waday
Do one thing every day that scares you
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Has anyone contemplated or completed a career change?
Background
I'm fairly well educated in my current path, with a bachelors and masters, as well as getting to the big milestone of being professionally licensed. With all of that behind me, I'm doing pretty well in my current career and have worked up a decent-enough resume for my age.
I've worked government for a few years, then moved to consulting for about the same length of time. I've found that consulting is much more mentally stimulating (which I like), but the work isn't ideal for my personal interests. To make a long story short, I'm really no longer interested in the work I'm doing. I can't figure out if it's the jobs that I've had or if it's the profession itself. Ideally, I'd like to get another job to see if it's my current employer or current work. I've explored my current options, but I'm finding this career does not really align with my career goals or personal interests.
I thought it did align with my interests when I was getting my degrees. I wish I would have been able to figure all this out when I was in high school debating my future life, but that's water under the bridge.
Additional info that may be helpful
For what it's worth, I'm currently an engineer. Would like to possibly move to physics/astrophysics through a PhD program. I'll likely need more math (highest math was differential equations) and physics (two calculus-based classes with labs), but I'm ready and willing to do what it takes for this change. I'd likely need a refresher classes in math and physics.
I realize that such a change would likely result in $100-$200K worth of student loan debt, which is why I'm not taking this lightly. I fear that if I don't make a change now, it'll only get harder in the future.
Questions
I have a few questions, answers and opinions to any of these would be much appreciated!
Background
I'm fairly well educated in my current path, with a bachelors and masters, as well as getting to the big milestone of being professionally licensed. With all of that behind me, I'm doing pretty well in my current career and have worked up a decent-enough resume for my age.
I've worked government for a few years, then moved to consulting for about the same length of time. I've found that consulting is much more mentally stimulating (which I like), but the work isn't ideal for my personal interests. To make a long story short, I'm really no longer interested in the work I'm doing. I can't figure out if it's the jobs that I've had or if it's the profession itself. Ideally, I'd like to get another job to see if it's my current employer or current work. I've explored my current options, but I'm finding this career does not really align with my career goals or personal interests.
I thought it did align with my interests when I was getting my degrees. I wish I would have been able to figure all this out when I was in high school debating my future life, but that's water under the bridge.
Additional info that may be helpful
For what it's worth, I'm currently an engineer. Would like to possibly move to physics/astrophysics through a PhD program. I'll likely need more math (highest math was differential equations) and physics (two calculus-based classes with labs), but I'm ready and willing to do what it takes for this change. I'd likely need a refresher classes in math and physics.
I realize that such a change would likely result in $100-$200K worth of student loan debt, which is why I'm not taking this lightly. I fear that if I don't make a change now, it'll only get harder in the future.
Questions
I have a few questions, answers and opinions to any of these would be much appreciated!
- Is a career change realistically doable?
- Is a career change financially possible if the family (wife and dog) currently relies heavily on my salary?
- What kind of personal/professional struggles are there with a career change? (Wife currently supports it, assuming it's what I want to do and we can make it work. Dog probably doesn't care as long as she gets fed and walked.)
- If you have contemplated a career change, AND YOU DID NOT MAKE THE CHANGE, why did you decide against it?
- If you have contemplated a career change, AND YOU MADE THE CHANGE, do you have any advice for someone starting the research into making a change?
- Has anyone on this forum made physics or astrophysics their chosen career? If so, if you'd be willing to answer a few questions (through private message), I would be most appreciative!
- Instead of changing careers, did anyone increase their hobbies/outside work interests to a level that overcame their issues with their current careers/jobs/employers/etc?