If you had told me when I was 32, at the height of my career, salary-wise, making six figures, that in the next two years I would quit my job with no prospects and change careers to an industry where professionals are leaving in droves . . .
I WOULD HAVE LAUGHED.
>> RELATED READ :: The World Needs YOU :: Perspective & Resources for Moms Re-Entering the Workforce <<
Let Me Take You Way Back
After high school in 2005, I went to college to become a teacher. Two years into that program, with an associate degree in hand, I quit school to begin working in the association management industry.
It was a great career for me. I worked my way through various positions: receptionist, office manager, association manager, marketing sales analyst, systems training analyst, customer care manager, and compliance supervisor. You name it, I did it.
After 11 years in the industry, I knew a lot. My experience helped me in each of my positions, and I had a prosperous career ahead of me, if I wanted. I was met with a career opportunity that would allow me to make six figures.
How could I pass that up?
>> RELATED READ :: Ring the Bell! Advice for Moms Going Back to School <<
Six Figures Was Great While It Was Great
Then management changes came, and the “old boys club” made my mental health decline quickly. Was the money great? YES! Was it worth my happiness and negative mental state all the time? NO!
So, I quit my job while having NO prospects lined up. And guess what? The pandemic began one month later. There were COUNTLESS “shoulda, woulda, coulda’s” had I kept my job and managed everything while working from home.
I ended up finding a job at, you guessed it, a management company. After all, that’s where all my experience lied. But a year into that position, as a second-time surrogate, I found myself on bedrest in Connecticut, while my son stayed with my parents, and my husband worked in Texas.
During my nearly six weeks in the hospital, I was alone for 23 hours a day. That left me to my thoughts. And lots and lots of movies.
>> RELATED READ :: Maternal Mental Health Tips and Local Resources <<
Time to Re-Evaluate My Future
I decided then that I HAD to get into a career that would give me the most time possible with my family.
I weighed my options. Should I stick with what I was good at (association management), or pursue one of the three careers I’d always had in the back of my mind? Nursing, human resources, or education?
Nursing was nixed quickly, considering:
1. I’m not super great at science.
2. It would take a long time to accomplish.
3. Working 12-hour shifts wouldn’t align with my ultimate goal of having THE MOST time possible with my family.
>> RELATED READ :: Finding Their Future :: A Parent’s Guide to Encouraging Career Conversations with Your Teen <<
Next? Human resources. The head of HR at my former company was nearing retirement. If I wanted to get into a new career, I’m sure I would be welcomed with open arms there. However, I didn’t know that I’d be happy in HR. I am pretty familiar with it via friends in the industry, and knew there wouldn’t be as much time available for my family.
Last up was education — my original career choice that I quit only because, back then, money talked. I was making more money in association management; but this go around, I wanted to have more time with my family and a job I would enjoy and love. I also come from a family of educators, and know what I’m getting myself into.
More important, I will have every single school break off with my son, which means I get all the time with my family. That is my number one priority!
Pros of Going Back to School in Your 30s
So, I quit my job a second time. Again, with no immediate prospects, since I would be going to school full-time. Here are the pros I found that outweighed the cons:
- You know what you want. At this point, you’ve had multiple jobs in multiple professions. You know a bit more about what you want than you did when you were 22.
- You’re more mature. School wasn’t always a priority for me when I was 18 – 20. But now that I know what I want and it’s “do or die,” I’m putting in the work every dang day.
- You know your strengths and weaknesses. I feel like a completely different student this go-around with how I study, what I struggle with, what I’m good at, and so forth.
- Your time management is better. In your early college days, how many times did you wait until the last minute to finish your assignments? Yeah, me too!
- You have a support system. For me, this is my husband, son, mom, and dad. Maybe it’s your friends or coworkers.
- You can apply your professional and personal experience to your studies. I’ve applied so many professional and personal experiences to my degree. Having a five year old who will start kindergarten next year has helped a lot!
People always say it’s never too late to go back to school or change your career trajectory. And I’m living proof!
