More professionals in their 30s and 40s are switching careers — and it’s no longer unusual

Everyone has heard of a midlife crisis, but today, it seems this dilemma has become a more common thing with mid-career professionals in their 30s and 40s.

Workforce analyses estimate that 39 is the average age of a career switch, with many professionals in their late 30s and early 40s seeking higher pay, more flexibility, or a healthier work-life balance.

In the US, Americans between the ages of 35 and 44 held an average of 2.9 jobs, while those between 45 and 54 averaged 2.2 jobs, News Nation reported, citing the longitudinal surveys of the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

However, there are underlying reasons why this dilemma hits mid-career professionals. It could be burnout. Layoffs. Or simply the fact that reskilling is now far more accessible, making career switches easier than before.

At the same time, now, employers are also placing more emphasis on transferable skills instead of strictly linear resumes.

And while job changes tend to slow with age, they do not stop.

Research shows that around 7% of workers at about age 45 still shift careers annually, with millions switching employers each year, as revealed by federal labour data.

Now, with federal projections suggesting the median age of the US workforce is in the early 40s, economists say career reinvention is becoming a new norm and an expected part of long-term career growth.

For mid-career professionals going through a “mid-life” career crisis, career coach Priscilla Pang of talent development firm General Assembly — who also made a successful career switch in her 50s — said that while changing careers later in life can be challenging and requires grit and determination, it is always possible. /TISG

Read also: Two-thirds of Gen Z plan to switch jobs but struggle to stand out in a competitive market

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