may disappear altogether. It is therefore pivotal for all of us to keep learning and embrace change.
