A career change can feel like a leap in the dark. Here’s how to find your next direction—even if you’re not sure what it is yet.
Sometimes it’s obvious. You’re ghostwriting content you don’t care about, staring down deadlines with dread, or realizing your “dream client” is actually just a nightmare in a Slack channel. Other times, it’s quieter—a nagging sense that the work doesn’t fit anymore, no matter how many clever turns of phrase you throw at it.
Whether you’re craving more freedom, more meaning, or just fewer meetings that could’ve been emails, it might be time for a career change.
And yes, it’s completely normal to have no idea what comes next.
That messy, uncertain space? That is the process. You don’t need your dream job mapped out or your LinkedIn bio rewritten. You just need one thing: the guts to ask, “What if?”
A new career path doesn’t start with a five-year plan. It starts with curiosity.
Let’s talk about what that looks like.
Is it too late to change careers? (Spoiler: no.)
You already know the answer. You’re just looking for permission. So here it is: No, it’s not too late. Not even close.
What no one tells you is that a career change at 35, 45, or even 60 often comes with better odds of success. Why? Because by now you know things:
- How to run a meeting without imploding.
- How to navigate office politics without setting anything on fire.
- What you don’t want to spend the next 10 years doing
You have discernment, a network, and a track record. That’s not a liability—it’s leverage.
Yes, you might need to learn some new tools or take an online course (or five). But you won’t be starting from scratch—you’ll be stacking new skills on top of 15+ years of lived experience. (Which, let’s be honest, is more than half the people in the job market can say.)
Career changers succeed not because they pretend to be 22 again, but because they bring clarity, depth, and strategic thinking to the table. They ask better questions. They move faster. They understand the game.
And that “career change” itch you’re feeling? It’s not a midlife crisis. It’s your ambition evolving.
So, no. It’s not too late.
It’s right on time.
What to do when you don’t know what to do
Welcome to the foggy middle. You’ve outgrown your old role—but the new one hasn’t introduced itself yet. Congratulations: you’re officially in the career limbo known as the void.
This is not the time to panic-scroll job boards and apply for a “Marketing Assistant” role even though you have two decades of experience and a very real aversion to the word “assistant.” This is the time to pause and explore—without pressure, and definitely without pretending to have a five-year plan.
Start here:
- What are you curious about? Not what you’re good at. Not what’s “realistic.” What genuinely makes you want to Google for hours at 2 a.m.?
- What kinds of new skills would you actually enjoy learning? Think less “network security certification” and more “hey, that sounds cool—I’d try that.”
- When were you most energized in your past roles? Think projects, not job titles. What tasks made you lose track of time?
You don’t need to overhaul your life overnight. Try low-stakes ways to explore:
- Take a quiz. (Yes, even the cheesy ones.)
- Journal it out. (You’d be surprised what your brain will confess when your hand is moving.)
- Talk to people. Informational interviews are magic. Five emails could change your entire trajectory.
Not knowing what’s next isn’t a sign you’re lost.
It’s a sign you’re about to choose—instead of defaulting.
Identify transferable skills (and give them a new story)
If you’ve been working for more than five minutes, you already have a stack of skills—communication, leadership, creative problem-solving, research, adaptability—that don’t just disappear because you’re making a career switch.
The trick isn’t having the skills. It’s translating them.
You weren’t “just” managing editorial calendars—you were project managing, juggling stakeholder expectations, and executing digital strategy across platforms. You weren’t “just” teaching—you were leading teams, creating custom training, and adapting on the fly (with an audience of 13-year-olds, which frankly makes corporate clients look easy).
Here’s how to reframe what you already know how to do:
- Communication → brand messaging, content marketing, customer experience
- Research → UX writing, strategy, investigative roles
- Hands-on experience → operations, coaching, teaching
- Adaptability → literally everywhere, but especially startups and creative teams
Your resume doesn’t need a total rewrite. Just a new headline. One that fits where you’re going—not where you’ve been.
📌 Pro Tip: No, you don’t need to go back to high school to qualify for your next career move. You just need to learn how to tell a better story.
Test-drive a career shift (without nuking your current one)
You don’t have to quit your job, sell your stuff, and move to Bali to start exploring a different career. You just need a test drive.
Writers are uniquely positioned to moonlight—whether it’s picking up a few copywriting clients, offering editing services to healthcare orgs, or dipping a toe into digital marketing for small businesses. These are low-risk ways to build confidence, expand your skill set, and figure out what kind of career shift actually feels right in your professional life.
Some ideas:
- Start freelancing in the evenings—one article, one client, one paycheck at a time.
- Join social media groups or Slack channels in industries you’re curious about.
- Volunteer or consult for a cause or company that aligns with your interests.
- Treat your job search like a side project—not a full-time identity crisis.
