Career Change – Is It Too Late to Switch and Become a Scientist?
The short answer is no! It’s never too late to pursue a new career, even within the science industry! Depending on your current qualifications and work experience, the journey of starting a new career in science will look slightly different for everyone.
Why Change Careers Later in Life?
There are a wide number of reasons people choose to change career paths mid-way through life.
If you’ve been in a certain career for a long period of time, you may have reached the limits of natural career progression, and you may find yourself growing bored with the lack of diversity. If you’re not learning anything new in your current job and are looking for a challenge, you may be considering new career opportunities in science.
As mentioned in the start of the blog, there’s a lot of pressure on individuals to choose a career path when they’re young – if you’re in your 30’s and have realised that your true passion in life is science, it’s never too late to follow your dreams!
Not everyone falls into these categories – whatever your reasoning is, it’s never too late to pursue a new career.
How to Successfully Change Careers Later in Life
If you’re considering making a career change, there are a few important factors you have to consider:
Qualifications
Within the science industry, having the necessary qualifications is pretty important. Do you already have the qualifications you need to become a scientist in your desired field? If not, how long will it take you to gain them? How expensive will it cost to study? Do you have the time and money it will take for you to get qualified?
Experience
If your desired new science career is already pretty similar to current work, it’s possible that you already have relevant work experience or transferrable skills that you can apply to your new career path.
If you don’t have any kind of experience in your target field, it might be worthwhile taking some time to look into entry level positions, or maybe even internships that can help you get better acquainted with your new field (you’re never too old to become a scientist, and you’re never too old to do an internship!)
Update your CV
Particularly if you’ve been in one field for a lengthy period, it’s likely that your CV is optimised for the requirements of that particular field. If you’re changing fields, go through your previous experience and qualifications and see how they can be a benefit your new career pathway.
