I decided to introduce you to several stories of real people.
The first story is my dear friend. I am very glad that she agreed to tell you about her professional path and how one day she decided to radically change her profession.
And I am doubly glad that she is now really doing what she loves.
A little background from me. She and I studied at university together, in the same group :) It was a financial and economic institute, faculty of management. Then she switched to “banking.” She worked as an accountant, then as a banking specialist.
You know, I always felt that this was not the job that suited her. But as it happens - recommendations from parents, a prestigious specialty - everything is logical.
But for peace of mind, for a feeling of happiness, logic is often not enough.
And she did it! She changed her profession. She's been going to this for so long. And I am very, very glad that now she has found her way. This is truly what suits her 100%.
I will be glad to talk about her new successes in 2 years - in a new field. I am sure that success awaits her.
And now I give her the floor:
My name is Yulia Livitskaya. I am 29 years old. I am a wife and mother of a one and a half year old daughter.
Just 3 years ago it was difficult for me to imagine who I wanted to be, what I wanted to do.
There was only an absolutely clear vision that I didn’t want THIS anymore.
After graduating from school, I had to choose a university, which meant deciding on my future profession. To say that this was a difficult choice for me is to say nothing.
I really loved communicating with people and understanding what motivates them. I was interested in analyzing people's motives and behavior. Communication was of great importance to me. All this told me that I gravitate toward psychology. But my parents would not accept this. In fact, without asking me, the family council decided to begin preparations for entering the economics university where my uncle, dad and brother studied.
I must admit that it never occurred to me to resist - only because I understood that my relatives knew better what could be useful to me. I didn’t have such an understanding. For some time at the university, I even began to imagine how I would develop in the economics profession. How I will strive for knowledge, how I will develop, and subsequently grow up the career ladder. It seemed to me that I should become a leader and then all my dreams would come true by themselves.
Upon graduation I already worked as an accountant and managed to write my diploma. Adult life has begun! To work by 8, from work, God willing, at 5. And if the reporting period or the authorities urgently need some information, then we sit with our eyes staring at the computer. Some time later, all the illusions about how I would move up the career ladder were gone, and then the dreams about how I would develop. When nothing really held her back except the desire to be independent and independent from her parents’ wallet, she was not at all happy with the question of money.
A year later, I found a new job and these were new dreams and expectations that I would live differently here! It was already banking structure. At first, everything was not easy for me. There were many nuances in the work that I needed to quickly master. The flow of clients was endless. For 3 months I sat at work for 10-12 hours - there was a lot of work. But I was interested and wanted to show that I was an employee you could rely on. Over time, I became friends with the team and was the life of the party. The salary also made me happy. I felt that the eyes of my superiors were fixed on me. And a year later I was offered to become a key employee in a new direction.
This position was not managerial, but responsible, because I needed to develop a new service for the bank with my boss. I myself had little idea about her, but I happily agreed to everything. So a year passed, then the second, third, fourth... I still occupied the same position. The management was almost always dissatisfied with the development of our direction and they demanded higher and higher indicators, but at the same time they did not want to invest in it. It seemed to them that we could take it and make 100 contracts a month before the end of the old year. My new boss did not take part in the development of this area. I was my own boss and adviser, although my salary was like that of an ordinary ordinary employee. This state of affairs very soon began to depress me.
At some point I realized that this was not what I needed. That I don’t want to come to work at 8 and stay there late. Have only 2 days off a week and dream JUST DREAM about a vacation. It was a vicious circle where everything was burdened with routine! I remembered that I love to draw and listen to music. That she really loved to sing. At work, I was always close to those who had problems and everyone knew that I would provide excellent support in difficult times. I realized that I did not belong in the office. That I need to look for my niche in work and this has nothing to do with office work or the work of an economist. I realized that I don’t just want to change my job, I want to change my profession.
How to change profession at almost 30 years old? First steps
I started by analyzing what interests me.
- I made a list of what I dreamed of as a child and what I liked to do now.
- I analyzed how I see my future life.
- I started reading a lot.
New interesting people began to come into my life, who introduced me to interesting women's practices, where I increasingly gained an understanding of what I needed.
