Changing careers over 35: how to find a new direction if you want to grow?

Changing careers over 35: how to find a new direction if you want to grow?

A career change over 35 is often about simply wanting more, not about being in the wrong place. At this stage of life, we have experience, we have results, and we have a clearer understanding of what gives us real momentum. Coaching gives you the support to help you find the direction where progress, stability and contentment all come together. Available in Budapest and online, you can start from anywhere.

What will the article be about? We summarise it with a graphic:

The realisation around 35: „I've come this far, now what?”

There is a moment that we have seen with several of our clients. It's not loud, there's no drama, it's quiet certainty.
Ati, a 36-year-old sales team leader, put it this way:
„I feel I can do more, but I'm not sure what the next step should be.”

This phrase is very common over 35, when the goal is no longer professional survival but development and direction. For many professionals, this is when they first get the opportunity for leadership, greater responsibility or more complex projects. For others, this is when the first serious burn-out or fatigue sets in.

Changing careers over 35 is therefore a completely different story to changing careers at 25. We have more experience, but also more questions.

Why do we start looking for a new direction around 35?

It's not a question of age, it's a question of by then:

• we have a professional basis
• we see our own strengths
• we can also see our limits
• we have more responsibilities
• more realistically assess the role of our work in our lives
• quality working time and self-identity will be more important

This is where many people first feel that you don't have to prove it to the limit, but it is worth finding a direction that is sustainable in the long term.

How did a professional over 35 start a new career?

Kata (38) was a marketing manager in a fast-growing company. Her job was fun and her salary was OK, but after a while she didn't enjoy the campaigns anymore. She first said it at a coaching session:
„I've created what I wanted, but I don't feel like I'm in the story anymore.”

Working together, it became clear that it was the strategising and leadership that energised him, not the day-to-day running of the business. After six months, he moved into a marketing consultancy role, which was better suited to where he was. The professional connection remained, but there was more freedom and real room for development.

The interesting thing about the story was that it was not a „new beginning”, but stepped up, just in the other direction.

Why does career coaching work exceptionally well for people over 35?

In the experience of CoachLab Coaching Services, at this stage people (i.e. WE who are going through this) no longer want to experiment, but evolve in a meaningful, clear direction.
This is where coaching provides great security and transparency.

What does coaching provide in this situation?

1. Clearer self-awareness, which is often more realistic than when you are younger.
2. More precise professional direction, because after 35 you can see what's right for the long term.
3. Realistic steps, not over-committed, fragmented planning.
4. Stability in the face of uncertainty; this is the age when a wrong change would have serious consequences.
5. External perspective, which is often missing because the environment often says: „be happy with what you have”.

But the good thing about being over 35 is that you can improve, just smarter.

Why do we first feel the need to change direction around 35?

The same pattern always emerges in response to this question:

1. We already see how our workplace works.
2. We know how far we can go on the current course.
3. The experience of novelty disappears.
4. The need for more professional weight is emerging.
5. The feeling of „I don't want to be narrowed down” is strengthened.

This is perfectly natural. Not a crisis, but a need for development.

According to a 2023 article in The Economist („The Mid-Career Shift: Why Professionals Change Paths”), the late 30s are the most common time for professionals to change direction, because they have the experience to make informed decisions.

The coaching process over 35, what does it really look like?

At CoachLab, career coaching is not complicated, theoretical or full of foreign terms.
Simple, transparent, professional and human.

1. Starting point: what do you want to feel in your job?

We are not looking for the position, but for the operation. The atmosphere is more important than the title.

2. Identify strengths and patterns

Above 35, it is much clearer than before, but even more accurate with an external viewpoint.

3. Exploring new opportunities

Not „whatever”, but the directions that suit you.

4. Identifying realistic steps

We do not jump into deep water. We're moving in manageable, manageable steps.

5. Implementation and fine-tuning

The changeover is often a few months, and follow-up is important.

Where do people over 35 most often switch to?

The table shows that no need to start again, but rather to translate the knowledge you have already built up.

Can you move to a completely new area above 35?

Yes, you can, and often faster than you think.
According to an article in Business Insider 2024 („Career Switching Success Rates by Age”), nearly 60% of 35-45 year olds were able to move into a new field within 12 months, mainly in positions where previous experience is partially transferable.

This is exactly what coaching facilitates: mapping out what can be transferred and which direction is realistic.

Career change mistakes to avoid?

Over 35 are the most common errors:

• scrambling
• jumping into too much training
• seeking all options at once
• „it will be done somehow” attitude
• too narrow focus
• unrealistic CV repair

These can be avoided in a structured coaching process, where you don't need to rush or overload yourself.

Why is it different in Budapest and online?

There are many professionals in Budapest who have moved on from their junior years to more responsible positions.
And with online coaching, there is even more freedom; it is easier to find the time for the process.

That's why CoachLab Coaching Services works in both formats, so you don't have to change location.

What do you take away from the process?

• clearer direction
• more confident decisions
• realistic development opportunities
• a more accurate sense of professional identity
• a career that suits you better

And perhaps most importantly:
you don't have to deal with the issues alone.

Related services

• Career coaching: https://CoachLab.hu/karrier-coaching/
• Executive coaching: https://CoachLab.hu/executive-coaching/
• Coaching prices: https://CoachLab.hu/coaching-arak/

External, relevant pages:
CoachBp

AgilisCoach

If you are not looking for a coach with us: CoachKereso.hu

Contact us and we'll discuss the options:

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Frequently asked questions over 35...