📌 Pro Tip: The point is not to find your forever path overnight. It’s to give yourself proof that a successful career is possible—one that fits your life, values, and idea of work-life balance. Not just your current job title.
How to start over without starting from scratch
Let’s be clear: you are not a blank slate. You’re a walking portfolio of experience, instincts, and questionable LinkedIn connections—and all of that comes with you.
Want to build credibility fast in a new role?
- Take a sharp, relevant course (not a 12-month program you’ll never finish).
- Update your job applications with outcomes, not just duties.
- Collect testimonials—your reputation is portable.
📌 Pro Tip: You’re not starting from zero. You’re just applying your skill set in a new direction—part-time, entry-level, or otherwise—and choosing a career path that actually fits.
How to get experience when you don’t have experience
Let’s be real: if you’re a professional writer, you already have experience. What you may not have—yet—is a narrative that frames it for a new industry.
This isn’t about faking qualifications. It’s about recognizing that editing a national magazine, running a newsletter, or managing a team of freelancers is project management. That pitching and landing clients is business development. That wrangling content deadlines across five brands is operations.
So when it comes to experience, here’s what matters now:
- Translate, don’t diminish: You don’t need a new degree—you need a better story. Shift your language to match the field you’re entering. “Interviewed 50+ sources under tight deadlines” becomes “Produced timely, high-stakes content in fast-moving environments.”
- Demonstrate direction: A portfolio isn’t just for clips. Create a case study. Write a teardown. Outline how you’d solve a problem in the industry you’re moving into. Show your thinking—your skills will speak for themselves.
- Leverage what you’ve built: A podcast episode, a self-published book, a client workshop, a LinkedIn post that hit 30K views—all of it counts. You know how to make things happen. So make something that proves it.
- Ask for the intro: You’re not entry-level. You’re in transition. Reach out to peers, past editors, and mentors—not for jobs, but for insight. One conversation can clarify everything.
Should you stick it out—or walk away?
Not every miserable Tuesday means it’s time to quit. But if you’re doom-scrolling job listings during your lunch break (again), it might be time to ask the harder questions.
Start here:
- Is the problem fixable—or baked in? Can you renegotiate your role, take on more meaningful projects, or adjust your hours for better work-life balance? Or is the dysfunction systemic, the ceiling permanently low, and your growth officially on hold?
- What’s the opportunity cost? Are you learning, earning, or building anything that supports your long-term goals? If the answer is no across the board, staying might be more expensive than leaving.
- Are you staying out of loyalty—or fear? You don’t owe your job eternal devotion. Especially not if your body’s whispering “get out” every Sunday night.
If you’re leaning toward leaving, you don’t have to make a dramatic exit. Build a plan:
- Upskill strategically: Take an online course, work with a career coach, or shadow someone in the field you’re eyeing.
- Test new career options: Consult. Freelance. Explore part-time or project-based work that lets you stretch into new territory.
- Build while you stay: Use your current role as scaffolding—financially and emotionally—while you make your next move.
📌 Pro Tip: Whether you walk or wait, the real win is choosing intentionally. You’re not trapped. You’re just between chapters. And you get to decide what the next one looks like.
Building a support system for your career change
A career change isn’t just a logistical shift—it’s an emotional one. And doing it in isolation? Brutal.
Whether you’re pivoting into something new or finally going all in on the thing you’ve been quietly dreaming about, the right support system can mean the difference between spinning your wheels and landing that new job.
- Mentors help you zoom out: Find someone who’s been where you’re going. Their insights (and shortcuts) can save you months of second-guessing.
- Peer groups keep you honest: Connect with other learners and career changers who get it—especially the self-employed crowd figuring things out in real time.
- Community keeps you going: When the rejection emails hit or the imposter syndrome flares, it’s your network that reminds you: this is normal, and you’re not alone.
- Smart networking works: Don’t just apply blindly—build real relationships. A quick DM or email to someone already doing your dream job can open doors faster than another application lost in the void.
Whether you’re enrolling in a master’s degree, exploring a freelance path, or making a leap into a brand-new field, don’t white-knuckle your way through it. Community is strategy. Find your people—and let them help you rise.
Take the first step before you’re ready
Career change doesn’t come with a roadmap. It comes with a nudge. A gut feeling. A day where you realize you want more—and you’re finally ready to go get it.
You don’t need to have every bullet point figured out. You just need to start. Reach out to someone. Apply for the job. Pitch the idea. Write the damn cover letter.
Because here’s the truth: hiring managers aren’t just looking for the perfect resume. They’re looking for curiosity, drive, and people bold enough to make a move.
If you’re navigating a career transition—and want insider strategy, pitch breakdowns, and a community that gets it—sign up for our free newsletter. Let’s build what’s next, together.