Step 1. New hobby
Since childhood, I dreamed of photography and I was always interested in taking up photography. Without hesitation, I signed up for courses with one of the best photographers in Kazan. Every lesson was a discovery for me. An opening into another unearthly fantasy world. Everything that was inaccessible to me in everyday life.
Some time later, I did photo shoots for my acquaintances, then for acquaintances of my acquaintances - this is how additional income was formed. I managed to do everything: study new programs, improve in photography, arrange photo shoots and do the main work. It should be noted that during this period, not everything was going smoothly with finances. I had photographic equipment on credit, and I gave some part of my earnings to help my parents, who were pensioners. I also wanted to look beautiful and be able to attend events with my friends. I managed to do all this.
Then for the first time in a long time I felt how joyful it is to do what you want. How much pleasure it brings. I began to see the beauty of trees and flowers around me. I saw the beauty of the clouds in the park near my work; it seemed as if they had never been like that. I suddenly looked around and saw how magical everything was. And I am part of this magic. I thought again and again about how to change my profession and do what I love.
Step 2. Inspirational introduction
In a new group of people, I met a young man. He was completely far from the banking business. There were many things that surprised me in his work. He called himself a freelancer. He said that he works for his own pleasure. Then it seemed to me something unreal. After some time, we looked at each other with loving eyes and realized that our meeting was not accidental. We decided to get married and had a daughter. Although we did not plan for its appearance, we saw in this a sign that changes will only lead us to the better. And we were not mistaken.
That we took the time to start a family, focused on our relationships and what is important we want to build in them. All this helped my husband develop his activities and very soon his business took off. I could tell him about the business from the inside, what guides his customer. She became useful to him in how to conduct negotiations and business conversations.
Step 3. Magic kick
Once, while pregnant, I saw the film “Context” by Vladimir Gerasichev, a business coach. I really liked what he does. He woke people up from sleep. He talked about all the delusions in which we live and believe that this is how it should be. You could see how it changed people, gave them inspiration for change. Then I watched his trainings on the Internet and in The thought “I want that too!” was born in my head. I want to change my profession and become a coach!
Little by little, while I was on maternity leave, I began to collect information about what was needed for this. I subscribed to newsletters that taught coaching. After some time, my husband who supported me in everything and, first of all, in helping me realize myself, said that there is a university that offers training in coaching.
A few months later, I was already sitting in class and realizing that everything that was being said to me here was very familiar. My knowledge has always been around what we were told about during our studies. In fact, one way or another, I used all these techniques with my colleagues and friends.
My loved ones were always nearby and supported me in this search. Friends who believed that this was truly mine and I was finding my place. This really helped me to believe in myself and decide to change my profession. The support and thirst for change inspired me to take action in this direction every day. This is how my website and my articles appeared, in which I share my thoughts with others. This is how people appear who find it important to talk to me in the format coaching sessions.
Now there is a lot of joy in my life from what I do. All this fills with inspiration and the desire to develop.
Now that I have walked this path, I understand how important it is to share this experience with other people and support their faith in themselves and a higher power.
I believe that everything you want will definitely work out. And although the path to this will not be easy, it is certainly worth it, because change is only for the better.
Yulia's contacts:
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Even in difficult times, some specialties remain in demand. We figure out who is worth retraining for, where and how much it can be done
Recruitment agencies, which by their nature have to monitor the dynamics of the labor market, could not help but notice that despite the crisis, the demand for some specialties and professions has not fallen, and sometimes even, on the contrary, has increased. And this is quite natural - after all, the crisis is not so global as to affect all areas of employment without exception. And if the need for representatives of certain specialties has fallen, this does not mean that this is the case everywhere.
There is almost always an opportunity to get your bearings in time and, with some effort, become a successful worker in another field. Who knows, sometimes it can become a life-changing decision that will change your life for the better.
This is what the TOP 10 professions look like, which, according to experts, are not threatened by the current crisis:
1. Scary profession - merchandiser
Even in the most difficult times, the population will need to purchase consumer goods. The job of a merchandiser is to find solutions on how to sell a particular product better and more profitably. Very often, the success of promoting a product on the market depends on this specialist. The job is responsible and well paid. In order to work in this direction, you need to be sociable and stress-resistant, and of course have an idea of how to sell correctly. Various business courses and trainings will help with this.
