JT & Dale Talk Jobs: Switching careers without a huge pay cut

Dear J.T. & Dale: I no longer want to be a nurse. I tried to stick it out after the pandemic, but I’m done. However, I’m used to the lifestyle my current income affords me. What’s the easiest way for me to make a transition without taking a huge pay cut? — Janelle

DALE: I’m glad to hear that you appreciate that your lifestyle/income could be bushwhacked by a career change. If you want to keep those intact, then you must not think, as so many people in your situation do, “I just want to do something completely different — a fresh, new start!” That sentiment is alluring, but what it means, in terms of income, is starting over and being a rookie. And not just a rookie, but a comparatively old rookie who’ll be evaluated by suspicious corporate recruiters who’ll be wondering, “Can she not handle pressure?” “Is she used up?” To dance past all that, you’re going to need to evolve, not start over. Luckily, with medical services being a major portion of the economy, you have lots of evolutionary paths.

J.T.: Yes, career change is all about transferable skills. You have to inventory your strengths and then figure out what other jobs would benefit from them. Think about the things that you most enjoyed about being a nurse. How could those be applied to other industries? Once you do that, you can start to narrow in and have conversations with people who work in those types of positions. Networking your way into a job is ideal because what you lack in direct experience, you make up for in transferable skills and the desire to move into the industry. Lots of companies will take a chance on you if they know you’ve got hustle, drive and passion for the work.

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DALE: Speaking of networking, I’m sure you can reconnect with former colleagues who’ve moved into related fields — they’ll show you the paths to new careers that already exist.