Change is a part of life, and it can occur at any point. No matter how carefully you have planned for your career, there comes a time when you feel suffocated from being in the same profession for years. You become restless and experience a deep urge to try your hands on a new career. Many are going through this same feeling. In fact, more than 50% of working professionals in the United States are ready to jump ship. They are eager for a new career that can offer them all the freedom to fulfill their ambitions. However, changing a career at mid-life is not easy. It should provide you for your daily needs, medical, and retirement. If you are desperate to take the leap, you have to look at these top 5 high paying jobs so that your transition doesn't go wrong.

Social Media Manager 

Whether one is a student, or a working person, he or she never fails to spend a few hours either chatting, sharing, or updating their status on the social networking sites. These people may not be a tech-savvy, but they have mastered the usage of social media like a professional due to their addiction to it. They use Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Instagram for sharing interesting details or personal things. What they don't understand is, their addiction can give them a lucrative career. Yes! Many companies want people who can use online social media to promote their brand, have real-time conversation with customers, pitch in catchy phrases to attract customers, and manage social media account.


If you have been using social media for sharing stories, facts, opinions, and commenting on tweets and posts, you can become a social media manager. You just need to look at the company's social media strategies and use your creativity for sales and promotion. The annual paycheck you will draw by working as a social media manager in any company will be as high as $74K and as low as $27K, depending on the city and state you are employed in.

Market Research Analyst

If you are bored with the field sales job and want to spend the remaining life working inside an  office, then a market research analyst career is a good option. In fact, this career has taken a boom in the recent years and is projected to grow. All you will need is prior experience in sales and abilities to collect, analyze, and present data, including drafting data reports. In addition, you need to be inquisitive, business-minded, and do things in an ordered and careful way. There are many market research companies that do collect data on consumer products and draft reports that would usually contain projected growth of that particular product for another 5 or ten years and current market scenarios. The generated reports are then sold to manufacturing companies for thousands of dollars.



If you love working neck depth in data, and taking your own decision, then a market research analyst career is a worthy one for you. This career will give you a median salary of $51K annually.

Freelance Writer

As the Internet has become an easy source for gaining information, demand for freelance writers is growing. If you have the flair in you to write unique, genuine, and informative contents for readers, then there is no comparison to freelance writing. The good thing about becoming a freelance writer is, you can work from your home at your own pace and convenience. Moreover, you can work for one or many companies depending on your choice and writing speed. Your writing skills can be used by several organizations who have websites, blogs, and social media accounts. Furthermore, you can start your own blog in any one particular domain you are expert in. Additionally, you can write for magazines, websites, and market research organizations. However, writing to impress readers or provide information on varied topics they are looking for is not easy. You really have to create your own identify in the freelance writing field. How much will you earn depends on your writing skills and the amount of content you can generate in a day.  You can earn either in six figures or be satisfied fetching around $30 K to 80K annually.

Fundraiser

All organizations, be they related to education, healthcare, or non-profit, need funds. Money is the primary need and essential component for them to survive. If you have the skills to scout, locate, identify, and convince prospective donors to contribute, then you can become a fundraiser. Since making people to donate money for a company's cause is not easy, there is no doubt that the job is not going to be an easy walk. You have to be good at sales, administration, and data. Moreover, you must be comfortable in working with volunteers, donors, and local authorities. The job will need you to develop and sustain relationships with people and organizations. In addition, managing database of donors, scouting for prospective donors, and collecting funds will be the regular activities on the job.


As a fundraiser working for a non-profit or any organization, you will earn a median salary of $50 K annually.

Realtor

If sales and networking have been your forte, then a lucrative career as a Realtor is waiting for you. Since homes and offices are the primary necessities of individuals and organizations, there is no death to the real estate industry. There may be a slowdown in the business though, but continuity is guaranteed since this industry takes care of basic needs of both people and companies. You can earn decently by selling residential and commercial properties for real estate companies and individuals. You just need to complete the formalities required for obtaining a license for the profession. With a license to pursue the profession, you can work independently or for real estate agencies. Moreover, you can work as part-time or full-time. Based on your choice of employment, you can earn a minimum median salary of $36K annually.




These are the top 5 paying joys for you if you are trying for a new career. However, before jumping the ship, perform extensive research, analyze your skills and experience, utilize your network, and then take the decision. If you are not careful in making a decision, it will be difficult for you to get back to your previous occupation since you must have already reached your middle age.

Taking a new career is not an easy walk. Whatever has tempted you to take the step, be ready to face challenges. As you will be treading on a new path, you have to consider turns, curves, and bumps that are on the way. Moreover, changing a career will send you back by many years. You may also find no takers for your skills and experience. You will find yourself at a crossroad from where success will seem far away. As you are turning over a new leaf, you have to do everything from scratch. Right from drafting your resume to marketing yourself and finding employment, you will be all alone. Though you will be eager to prove yourself, convincing hiring authorities for one chance will be like cutting a road through a mountain. And even when you are given a green signal by the employer, several challenges will be craning their neck that will bewilder you and make you regret on your decision. Here are some of the challenges you will face during a career change and how to handle them.