2. I would become a hacker
Who knows, programmers can sleep peacefully. The age of information technology makes this profession both in demand and promising. Web programmers and specialists in the administration and configuration of accounting applications are especially popular these days.
In order to gain applied knowledge in this area, it is not necessary to have a specialized university diploma - you can take two-month courses, upon completion of which you will be issued a certificate in the form established by the Ministry of Education. In addition, the training centers that provide training often help with job placement.
3. I will draw a website
Website design, like programming, is in increasing demand. The reason is simple - Internet technologies are developing rapidly and are not going to stop, rather the opposite. And websites as a business card of a company is a more than relevant concept. And who, if not a good designer, can help make it even more attractive.
Therefore, qualified and, importantly, original web designers will always find their client. Web design courses will certainly help photographers, artists, and simply people with artistic abilities find new uses for their talent. The duration of such classes is usually about two and a half months. And during this time you can master the basics and gain, albeit small, practical experience.
4. Computer ambulance
Nowadays it is very difficult to find an enterprise that manages to do its work without computers. Therefore, computer scientists were, are and will be in demand. Especially system administrators. If large companies have entire departments dedicated to maintaining computer systems, small companies often prefer to use the services of freelancers - the same system administrators who only come when necessary. There are several advantages to this kind of work: a free schedule and the opportunity to earn money in several places at once, which cannot but affect the amount of income.
5. Master of "half-boxing"
Be that as it may, the need for beauty and neatness will not go away. Moreover, it is now becoming fashionable to have your own personal master. Having acquired the specialty of a hairdresser, you can not only work in a salon, but also, on occasion, serve friends at home. If the work goes well, then the principle of “yard advertising” will work and there will be no end to clients.
6. Measure seven times - cut once
Like hairdressers, those who know how to properly cut and sew beautiful clothes are becoming increasingly popular. After all, it often happens that a custom-made item fits better and is much cheaper. And for the master, this is also a chance to bring his creative fantasies to life. Who knows, maybe there is a great fashion designer dormant within you.
7. Give me makeup
No crisis will affect a woman’s desire to look impressive. Therefore, the ability to make ladies even more beautiful (with the help of a brush and “paints”) will always be in demand. Having completed courses as a stylist-make-up artist, you will always be in demand - of course, provided you have talent and diligence.
Depending on the chosen salon, the training program may include the following skills: techniques for toning and modeling the face using products of various structures, daytime makeup, commercial, photo, runway makeup, individual style selection, etc. Upon completion of the courses, good schools issue the graduate with a certificate and recommendations - do not forget to check this when applying.
8. Pouring “with a spark”
The profession of beautifully mixing and pouring alcoholic drinks will always be popular in our country. Moreover, on the eve of Euro 2012, the country will need new bars and restaurants, and they need to be “staffed” with professional staff.
The specialty of a bartender is also in demand during a crisis. In addition, competitions with substantial cash prizes are often organized for workers in this field. And for self-development, it’s a good idea to learn to understand alcoholic beverages and learn how to communicate with clients. The acquired skills will generously pay off in tips from grateful visitors.
9. With numbers on "you"
Have you been good with mathematics since school, but before the crisis you worked in a completely different field? Then now is the time to learn an additional profession, popular and in demand at all times.
Accounting courses will be useful both for professional work and for merchants - by personally doing your own accounting, you expose your company to minimal risks (you are always aware of where the money went and where it came from, whether monthly reports have been submitted). You can study to become a chief accountant in a relatively short period of time (about 4 months) and relatively little money.
10. Hold on tight to the steering wheel, driver
With the advent of the crisis and the tightening of traffic rules, minibus drivers from the suburbs and regions began to leave Kyiv roads. Therefore, the demand for these professions remains. But as for the drivers of passenger taxis, look at the capital’s highways, and you will see that even business-class cars with checkers on the roof have begun to appear on them more and more often - fired bank employees are forced to work as a driver in order to repay the loan. Competition here is getting tougher, and even if you get a job as a taxi driver, it’s not a fact that in six months you won’t have several times more “colleagues.”
