Why Changing Careers Was the Best Decision I've Ever Made

Why Changing Careers Was the Best Decision I've Ever Made

It’s often said that the average college student will change their major at least once, maybe even several times. But what happens when you have graduated college, gotten a job, and then begin to realize that maybe you should have switched that major one more time? You’re at a divergence in the road. One way encourages you to search for another job in the same field, maybe it’s just the current situation that is leaving you feeling unfulfilled. The other way is full of questions: What do I really want to be when I “grow up”? Is it too late to change my mind? Can I even afford to change it? This is what I thought I wanted to do for so long, can I cut it doing anything else? Can I even get hired in another field?

These two gals came to the same fork in the road a few years ago. Somehow, we were able to see past the questions to the dream jobs in the distance. Through some hard work, strong nerves, and significant others that are more patient and supportive than either of us deserve, we were able to change careers before we began to feel stuck in the ones we had started. The paths that have led us here may be winding, but we’re probably not much different than many other 20-somethings out there that are just now figuring out what to do with their lives to feel like they’re where they belong. Here are each of our journeys:

What was your initial major in college and why did you choose that major?

My major was biology, originally with a focus on cell and molecular biology and later with a focus on organismal biology. I chose this major because since middle school or so, I just knew that I would be a physical therapist. I volunteered at a sports rehab clinic in high school and wanted to work with football teams once I graduated. I had it all planned out.

-Tricia

oooh… the million dollar question- WHY DID I CHOOSE MY MAJOR?! Hard to say. First off, I got my undergraduate degree in business, double majoring in Finance and Marketing. When I originally applied to my college of choice, I filled the blank labeled “major” as Nursing, but I changed my mind just weeks before moving into my dorm room. So.. back to that question on why. I had taken a pre-nursing course in high school (that I can’t remember the name of now), and I remember how foreign all the terminology seemed to me. I thought to myself, I can’t do that. Then I pictured all these smooth, sleek business women in their pencil skirts and expensive briefcases. How everyone respected them and they owned the room- so there was my answer: I was going to major in business. Looking back now, I see how horrible my reasoning was- but it is the honest truth.

-Brittany

Did your career plans ever change while you were in college?

Yes. Yes. Yes. I seriously lost count of how many different careers I had convinced myself to enter. I really fell in a geeky kind of love with learning when I was in college. Every class I took was the most interesting subject I had ever learned. I started thinking less often about being a PT and started thinking how cool it would be to be a writer when I took freshman english. Then a dentist, when I shadowed at a local dental office. Then I wanted to study animal behavior as I took upperclassman biology classes. After changing my mind about a million more times, my senior year in college I took an independent biological research class and fell in love with field research. I then decided I had to be in research of some kind.

-Tricia

Nope. Nope. Nope. Ha. Honestly, I never once strayed from my decision. I had picked business, and I never questioned it. I got really involved in all the business fraternities and organizations. I kept my GPA up. I worked hard to make sure my professors knew my name and respected me in case I ever needed a reference. During college, I had two national internships. My first internship was with a political party in Washington D.C.- where I learned (very quickly) that I had no place in the political arena. I knew nothing that the 60+ other interns knew, and honestly, I didn’t care to find out. I had a great time during my internship, but I knew from the first week that it was not where I belonged. I came back to school, relieved to be with my friends and family (and the south in general), and spent the next semester focused on my sorority and grades. Soon, I wanted another internship for my resume- I applied for, and got accepted for a very prestigious internship as a bank auditor (I will not give many details of this because of privacy issues for the company). This was an amazing opportunity, and I am proud of myself for this accomplishment to this day. However, I spent months sitting at tables in the back of banks, looking at numbers, and thinking about lunch. Literally, that was my life. I cringe just thinking about it.

-Brittany

What was your first job/internship after college?

Right after college I entered graduate school. This allowed me to continue my love affair with learning and also start my own research. Also, I graduated at the height of the recent recession. I was realistic enough to realize that it would be easier to stay in school than fight all the other recent college grads for the few jobs there were out there. I started taking classes, going out into the field to make collections, and taught a few labs under a graduate assistantship to make just enough money to pay rent and eat ramen noodles. Once I was done making my field collections, there was a lot of lab work to be done, which I understood was necessary. The funny thing was that I found myself looking forward to the days that I taught, and dreading the lab time that I thought I was made for. I put more and more time into helping my students master the content, started tutoring, and even held additional study sessions that I wouldn’t be paid for. It was...fun.

-Tricia

Before I graduated, I was already applying for jobs. I knew two places I did not want to be (you’d think this would be red flag enough). But hey, I had a business degree- and my professors had all assured me that with that, we could conquer the world. I had done EVERYTHING that they’d told me to do- network, do well-known internships, be active on campus, volunteer, and keep your grades up. Therefore, I didn’t think twice about landing the job of my dreams. I just needed to find it first. So, I applied for, and accepted, a job renting cars. The money was actually decent for a starting salary, and the people were really, really nice. I learned to smile at every personality possible, and what it meant to not sit very basically 10 hours at a time. I also learned a lot about sales- and what it meant to be THAT person (you know, that person that was pushing something on you that you didn’t want or need). There were good days, and there were bad days, but I was told that you could move quickly up the ladder- and that was my goal.