Low income

Competition

Since you are entering into a new field, you will face stiff competition from the younger generation. To match with their energy, knowledge, and skills, you will have to put in extra efforts. And when you are unable to do so, you will get frustrated and feel yourself lost. Your woes will further inflate when you hear them using jargon in verbal and written communication. As you are alien to these terms, you will begin thinking where the hell have you come. To face this challenge, you can start befriending young colleagues and learn their style. You can share your experience and try to learn from them. You can bring change in your lifestyle and enroll yourself in a gym to improve your  stamina and energy. Alternatively, you can also wait after office hours and learn on your own if you really want to make yourself suitable to the new working environment.

Distance and Time related issues

Retraining

As the field is new to you, you have to be trained. Even the company understands this fact and will help you by providing training. However, learning new technology can be tedious for you. As you have already crossed the age where grasping new things was easy, you will need more time to learn than what the company expects from you. The only way to make yourself suitable for the job is by taking classes outside. You can also take help from experienced people within the company. Furthermore, you can utilize weekends and off-days for learning.

Entry-level position

At an age where you must be leading a team or holding a managerial position, working at an entry-level position can be challenging for you. Not only your position, but also your paycheck will be far below by the young graduates starting out. Though your age and previous experience may demand respect, you will receive none at a new workplace. You may also have to report to younger boss and take orders from him or her. You can cope with such challenges thinking yourself as a fresh graduate. Don't bother yourself about your age or the position. Instead, enjoy the new work environment and take inspiration from the younger generation and everything around you.


Shifting from one field to another is never going to be easy. There are bound to be challenges you have to face. You may not even like the present working scenario since there could be many changes in the way you used to work during your younger days, and the present generations do nowadays. So, brace yourself to face the challenges and enjoy your new career.

Making career change without self-assessment

Assessing yourself before changing a career is essential to take the right path. It will help you realize where you are standing in terms of strengths and weaknesses. If you are so bent on changing your career, it will give you an opportunity to develop skills required for the new profession that you will be taking. Therefore, knowing yourself in and out is vital as it will ensure that you don't regret your decision in the future.

Making career change due to outside pressure

It's obvious that we all discuss our important decision with friends, family, and someone we trust. Talking to them about changing a career is also a good thing. They may offer valuable advice and suggestions that can be helpful. Some may also thrust their opinion or pressurize you to take that career. In such a situation, before giving in, think carefully whether you are taking the right decision. Just because someone has pressurized or advised you, it will not lead you to a right track.

Making career change solely because of money benefits

One's financial status may be one of the reasons for career change. You may plan to take a new opportunity because you are getting a better pay package. But this should not be the sole reason for shift, since more money often brings more responsibilities and pressure, and you have to be prepared for it. In case you fail to handle that stress, you may end up spending on undesired health issues that are developed.

Making career change without planning

Planning is an inevitable part when taking a new career. It will help you to analyze advantages and disadvantages entailed in the act. As you will be starting afresh, it will take a good amount of time to settle in the new career. Even the remuneration you will be getting will insufficient and as such, you will have to do a lot of adjustment. Of course, as you settle down in the new career and start gaining experience, things will fall to normal. But you have to calculate everything that is associated with your mental, physical, and financial health.

Making career change based on success of others

Getting impressed by the success of others in a certain field is common. But just looking at their success and taking a career is not a good thing. You have to understand that they have achieved success only after going through lots of hardship. They are a committed lot who have also done a few sacrifices to attain success. So along with being impressed by them, you must also be ready to slog like them.

Making career change without necessary education

Every career needs specific education and training. You can enter into a profession only after completing this mandatory requirement. And it is necessary and useful for you since you can be in the profession as long as you wish and progress as well. Along with fulfilling fundamental requirements, you have to take continuous education and training to enhance your knowledge and hone your skills.

Making career change because you hate earlier job

Sometimes you may feel the pinch of changing your career just because you hate your present job. You may have your valid reasons of disliking your profession, and by thinking of changing it, you are doing the right thing. After all, when you aren't into something 100%, you cannot perform.  However, you need to research about the new career and the type of work environment before taking the plunge. Otherwise, you will experience the same thing again.


Whether to change a career or not is a personal choice. However, shifting from one career to another brings lot of changes in every single phase of personal and professional life. What's matters the most is that the transition must be smooth, which is possible only if you can avoid the above-mentioned mistakes. Or else, you will get totally lost if decisions are not planned.

Expectations play a major role when making a career shift. Coping with the wide career options available in the job market and its requirement is little tough for beginners and experienced. Job satisfaction, good pay package, low pressure of work, etc. are some of the basic expectations a person has while making change over. It's always correct to plan a career change according to expectations, but the fact is they have to be according to the real scenario. The major expectations a person looks for while making a career change is.

Job Satisfaction

The majority of people, may be from any part of a globe needs contentment from the job they do. Primarily, job can be pursued happily if you like the working environment. If the job gives a good exposure according to your desire, you feel satisfied. This also gives a chance to enhance the skills you have.