To become a candidate for the position of minibus driver, you must obtain a category “D” license. To do this, you must have continuous driving experience in category “B” or “C” for at least three years.
How will the state help?
In addition to all kinds of commercial courses, those wishing to improve their skills or simply master any additional specialty can use the services of the State Employment Service.
Thanks to the interaction of this organization with various educational institutions and special courses, you can count on its help. But there is one "but". Only officially registered and registered unemployed can undergo training for free. If you still have a job, you will have to pay, although a little less than for commercial courses.
In addition, with the assistance of the employment service, you can even try to open your own business (the State Employment Service has a special program to support beginning businessmen). You can find out more about all the conditions in the civil service itself.
The more you know, the more you will get
How to raise your salary by improving your qualifications - three instructive stories
You may not have been hit by the first wave of layoffs yet, but you should think about increasing your value, and not only in the eyes of your superiors. And just in case, be prepared for the fact that you will have to look for a new job. You can “become more expensive” by arming yourself with new knowledge and skills.
“Now the winner is the one who does not sit in one place, doing the same job, but strives to develop, master new horizons and related professions,” says Oksana Ilyenko, HR manager of a large publishing house. – I know for sure that if two applicants come to us for an interview, one of whom knows one foreign language well, and the other two, and this will be important for his work, then the second applicant may even be offered a salary 20-30 percent more than first. Because thanks to such a polyglot, the company will quite possibly save on one more employee who will not have to be hired.
To “sell” yourself at a higher price, of course, you need additional knowledge. It all depends on what a particular employer needs. For an accountant, it is important to have knowledge of special programs, SAP, for example, or to understand international reporting systems. For a designer - the ability to layout in several programs. Now, in addition to Quark Express, Indesign is beginning to be widely used. And if, in addition to PC, you also master Macintosh, it will be quite good.
And there is nothing new in this, it has always been this way - the more you know, the more you are worth. It’s not for nothing that job advertisements often say “salary based on interview results.”
Story one
Was an accountant, became a financial director
Lina Rodimets, who worked as an accountant in a small but quite successful foreign company, managed to increase her salary five times (!) in two years. The woman was not too happy with her position as an ordinary accountant.
I decided to develop and received a second higher education in the field of auditing.
In addition, she showed an active interest in work. Soon her efforts were noticed and she was appointed financial director of the company with a threefold increase in salary. She received another salary increase when they tried to lure her to another company. Seeing that the employee was truly valuable and could be lost, the management raised the official rate to $3,000.
Story two
Massage therapist of all trades
Massage therapist Tatyana Osipenko successfully works in a medical center together with her husband. But for some time it seemed to her that it was not enough to master classical, sports and anti-cellulite massages and she took advanced training courses. She mastered body-oriented practices with still unusual names - palsing, thanatotherapy, kinesiology.
They have something to do with massage, since these techniques also work with the body, but also affect the psyche - they provide relaxation and neutralize stress. At first, she honed her skills on her husband, and at the same time taught him.
Then little by little she offered new practices to her clients. And the circle of her clients began to expand - new skills turned out to be in great demand.
Story three
From pathologists to businessmen
Communication skills will also come in handy in life and at work - confident public speaking, the ability to negotiate, present and sell yourself and your product.
After graduating from medical school and moving to Kyiv for family reasons, the young surgeon Platon Didukha found only one vacancy - a pathologist. And the doctor started a new job, he even had his own plan - 30 “clients” per month. That is, every day there is one corpse. And the salary is about 1200 UAH. The situation lasted for about six months, and all this time Plato was looking for another job, also in medicine.
Then an acquaintance turned up who was selling medical equipment. True, Plato had to learn a little - take courses on active sales. Since the new young surgeon is a sociable person, he liked selling more, and he was very successful. Now he doesn’t have to cut anyone, plus his salary has increased 8 times. Which he and his young family are incredibly happy about.
To acquire new knowledge, you will have to spend a little time - from two-day trainings to four months of training in the evenings.