-Brittany

What other jobs did you have after that first job?

As I was finishing up my master’s classes, I got married to my wonderful hubby. He was working himself to the bones, as usual, and with me being in school and getting only a meager stipend for teaching, we were running short on “fun money.” I decided to get a job as I finished my research. I applied around and finally got a call from the same rental company were Brittany worked. They had a branch in the college town I was living in, it seemed a convenient enough job, and having some extra money to eat more than ramen noodles sounded wonderful. I worked with some really nice people. I got lots of great business training. I learned how to interpret sales numbers, how to convince someone they absolutely needed to purchase something, and how to wash and vacuum a car in heels and a skirt suit.

-Tricia

When did you realize you no longer wanted to work in the field you found yourself in?

I told myself for a very long time that I was happy. However, I was not happy. For the most part, everyone around me was happy (it’s either that, or they were really good at pretending). So why would I doubt myself? At first, I worked really hard to be number one at my branch- doing everything I had to do to make sure my numbers were close to the top- so my boss’s would notice me and KNOW my name. After I had my son, I still worked really hard to stay up there- but after a while, I tired of pushing products on people that these people didn’t want. Don’t get me wrong, the products were good and they did help people. I am just NOT  sales person, nor will I ever be. It comes naturally to some people, as if it were their calling. But that is not the case with me. Sales make me cringe (So, by this point I know 3 things make me cringe: 1. a political career 2.sitting at a desk all day 3. sales). The only thing I did like about my job? working with people. In my auditing internship, I craved that person-to-person contact. The laughing, chatting, casual feel of conversation. In renting cars, I could smile and laugh all day if I was in the right mood. One day however, one of those customers looked at me during a nice conversation, and asked, “So, do you ever plan on attending college?” MIND SLAP! wow.. that hurt. I had a college degree and this person though this was what? my high school part-time job?

For a while, I kept quiet about how I felt. I told myself that other people could suck it up in their careers, and that I could too. I applied to numerous other places- but honestly, I knew that nothing I was applying for sounding any better. I got a couple offers in the process, but after reading their glass door reviews by employees, I turned them down. I felt like a failure. What was wrong with me that I couldn’t love my career? I had a pretty good salary, why wasn’t it enough? my wardrobe was on point with pencil skirts and what looked like expensive purses. I was pretty much the person I’d wanted to be when I had applied to college. I wasn’t respected yet by customers because I was a bottom feeder, but I knew I was just working my way up, and that I needed to start somewhere. The problem was not being a bottom feeder. The problem was that I had no desire to be there, or work my way up anymore. I knew even being a manager, or even higher, I wouldn’t be in the right spot. It honestly just was not for me.

-Brittany

Did I mention that I washed and vacuumed cars in heels and a suit? Oh yeah. I did. Weeellll, that wasn’t too fun. On top of that, being at a rental company in a college town, I got that “What are you studying in school?” question daily. Every nice, polite customer that I dealt with assumed I was working there part time as a college undergrad. Brittany’s right. It is a mind slap. Every time you hear it. I eventually quit telling people that I was actually a college graduate... Working on my master’s degree... In biology, not business.

When I found myself having to make excuses to complete strangers as to why I am doing the job that I am, I knew it was time to move on. So I applied around to biology-related jobs in the area. I even interviewed for a few. I struggled with finding something researched-based to do in the sparsely populated, rural community I lived in. My husband had just gotten a wonderful, well-paying job, so relocating for a new job for me was not even something I would have considered. Just when I thought I was just going to have to give in and stay with my first job until something better came along, I got a call from an insurance company.

The insurance company I worked at briefly was an absolutely perfect job, even if it was not in the field of biology. My coworkers were such wonderful and helpful people. My boss was understanding, giving, and had a great sense for the business. I would still be working there today, if I still lived in the area. However, 6 months into my new position, my husband's equally amazing company offered him an opportunity that we could not turn down. This came in the form of a sudden move to the beautiful state of NC, which is the subject of a future blog post, I’m sure ;-).

-Tricia

What hurdles did you fear you’d face with changing careers?

When I couldn’t take it anymore, I felt that we were in too deep for me to make any changes. We had a sweet toddler and we’d just become homeowners. There were bills and a mortgage that had to be paid- and I was terrified of having to struggle, or what kind of stress that would put on my husband. I don’t like letting people down, so quitting my job gave me nightmares (literally). My grandmother and parents had supported me the entire way through my undergrad- and I didn’t want them to feel as if they’d wasted their money.

