Every year, countless numbers of Americans wake up and decide they’ve had enough of their current job.
Maybe it’s burnout. Maybe it’s low pay. Maybe it’s that tiny, quiet voice that says, “I’m ready for a change.” Whatever the reason, it’s happening with a lot of people. Just recently, in June of 2025, roughly 3.2 million people just quit their jobs, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).1
In a country of more than three hundred and forty-two million people, that means about 2 percent of the population walked away from their roles in a single month. Some of them will go on to build their own businesses. Others will try a different company. And there are those who’ll switch into a totally new industry.
While the idea of switching careers can be daunting, it’s also a great opportunity to reinvent your career. It’s also very doable.
Read on as we discuss why people are switching careers, and, more importantly, how you too can transition with confidence.
Why People Switch Careers
Let’s start by taking an honest look at why people switch careers.
Better Pay
Possibly the biggest reason why people decide enough is enough is pay. And it makes sense, too. I mean, why settle for $47,000 as a bookkeeper when you can earn up to $125,000 as a UX designer?2 All it takes is just a few online courses and the willingness to pick up a few skills.
While we all agree that money isn’t everything, no one should ever feel bad for wanting to earn what they’re worth.
Personal & Professional Growth
Sometimes, it’s not even about the money. You just wake up one morning and realize that there’s nothing new for you where you are. No prospects. No challenges. Nothing. You’re basically just coasting.
While there are people who would be okay with this, a Gallup workplace study revealed that 11 percent of workers who quit their jobs did so because of a lack of career advancement opportunities.3 Clearly, growth is important where you work.
Better Work-Life Balance
This is another big one. Many people are leaving even well-paid jobs simply because it’s affecting other parts of their lives. In fact, a study cited in Reuters disclosed that up to 57 percent of workers will not accept a job offer that doesn’t give them the flexibility to have a real family life.4
And honestly, it’s easy to see why. You want to be able to work remotely from anywhere or have the time to take your kids to and from school.
New Interests
Sometimes, it’s none of the above. It’s just that your interests have changed. Maybe you’ve been working in finance, but now feel the lure of digital marketing.
Or you suddenly find yourself drawn to healthcare after working for years in customer service. The good news is that career changes like this are not easy to make. Take customer service to nursing, for example, there are direct-entry level MSN programs online that give you the training and skills you need to pivot successfully.
The beauty of MSN programs like this, according to Elmhurst University, is that all coursework is one hundred percent online. You can work and learn for your new role at the same time.
How to Switch Careers Successfully
So, how can you switch careers without ending up broke or miserable?
- Access Your Skills. Start by taking some time to assess the skills you’ve picked up over the years. The goal is to see how many can be transferred to your industry. Transferable skills will make your career change a lot easier.
- Create a Transition Plan. Once you know what you’re bringing to the table, the next thing is to create a transition plan. This step is equally important because you don’t want to rush into things. A transition plan helps you stay grounded and intentional.
A key part of your transition plan is your timeline. This will cover how long you need to work at your current role to build a safety net. It’ll also contain the other small but important steps you’ll need to take before you can successfully pivot into your new role.
- Retrain or Skill Up. You probably already have an idea of what the next stage of your career would look like, so now’s the time to gain the skills and qualifications for that next phase. You don’t have to go back to school and do a three or four-year course. There are accelerated programs designed for scenarios like this.
Sometimes, all you need is just a couple of online courses, and you’re set. The key is to do your homework properly and choose the right training programs for your goals.
- Network. Not many people know this, but networking opens doors faster than any recruitment drive. In fact, between 70 and 80 percent of job roles are filled through personal contact or professional networks, according to a Financial Post interview.5 Most of these jobs are not even posted.
That’s the secret. Get the skills for your next role. Reach out to people you know. One conversation may be all it takes.
Wrapping Up
Switching careers may be just what you need to step into a better phase of your professional life. Of course, it’ll feel intimidating. Most big changes do. But with proper planning, you can make it work.
Moving to an entirely different industry? Remember this: every expert was once a beginner. They learned their way in. You can, too.
References
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2025. Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey News Release. Economic News Release, September 3, 2025. https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/jolts_09032025.htm
- Indeed. 2025. Discover Your Earning Potential. Salaries, December 2025. https://www.indeed.com/career/salaries
- Gallup. 2024. 42% of Employee Turnover Is Preventable but Often Ignored. Workplace, July 9, 2024. https://www.gallup.com/workplace/646538/employee-turnover-preventable-often-ignored.aspx
- Reuters. 2024. Workers view work-life balance as more important than pay, study finds, January 17, 2024. https://www.reuters.com/business/workers-view-work-life-balance-more-important-than-pay-study-finds-2024-01-17
- The Financial Post. 2024. The right — and wrong — ways to network when looking for a job. Work, August 07, 2024. https://financialpost.com/fp-work/right-wrong-ways-network-looking-for-job