Today, more and more people are thinking about changing their profession, in the words of Dante, “having completed their earthly journey halfway.” Forgetting about a boring office and getting creative, making your favorite hobby your main job is a long-standing dream of many of us. But the older a person gets, the more difficult it is to decide on such a serious step. We talked to our experts about how to get rid of fears and start your career with a clean slate.
Why has the issue of changing profession become so relevant today? “Life has become better, life has become more fun” - the relative stability that replaced long-term economic and social crises has allowed many to stop thinking about every penny they earn and pay attention to what they really want in their professional lives.
“Now there is freedom of choice and, most importantly, a real labor market,” explains psychologist Elmira Davydova. - Those who entered universities 20–30 years ago, until recently, could not even think about changing their career. In Soviet times, a profession was chosen once and for all. And in the 90s, it seemed to everyone that the only way to survive was to work in a kiosk, so we chose more profitable directions. The humanities seemed scary back then, because you couldn’t make money with them, and simply no one went to the faculties of psychology and philology.”
A successful change of profession at any age makes a person freer, more creative, and happier.
Today the situation has changed radically. “A huge number of adults come to me wanting to bring more creativity into their professional activities. Of course, creativity does not always mean writing poetry or drawing pictures, clarifies Elmira Davydova. - This is a kind of activity about which you can say: “I did it myself.”
Thus, for the first time, many had the opportunity to realize their potential and even make a successful career in a new field. And along the way, the most unexpected turns can happen.
“Currently, there is a noticeable trend towards the so-called downshifting,” confirms existential psychotherapist Natalya Tumashkova. - When people who are fully established in their field at the age of 40–50 suddenly suddenly change their field of activity: large businessmen become captains of small boats and take tourists on exotic routes, bankers go into journalism, lawyers go into social work - in general, Diocletian leaves the imperial sinecure and He’s going to plant cabbage.”
However, not everyone is able to find the strength to disrupt the usual course of affairs. Some doubt the advisability of changing their profession, others are afraid of being left without funds - but still feel unhappy at work.
“A successful change of profession at any age makes a person freer, more creative, and happier. When you really do your own thing, it doesn’t become a burden,” says Elmira Davydova. “Therefore, any trials on the way to this state are worth it.”
Stage 1 - awareness
Experts identify very specific symptoms that indicate that your old job is no longer suitable for you. Elmira Davydova lists the main ones:
- You constantly feel bored while working;
- you don’t want to read specialized literature;
- it seems to you that in this area you have already achieved everything possible and there is nowhere to move further;
- you too often find yourself thinking about abstract things at work;
- your health is deteriorating (in severe cases, neuroses and panic attacks occur);
- you don't feel like going to work to the point where you want to cry.
Of course, these feelings can also be caused by extreme fatigue. Therefore, before you quit your job and go on a free creative voyage, try to experiment - go on a long-term vacation, creating all the conditions for yourself to have a good rest.
In addition, pay attention to your relationships with colleagues and superiors - perhaps the problem lies not in the profession as a whole, but in your place of work. And only if after rest and a change of team your condition has not returned to normal, you should move on to the next stage.
Stage 2 - cope with fears
The later the realization comes that it’s time to change your life, the more difficult it is to take this step. For an already established professional in adulthood, the transition to beginner status can be extremely painful.
“For a long time I could not decide to return to medicine 25 years after graduating from university,” Anna, 49 years old, shares her experience. “I imagined how experienced doctors would look at me with irony, as if I were a girl.” Of course, I was worried that they wouldn’t hire me at that age! But all these fears turned out to be in vain - the main thing is to really want and achieve your goal.”
“Any change always involves some uncertainty, which gives rise to anxiety,” comments Natalya Tumashkova. - Therefore, first, admit to yourself that you are scared, and try to understand: what are you afraid of most? Only the “named” fear can be correlated with reality, to see “is the devil really that scary.”
When NOT to change profession
Whatever our dreams, it is always better to look at the situation realistically. Not every job can be mastered in adulthood, and if, after celebrating your 50th birthday, you want to become a professional theater actor or pilot, you should think twice about this decision.
“In the end, it’s not necessary to turn a dream into a profession,” says Elmira Davydova. - Life is not limited to work. Fill the activities you conduct with creative content, and realize your passions as a hobby. Often the cause of depression and depression is not work, but something else. This may be a personal or age-related crisis, and then you will need advice not from a career guidance specialist, but from a psychotherapist.”