Job satisfaction is depended on many other factors like position that you hold if you are given proper seniority and leadership time to time, if you have good and helping colleagues, etc. There are always ifs and buts for these expectations when you enter any organization. There are chances that you may not be happy with whatever you get initially, but with patience, you may get it in the future.

Good pay package

Financial planning depends on what your income and outflow you have. If a pay package is good,
your outflow can be managed efficiently, and your planning improves. Mental satisfaction is achieved only if work gives proper remuneration. While making a career change you may not get this initially since you are inexperience, but later on the level of expertise improves, as you can get it.

Less work pressure

Pressure created while working, has a major impact on the individual's work efficiency. Continuous push for work, which is more than individual's capacity, creates dissatisfaction from the work. Eventually, this dissatisfaction may create dislike for the job. Tremendous pressure can create health issues as well. But the reality nowadays is, there is workload everywhere. Always set expectations by considering that work pressure and take measures accordingly while selecting a career change.

Less working hours

Fewer work hours is the major expectation set by everyone. This may help for setting timetable at home, and you may spend more family time. You may also find appropriate time for exercise and personal care. This is possible eventually as experience level grows, but a beginner has to set pragmatic expectations. You may have to wait for extra hours and finish assignment allotted to you. Sometimes you have to accept a job with more work timings and you may not find proper time for your own care. But over the period of time you may balance your work timings with the personal family time.

Other benefits

Job gives a platform for work as well as provides certain benefits to an employee which are other than salary. There may be certain benefits of leave, in which employee may encash the leaves the person has not opted for. Or there may be extra medical leaves, maternity, paternity, etc for the employees welfare in the organization. These leaves play major role of expectations. Benefits can be given in terms of money as well as letters of appreciation.

There may be incentives based on your performance. Also, appreciation letters may be given to employees if they complete certain years of work in organization. This is all availed if few years of experience is achieved.


You, as a beginner often have to work on a probation without medical leave and incentives. These benefits may be given to you after few years of work. You have to wait for benefits and balance yourself without those for some time. Thus, setting realistic expectations.

Expectations and work go hand in hand. But putting them in a realistic manner is essential. Over- expectations at initial phase may ruin your new career and leave you frustrated. Career can be pursued with joy if your expectations are balanced and according to a real scenario.

Can you explain the difference between career and job? Switching from one organization to another in the same field is a job change, whereas, moving from one domain to other is a career change. For instance, a software engineer changing ABC company to XYZ is a job change, but if he/she takes journalism to engineering, then it is a career change.

People need a career change, because either they start developing antipathy towards their job, or they have different plans in their mind. But, is it possible to transform completely from one career to another? Well, it is not impossible, but difficult as it involves serious repercussions. Moreover, you cannot guarantee stability and work comfort in a new career. But, how to recognize the signs that will tell you need a career change?

When You Think You Have Gain Enough Experience in a Particular Sector

It's already been 10 years of working as a tutor in a school. Then, suddenly you start experiencing a feeling of contentment. You start saying to yourself that “I've done enough in this field.” Whatever was there to learn and impart, I have done it diligently and honestly. Besides being contended, you may also long for a change in your career because of boredom. After all, going to the same place and doing the same work for years is so mundane. So when you are contended and bored about your profession, that is the indication that now you need a change.

When There is Drop in Strength and Stamina

You need to be physically strong if you are a construction worker or a mechanical engineer. You have to visit different places often, stand continuously for the whole day, and need to handle heavy equipment at the work-site. But, as you grow old, you start losing capacity to handle this kind of work. You don't have the same kind of strength and power and that affects your productivity. So when age restricts you to do what you are skilled are, it's better to change your career.

When You Think You Can Take Over Family Business

There are some people who take jobs despite having a family business. They do so because they want to create their own identify. Take an example of Donald Trump. Trump's father was in a construction business, and one day they refused Donald's request of taking over his business because he was immature and inexperienced at that time. So, Donald borrowed one million dollar from his father and started working in a construction company to gain experience in that field. After a few years, based upon his experience, he successfully established own construction business and also took over his father's business. Therefore, once you feel qualified, you can switch a career to take over family business.

When You Have a Different Dream

We all have goals in our lives. But there are only a few who achieve it. They put all their efforts towards that goals and finally become successful. Others, who are far away from their dreams, keep procrastinating thinking that one day they will somehow fulfill their dream. Luckily, at one point in their lives, they see a ray of hope. For example, you want to become a wildlife photographer by the age of 30 and are doing a job to raise funds so that you can buy a high-end camera and accessories for a photography career. Then one fine day, you see an advertisement inviting photographs from budding photographers. When such opportunity comes in your way, you mustn't let it go and switch your career.

When There is No Scope for Career in the Future

There is no use sticking to a career that has become stagnant. If you are not progressing either mentally, financially, and emotionally, it's time take to the plunge and switch your career. Before doing so, analyze where the career you have taken is leading you. Try to research all the possibilities and limitations, and take a wise decision.


To change a career is a big decision because you must be versatile to accept the challenges entailed in the new field. It is necessary to do some self-assessment of your skills before changing a career. Taking efforts to know whether you will fit in the new work environment, and how long you can sustain it, is necessary before changing your career.