-Brittany

When I found myself suddenly living in North Carolina, without a job, I had no idea where to even start. I interviewed and was offered a job at a branch of the same insurance company that was a block away from our new apartment. They seemed like nice people, but it just didn’t feel the same as the office I had grown to love before. I looked around and thought this must be a sign. This is my opportunity to make a change. But where to start? That was my first hurdle.

I began to do a lot of soul-searching for what type of career was best suited for me. What job would make me happy to wake up every morning? The words of two of my former professors, as well as my dad kept running through my head: “You’d make a great teacher.” I now began to listen to those voices. Yes, I would! I loved teaching anatomy classes while I was in grad school. I looked forward to it each and every day. Students wrote me thank you letters for being so dedicated to helping them master the content. I would be a teacher. Now, where do I start? Second hurdle. A new town, a new state, no connections, no education degree. I knew getting a teaching job wouldn’t be as easy as walking in to a school and accepting one.

-Tricia

What did the process of switching look like for you?

A recurring idea kept sneaking into my mind. Nursing school, nursing school, nursing school. I do not know why it emerged- possibly because one of my older sisters, who also got a degree in something else, had just moved back home to begin nursing school. So it’s very possible that I got the idea from her. But I’d told myself a long time ago that my mind didn’t work that way, and that I could never get past the terminology alone. However, it persisted- and soon enough, I was researching my options (length of time for a degree, financial options, different schools). I brought the idea up to my husband- and despite a very  fair fear of our financial situation if I went back, he was 100% supportive. Over the next several months, I talked to my whole family about what I was considering- and they were all jumping on board. My dad heard that I was considering nursing school and called me just to tell me how great of an idea he thought it was. All I had to do at that point was convince myself.

-Brittany

I had no idea where to start, so I consulted the internet, teacher friends, and family on how to land a teaching job. “Start by substitute teaching” they said. “This will get you in with principals that will then want to hire you later.” So I put together a teaching-geared resume, put on my best skirt suit, and walked into every high school within 20 miles of our apartment. ... nothing. Not one phone call. I was told there was a freeze on hiring substitute teachers in the school system within which we lived at the time. Now what? As I  searched the internet for answers, I came across a job listing for a summer training program for folks wanting to switch careers and enter the teaching field. It sounded perfect for me, there was my answer.

-Tricia

Did you have any “um, maybe not” moments where you thought you had made yet another wrong choice?

Once I started my pre-requisites for the nursing program, I continued working part time- and that was tough since I was driving a long distance to work and school, and trying to find a healthy balance between family and studying. I did get overwhelmed and was always terrified I wouldn’t succeed. But, as I became adjusted to my new role, and eventually became a full-time student only, I fell in love with my decision.

-Brittany

The summer training program I entered into was wonderful. I got amazing training that made my first official year of teaching in the public school system almost painless, which is much more than most teachers I know can say. There were many times, however, that I felt uneasy about the school system that I was living in. As part of my summer training, I taught summer school in a middle school that was certainly not the ideal situation. I learned that I definitely NEVER wanted to teach middle school. I also begin to doubt whether I wanted to teach in that school system at all. Then, my husband and I bought a house about 40 minutes from where we first lived here in NC, in a different school system. I interviewed at a local high school, fell in love with it and the town in which we live, and have never had a second thought since.

-Tricia

What do you think of your working life now?

My decision was a hard one. But guess what? I never cringe at the thought of working with patients. I look forward to conversations, and being told that I have made a difference. I get to help patients AND their families. My role is one that is respected, and in return, I respect myself. I am still in school (finally, almost done!) and it is still tough, but I am past the terminology and I now welcome the challenge of learning more. Looking back, I feel bad for the miserable person that I was, and I thank God for the encouragement and support system I had to help me make the transition. I am a better person for facing my fears and chasing my dreams head-on. I truly hope that if you ever feel the way I did about your career, that you are strong enough to do the same.

-Brittany

I LOVE LOVE LOVE my job. I get to make a difference every single day. My kids are hilarious, smart, and so very interesting. I get to talk all day to them about all the nerdy things that I fell in love with so many years ago. I get share my excitement for how amazing the human body is, how crazy it is that a few mutations can lead to the evolution of a whole new species, and how totally mind-blowing nature is in general. The best parts are when I see those light bulbs go off, or even better, when I overhear them say to their lab partner “What?! That’s so cool!... I mean, I guess it’s ok.” (They try so hard to be grown up, but they’re not fooling me.) “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” I used to think this old saying was for delusional people who were just lying to themselves. But now I know what it’s like to work at a job because you know you were meant to do it, and not for just the money. I mean, let’s face it, if you teach for the money you won’t last very long. So here’s my advice: Go for it. Try something new out. If it doesn’t work, try something else. Don’t ever stay at a job that makes you feel miserable or even less than happy most days. Don’t spend 5/7 days of your life living for the two days that you get off. What kind of a life do you want to look back on? Give yourself some credit, know that you are capable of more, and find that job that makes you feel good. Find the job that’s your own personal brand of fun. Start your new life today.

-Tricia