How to deal with the fear of change?
- remember your successful experience of change - how you started something, did something for the first time, how scary it was at the beginning and what helped you cope with the task;
- collect positive examples from the lives of friends and acquaintances;
- remember your relatives - they have faced a lot of changes, and they coped with them; Find inspiration by reading biographies of famous and successful people (for example, the book "Sailor in the Saddle", written by Irving Stone about the life of Jack London);
- remember that the most dangerous thing is “burnout” in the profession. Once you reach this stage of disgust with your own work, you will never be able to return to it.
“The only way to cope with your fears is not to chop off the branch on which you are sitting with an ax,” says Elmira Davydova. - You need to act gradually, drop by drop: take courses or make what you want to do your hobby. Gradually absorb the new environment, make acquaintances, study specialized literature.”
After all, in the process of learning a new thing, it may turn out that this is not at all what we need.
Stage 3 - decide on a new profession
For some, this part of the journey may seem the easiest - finally there is an opportunity to realize your childhood dreams, find a use for hidden talents, and turn your favorite hobby into your life’s work. But for many the question is “where to go?” seems like an insurmountable obstacle. Then a career guidance specialist can help you find a new calling.
“In 60% of cases, my clients already have a specific topic or area that interests them. Then we just have to specify the desire. In the remaining 40%, people learn something fundamentally new in my office,” says Elmira Davydova.
The main goal of the career guidance method is to identify which profession is suitable for this particular person. There are many different surveys and tests for this.
“I’m trying to understand how a person interacts with people, whether he likes to do things with his hands, what he has an inclination for,” continues Elmira Davydova. - You need to find the right object and the right action with this object. Each of us has a corridor of desires and a corridor of possibilities. And in the place where they intersect, a person finds his calling.”
Before visiting a specialist, it is important to do your homework. To do this, ask yourself a few questions: “Where and when did I feel happy and fulfilled?” Give yourself a “tour” through your childhood and youth memories: “Where did I experience the feeling that I want to experience now while working? And why did I ever give this up?”
“The next step is to take inventory of your own resources,” advises Natalya Tumashkova. “All the skills and abilities that have accumulated over the years of life can be used as keys to mastering a new business.”
It is necessary to carry out work to study the labor market: what can you do, what can you apply your abilities and experience to? Which of your friends is ready to join or perhaps invite you to work?
In addition, today there are many courses and types of additional education that can be combined with your main job.
“I usually recommend that people look for something close to the area where they are now,” notes Elmira Davydova. - We often do not notice the opportunities that lie in our field of activity. And only when the resources in the immediate circle are exhausted can one go into “outer space.”
Think: what would you spend your time on if you no longer had to work for money?
Just for such a case, the psychologist has compiled a list of questions, by answering which you can find a new business in your life.
1. If you are bored at work, write down five reasons why you feel bored. Imagine yourself doing something exactly the opposite. Do you like it? What do you feel? Write down five qualities that should be present in your job.
2. Write down the professions you know on a sheet of paper. Do a subtraction: subtract all the jobs you don't like. From the remaining ones, subtract those that are not available to you due to age. From the remainder, subtract those that interest you, but are scary to start. Consider the remainder.
3. Think about it, what would you do if you inherited a billion euros? Schedule your life for one year (twenty important things you would do) after receiving this money. And what would you spend your time on if you no longer had to work for money?
4. Write down what your parents programmed you to do (about money, education, career, people around you).
5. Who are your real teachers (name three people who, be it harshly or unwittingly, taught you something in life).
6. Remember what feats you accomplished (how you overcame yourself and the circumstances). How has this changed you?
7. Remember your risky actions (physical risk, social, financial), what did it lead to and what did these situations teach you?
8. Who are your parents and your parents' parents by profession? What did they do that was outstanding in their work?
9. Have you ever organized something or someone for any cause? How did you feel in this capacity as an organizer? Or did you prefer to be an ordinary participant?
10. Remember your dreams, which tell you in symbolic form about your dissatisfaction with life. Or ones that show the way.
