The average American will change jobs seven times in their lifetime. While one may change jobs with ease, changing careers can be next to impossible in mid-life if a person isn’t prepared to gain the education and work experience related to a desired career path. Bobbi Yanke, supervisor and career counselor for the Jewish Vocational Service in West Hills, said that it’s absolutely imperative to examine all of the pros and cons before transitioning into a new career. Ask yourself, “If you want to make this change, what is involved?” she said. “What are you going to gain? What are you going to lose? If someone has to go back to school for 10 years let’s say a person was a marketing person, and they suddenly want to be a physician that might not be the wisest move because that might mean many, many years of medical school, but, for the most part, I think it depends on the individual.” Though obtaining the education required to enter a new field may be both time consuming and financially draining, experts say that forgoing an undergraduate or advanced degree may not be an option if one wishes to successfully transition into a new career. Frank Frias, director of MBA recruitment at Woodbury University in Burbank, said it would be very difficult to transition into a business career without a relevant degree. In fact, many of his students come from fields such as psychology, education or the nonprofit sector and are pursuing an MBA to better their chances of entering the business field. “Nowadays, it’s very important for people to have an understanding and background in business,” Frias said. “At least with the MBA, it gives people the skills necessary in business.” Dr. Warren Washington, chief academic officer for the Southern California campus of the University of Phoenix, said that without a degree a person is at a distinct disadvantage. Many students attend University of Phoenix precisely to learn new techniques or to reinforce the skills they already have, according to Washington. “Today, what’s happening is that companies and HR departments are looking for degrees and experience in that order,” he asserted. “Through the acquisition of a degree, the individual has developed a greater sense of how to be more professional, how to be more precise, how to be more efficient.” A primary reason Washington thinks that a degree is of utmost importance is because the field of candidates seeking employment has expanded in recent years. “There are more individuals out there looking for jobs,” he said. “As a result, the criteria for hiring have increased substantially. It’s not as easy to change careers or even just a job unless a person has some kind of academic preparation. They’re looking at individuals with degrees and then they look at experience to go up the corporate ladder.” Before making the decision to plunge into a different career, one must also face the possibility that certain fields will likely not be as receptive to hiring an employee who is middle-aged or older. “Certain industries are a little more challenging to a mature person,” Yanke said. “Really high-tech industries perhaps might not be as receptive. I would say also the entertainment industry.” David Kearse of Experience Unlimited, a job service program of California’s Economic Development Department, said that certain buzzwords in job advertisements, such as “energetic,” may indicate that an employer is likely not interested in hiring a worker of advanced age. “Companies want to pay less to people who will stay longer, instead of more to people who will only remain with a company for five to 10 years,” Kearse said. But Kearse, who is over 60 and has made several career transitions working in marketing, journalism, theater and screenwriting believes “discrimination can be overcome if the applicant has a good sense of themselves and their skills.” Some individuals seeking a midlife career change may simply be burned out. If that’s the case, “they need to refocus,” said Robin McCarthy, executive director of Women at Work. Based in Pasadena, the organization serves those in both the San Gabriel and San Fernando valleys. McCarthy said that burnout can be counteracted by taking on different tasks at the same company or moving to a different organization but not making a complete career change just for a “change of scenery.” Yanke agrees. “They may infuse their career path with something new maybe staying in a related path or making some changes within their current career path,” Yanke said. “Maybe they’re just ready for a change or wanting to add some interest in their life.” One symptom of burnout is a loss of interest in work while still feeling committed to the kind of work being performed. “A typical example is the individual who loves working for a corporation but has lost interest in their clients because they’ve been clients for so long,” McCarthy said. Office politics can also result in burnout, McCarthy added. “You love what you do, but you hate the people who share your office.” To determine if an employee suffering from burnout should remain in a profession or transition into a new one, the cause of the burnout must be pinpointed, according to Yanke. “If a person is burned out, is it environmental or is it something to do with the actual work?” she asked. “Take a look at what is the root of the problem.” Five Questions to Ask Before Changing Careers – Do you have the educational background and work experience related to the field into you wish to transition? – Are you willing to return to school to obtain a degree related to your career path of interest? – Are you willing to take a salary cut to enter into a new career field? – Are you willing to lose seniority? – Can you distinguish between the desire to embark on a new career and the symptoms of burnout? Source: San Fernando Business Journal research