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Is there a certain age where you should find your career job?
I was wondering if there is a certain age where we must find a career job. Can you be around 35-40 when you choose to pursue a certain career? #jobs #career #career-choice
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Dr. Sudeep Mohandas
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Dr. Sudeep’s Answer
The straight answer to your question is No.
Studies have shown and so has experience that people have throughout their life taken on as many as a 10-15 jobs in different areas. This is increasing now with time. In the glory days of the past, one person would stay in the job for decades.
There is no age where you can find a career. In today's context, a career job is overrated. What is important for you to understand is that when you are happy in a job, and you grow with it, that becomes your career. If you decide to move and you grow with that job, that becomes your career.
If you are speaking about pursuing a work that you find gratifying and rewarding then in most cases it is a job that not necessarily pay for you. It could offer you compensation in the form of a reward that exposes you too a variety of things. It may be something that touches on the very fundamentals of your value system thus making you feel good as a person.
So at the end of the day look at a career in the context of what is it you want in your life to ensure you are a useful citizen on this planet.
Studies have shown and so has experience that people have throughout their life taken on as many as a 10-15 jobs in different areas. This is increasing now with time. In the glory days of the past, one person would stay in the job for decades.
There is no age where you can find a career. In today's context, a career job is overrated. What is important for you to understand is that when you are happy in a job, and you grow with it, that becomes your career. If you decide to move and you grow with that job, that becomes your career.
If you are speaking about pursuing a work that you find gratifying and rewarding then in most cases it is a job that not necessarily pay for you. It could offer you compensation in the form of a reward that exposes you too a variety of things. It may be something that touches on the very fundamentals of your value system thus making you feel good as a person.
So at the end of the day look at a career in the context of what is it you want in your life to ensure you are a useful citizen on this planet.
Updated
N’s Answer
There is no right age. What you study in college does not necessarily mean that it is what you will end up doing for the rest of your life either.
You don't have to know right away. When I graduated from high school, I had no idea what I wanted to do. As a matter of fact, my parents chose a major for me (Industrial Engineering), based on my grades and what I seemed to be good at and I just went for it, because I had nothing else in mind. After one year in college, being in the types of classes an engineer would need to take, and having an "Intro to Industrial Engineering" class, helped me understand that it wasn't for me. So I changed majors after a year, and ended up doing IT instead.
When interviewing, I had no idea what field I wanted to be in either, and I was just going with the flow to see what field the interviewing was going to lead me to. As a matter of fact, when I got interviewed, the interviewer chose what career path they thought I would be a good fit in. They told me they could see me as a good fit in their forensics data analytics practice, and I did not even know what Forensics meant at the time, but i was open to hearing and learning more about it. I am 30 years old today and I am in this field that they thought would be a good fit for me. Do I love it? Yes and No. It all depends on many factors. Do I think that is the only future for me? Absolutely not. I still don't know where the future may lead my future, but I am open to landing on a different career path, if that appears to me as a better fit, vene if that is 10 years from now. You never know at what age it will click, and it doesn't necessarily meant that it will have to click, everyone has their own path.
You don't have to know right away. When I graduated from high school, I had no idea what I wanted to do. As a matter of fact, my parents chose a major for me (Industrial Engineering), based on my grades and what I seemed to be good at and I just went for it, because I had nothing else in mind. After one year in college, being in the types of classes an engineer would need to take, and having an "Intro to Industrial Engineering" class, helped me understand that it wasn't for me. So I changed majors after a year, and ended up doing IT instead.
When interviewing, I had no idea what field I wanted to be in either, and I was just going with the flow to see what field the interviewing was going to lead me to. As a matter of fact, when I got interviewed, the interviewer chose what career path they thought I would be a good fit in. They told me they could see me as a good fit in their forensics data analytics practice, and I did not even know what Forensics meant at the time, but i was open to hearing and learning more about it. I am 30 years old today and I am in this field that they thought would be a good fit for me. Do I love it? Yes and No. It all depends on many factors. Do I think that is the only future for me? Absolutely not. I still don't know where the future may lead my future, but I am open to landing on a different career path, if that appears to me as a better fit, vene if that is 10 years from now. You never know at what age it will click, and it doesn't necessarily meant that it will have to click, everyone has their own path.
Updated
Yeny’s Answer
Thanks for asking this question Neiko. I actually just responded to a post that asked about satisfaction in your career and whether you would do it for the rest of your life. Below is my answer, which I think applies here too.
Often times, people see careers as a linear path, but the reality is that many (most) careers are non-linear. Being able to pivot and be flexible throughout your journey is key. Always have a learning mindset, all the opportunities you will have in life will allow you to gain more skills and identify the things you love doing vs. the ones you really dislike.
Being very self-aware of how you are changing throughout your journey is important so you are able to make the right moves/decisions at the right time.
The important piece is to think about your career as a life journey and not a destination. In fact, I am also a contractor for an organization that helps people (often in their 30s, 40s, and 50s) design a new career for themselves. These are people that are not happy with what they are doing right now and just want to change to a new career.
I really like the comment from the other person who answered your question, it is important for you to focus on gaining transferable skills, this will allow you to be marketable in different careers.
Often times, people see careers as a linear path, but the reality is that many (most) careers are non-linear. Being able to pivot and be flexible throughout your journey is key. Always have a learning mindset, all the opportunities you will have in life will allow you to gain more skills and identify the things you love doing vs. the ones you really dislike.
Being very self-aware of how you are changing throughout your journey is important so you are able to make the right moves/decisions at the right time.
The important piece is to think about your career as a life journey and not a destination. In fact, I am also a contractor for an organization that helps people (often in their 30s, 40s, and 50s) design a new career for themselves. These are people that are not happy with what they are doing right now and just want to change to a new career.
I really like the comment from the other person who answered your question, it is important for you to focus on gaining transferable skills, this will allow you to be marketable in different careers.
Updated
Jill’s Answer
Hi there. With the nature of work today, many of us with go through shifts in our careers. Keep gravitating towards work you find interesting and that can support you financially. And build key skills that will be required irregardless of profession - change agility, critical thinking, digital skills, and leadership.