About the experts
Elmira Davydova – psychologist, founder and director of the career guidance center “ProfGid”
Natalya Tumashkova – existential psychotherapist, coach, business trainer
Of course, any successful activity is, first of all, creativity. An activist must realize his ambitions, assert himself in life, and have a feeling of being needed by society. Otherwise, any person will lose interest not only in work, but also in life in general, and will not be able to fully realize their plans for life.
But, even if the choice of profession was initially made incorrectly, you can always have time to correct this mistake. Those who want to change their profession should not suppress this desire within themselves by still devoting precious time to an unloved activity. But at almost any age it is not as easy to do as someone would like. However, if you systematically pursue your dream and present yourself competently to employers, you can master your favorite profession at 30 or 50 years old.
How to change profession
There is absolutely nothing wrong with changing your profession. However, with every year spent in a job you don’t like, the chances of this are lost. Every year there will be less and less time to master new knowledge. Any employer strives, first of all, to hire an experienced employee.
At the interview, the employer must be convinced that experience is not the only skill that is needed in the job. Even more important is desire, hard work, willingness to learn and develop in the profession. In any case, you shouldn’t put off this decision until later and try to start learning a new profession as soon as possible.
Change profession at 30
It is easier than others to change their profession for young people who still have enough time to completely restart their career. But young people over 30 should think about how satisfying their profession is. Perhaps for people who are just starting their journey, reality may not seem as they would like it to be. Only some aspects bring dissatisfaction, but not the entire profession. In this case, it is recommended to keep a diary and reflect the accumulated negativity on paper. Negative aspects can be completely different - dissatisfaction with the team, the company's prospects, and other aspects of work. All this will help a newcomer on the career ladder to eventually find a job that suits him, changing several jobs and going through a series of interviews.
Change profession at 40
People who have already passed the 40-year mark in their lives can boast of work experience, relatively rich skills, and knowledge. Some already have significant career achievements. All this will be useful in the process of searching for a new profession and transitioning to it.
A specialist over 40 years old can easily assess his abilities, highlight them, write them down on paper, or simply list them. Having a decent amount of skills and experience, it’s a shame to realize that some of them are not used. If not all skills are used, it is impossible to realize yourself in the profession and you need to urgently change it.
Is it possible to change profession at 45?
The situation is approximately the same with people over 45 years old. You can change your profession, but you need to clearly understand which skills are not used in your previous job. A new job should provide the opportunity for full realization. Job openings can and should be searched for in all sources and actively connected.
Change profession at 50
Changing a profession at 50 is the most difficult process for any person. Mastering the skills is much more difficult, and you will have to prepare carefully for the interview. It is absolutely impossible to do without experience at this age.
It is recommended that you gain experience in this field by working for free or as a freelancer before changing your profession. It is already quite late to receive a full-fledged education at this age, although it is possible, but you can also complete special short-term courses and receive a professional certificate. Any movement towards a goal is better than stagnation.
People who changed their profession
There are many successful examples in the world of people who changed their profession in adulthood. For example, Ray Kroc, who was at the origins of McDonald's, changed his profession as a salesman only at 52 years old. Harrison Ford worked as a carpenter until he was 30 years old. World-famous artist Yuri Larin worked as an engineer until he was 40 years old.
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Throughout our lives, we have to change our place of residence, car, place of work and even spouses. Compared to the above, changing professions and specialties in the lives of Russians occurs much more often. According to Rosstat, back in 2012, more than 60% of Russians in one way or another worked in a profession other than theirs. In 2014, 47% of working citizens changed their profession a few years after graduating from a vocational school. What does 27% have to do with it? citizens surveyed believed that a profession should be changed every 10 years.
Reasons for changing profession
Periodic surveys show that 60% of those who received a second education are happy with their decision. Of these, 40% were able to get on their feet in 1 year in a new profession, the other 30% were able to achieve significant results in a new activity in 2 years.
Among the leading reasons for changing specialty were external:
39% - low salaries in the first specialty,
27% were disappointed in their first profession or experienced professional burnout,
20% - I wanted to change everything in my life,
5% - due to health reasons.
An important reason is the change of place of residence, when a different labor market has developed in the new place.
Get a second education in a new specialty or a new profession?
It is necessary to clarify that there are two options for changing activities:
Get trained in another specialty within your profession. For example, a pediatrician can retrain as a nutritionist and work in a fitness center or sanatorium. The same applies to teachers who are retraining from a mathematics teacher to an educational psychologist or manager in the field of education. Also within engineering specialties: designer to engineer of water supply and gas supply systems. The main reason for obtaining a second professional education within one’s group of professions is the need dictated by regulations (For example, for medical specialists this is Order No. 707n, for others - professional standards, etc.).
Get a second professional education in a new profession. An example would be when a doctor retrains as a teacher, or a civil engineer as a programmer, or a doctor as an accountant.
What professions are people most likely to flee from?
Most often, young teachers who do not complete their teaching career for 5 years change their profession. In turn, this picture is not typical for all regions of Russia. For example, in Moscow, teachers are well paid. A similar situation arises among medical specialists, as well as those who have secondary vocational education.
Most often, those who move to a new place of residence have to obtain a second education. Among them are those who moved from rural areas to the city, as well as those who moved from the periphery to megacities: Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Rostov-on-Don, Novosibirsk, Samara.
Recently, professional migration from medicine has increased. Most often, these are specialists who have worked in the healthcare system for 15 years or more. Doctors and nursing staff are changing not just their specialty, but their entire profession.
Ways to obtain a second education
According to the Constitution of the Russian Federation and the federal law “On Education,” a citizen can receive vocational education in any specialty. The same applies to the situation of obtaining a second professional education. But what plays a role here is how you can get a new profession.
There are 2 main methods that are prescribed in the Law “On Education”:
Method 1: obtain a second higher education lasting 3 years or more.
Method 2: take professional retraining courses for at least 3 months.
In other words, you can get a second profession in 3 years or 3 months. The choice is up to the citizen.
What is the difference between a second higher education and retraining courses?
In fact, both employees can equally occupy the same position and perform the same functions. The only difference between them is the method of obtaining a new specialty.
The first difference concerns names of issued documents about vocational education. Moreover, both workers, those with a second higher education diploma and those with a diploma of professional retraining, give the right to engage in activities in their profession. (can be found at the bottom of the page).
Studying time. To obtain a second higher education it will take several years, and for retraining from 3 months to 6 months (depending on the curriculum).
Training costs. The second higher education is always paid, as is professional retraining. But they differ in cost. For a second higher diploma you will have to pay 350 thousand rubles or more. For a retraining diploma - from 45,000 to 120 thousand rubles.
Scope of the curriculum. The main difference is the number of academic hours and the list of disciplines. For the second higher education, general university and general disciplines are provided. They make up up to 50-70% of the entire list. For example, a foreign language and natural science are required. Retraining courses do not include these subjects. While taking retraining courses, the student will study only the subjects necessary for the profession, including special knowledge and skills.
Second professional education in 3 months
It is much easier and more convenient to undergo retraining for an adult who is burdened with family and other responsibilities. From the point of view of saving resources, retraining in 3 months is the most effective way to get a second profession. And not only because of time resources, but also a number of the following advantages:
It is easier to find an educational organization with the required curriculum. For example, universities are mostly narrow-profile. And even in a wide-profile one, you sometimes won’t find a program for the profession you need. But a retraining program is easier to find. For example, in the multidisciplinary educational organization ANO DPO “SNTA”, up to specialties are represented.
In retraining institutions you can study remotely.
Who and who can be retrained for?
The main requirement for mastering retraining programs is the presence of any professional education: higher or secondary vocational. A citizen who already has a diploma in the first specialty can easily receive a diploma for retraining in a new specialty.
For some groups of professions there are certain restrictions. For example, it is impossible for those who do not have a first medical education to obtain a medical specialty. The same applies to pharmacists and pharmacists. There are several other groups of professions where there are similar restrictions. But for the rest, please... any profession in 3 months. You can learn more about what specialty you can retrain for with your first secondary vocational or higher education from specialists at retraining centers. Please note that these centers must have an educational license, which can be easily verified on the Rosobrnadzor website.
