What You Should Know Before Changing Your Career Path In Your 30s
Oh, age 30. I am 29 today and the thought of 30 being my next milestone if gut-wrenching.
You question all the decisions you've made up until this point, especially your career choice. Eighty five percent of adults are dissatisfied with their career, as discovered by this Gallup study. If you fall within this category, or are simply in need of a change, the reality of age 30 lurking around the corner causes a lot of people to stress about their current career commitment.
To change your career at 30 is scary because you are at an age where accountability for your time is absolutely higher. Whether you have been in the trenches climbing the corporate ladder or have followed your passion for the last 10 years only to realize: Oh shit, what the hell am I doing? Don't worry, there is hope. I consider one of life's pleasures to be the potential to reinvent one's self in all stages and your career rebirth is no different should you use some of these steps as a guide.
1. Find your passion and build your career around that.
The path to change your career at 30 may not always lie in a complete environment change but rather in a mindset and routine change. When carving out your new path, it is important to use your interest as a guidance system to help you solve a problem and not simply chase after a sexy career title. I recently interviewed international business development strategist, Edwina Kulego who also was feeling mundane at her job.
Rather than leaving the security of her corporate position, she custom-designed a new role tailored around her interests and pitched it to her boss. It worked because she was solving a real problem. If you need help figuring out what your interest are, check out Pathfinders. Through a series of programs, Pathfinders will help you outline your natural abilities and potential career paths.
For some additional inspiration, click here to check out my interview of Edwina Kulego.
2. Build your career around your strengths and you will make yourself indispensable.
Before you take any leaps and Eat.Pray.Love this process, I challenge you, like Edwina, to take a second look at your current environment and figure out the areas where your abilities could be best used. One beautiful thing that comes with knowing your strengths and interests is that it allows you to serve from your unique perspective.
If you design a career or business that is uniquely you, then your service becomes harder to replicate and your job becomes a whole lot more enjoyable. The grass is not always greener on the other side. The truth is, although I don't have a tremendous amount of experience in a specific work field, I have bounced around jobs in a variety of industries and I am pretty sure that what I am doing now is along the lines of where I would end up should I walk away now.
3. Embrace Mentorship.
I am one of those people who was extremely smart growing up but, during my time in college, I lost interest in pretty much everything I thought I was meant to do. I didn't grow up surrounded with ambitious or successful adults who spoke to me about the practicality of planning out a career path. It's hard to imagine something is possible if you don't have role models that hold those positions.
If you are like me and are someone who needs to absolutely reset her career but feels too old to start all over, the quickest way to see the reality of your goals is to develop relationships with people who are already doing it and can advise you of the different options that you may not be aware of.
4. Take classes for a specific skill that you would like to improve.
You don't need a college degree to further your education. I don't know about you, but knowing shit is kind of cool and absolutely necessary to grow at any phase in your life. In my case, one of the biggest hurdles preventing me from growing my business is my lack of management skills; hence I need management classes. Depending on your specific situation, you might be overwhelmed with the thought of going back to school but that may not be necessary.
You can just take a course in a specific area of growth that you desire in order to change your career at 30. The confidence in your acquired knowledge might be the clarity you need to define your new path. Click here for the 13 best online selling classes that you can now enroll in for only $10.
5. Strengthen your networking game like seriously.
Don't underestimate the power of networking. The easiest way to broaden your chances in life is to expand your network. By networking I mean meet a whole lot of new people but I also mean become useful to a whole lot of people. The book Nonstop Networking offers practical ways to be useful to virtually everyone you meet while having your needs met in the process.
Also you should not be going through this alone; share your desire for a career change with family and some of the new people you meet; you'll be amazed what surprises lie in your path.
6. Create a routine that maximizes your productivity and absolutely works for you.
Your dissatisfaction with your current career choice might be stemming from an unhappiness with your current routine. Take massive steps to change your environment and routine. Your daily routine should include goal setting, some form of exercise (even if it's just stretching in your apartment floor, or walking around your block for 30 minutes), and meditation for clarity.
Check out more skills for igniting behavioral change via this podcast here.
Naomi Alabi is a fashion entrepreneur and Women Empowerment Advocate. She is the creator of Street Fashion Week and Women of Power. Follow her on Instagram and check out her new series “Women of Power" here.
Featured image by Getty Images
- 8 Career-Defining Moves To Make In Your 30s | Career FAQs ›
- 30 Reasons Your Career Only Gets Better in Your 30s Read On ›
- 10 Career Lessons You Should Learn By Your 30s ›
- 10 Best Career Moves for Women in Their 30s | HuffPost ›
- Career Moves to Make in Your 30s | Money ›
- 10 Life Lessons to Excel in Your 30s | Mark Manson ›
- Career Advice: Moves to Make in Your 30s | Money ›
- 5 Ugly Myths About Changing Career in Your 30s - TalentCulture ›
- 5 Ways To Reinvigorate Your Career In 30s ›
- What Science Says About Being In Your 30s | HuffPost ›
- Changes to make in your 30s - Business Insider ›
- This Is What Happens to Ambition in Your 30s ›
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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Growing up in Brooklyn, New York, Caribbean culture has always been all around me, from the food to the dancehall and soca music to traditions carried out by all of the Caribbean people living in the city. As a youngin, I loved attending the West Indian Day Parade every September because the floats, steel drums, extravagant feathers, and upbeat music made me feel free and gave me a deeper appreciation for the culture.
As I got older, I learned that the yearly Carnivals happening across the Caribbean put NYC’s little festivities to shame. Traveling to the islands themselves and experiencing the people and culture first-hand really gives you a deeper understanding and appreciation for Caribbean culture.
The history of Carnival celebrations in the Caribbean can be traced back to enslaved people who were forbidden from participating in the Pre-Lenten celebrations and thus created their own celebrations and traditions, which over time developed into celebrations of freedom and rebellion. Each country in the Caribbean has its own unique history of celebrations, as well as its own Carnival traditions that set it apart from other festivities.
What started as a Pre-Lenten celebration is now celebrated during a range of months throughout the year and now attracts hundreds of people from all over the world. Here are six carnivals that you should go to this year to experience this culture for yourself.
Crop Over - Barbados Carnival
Crop Over Dates: July 31, 2024 - August 6, 2024
What better place to celebrate carnival than the home of our Bajan Queen Rihanna? While some festivities start as early as May, the official festival season in Barbados starts in July and ends in early August. Crop Over originally started as a way for plantation workers to celebrate the end of the sugarcane harvest season and has now evolved into a much larger celebration. Crop Over is a blend of both old and new traditions, such as the Ceremonial Delivery of the Last Canes, and Cohobblopot, where bands show off their beautiful costumes and play soca and calypso music.
All of the week's festivities culminate with the Grand Kadooment, Crop Over’s big parade featuring all of the bands and droves of people taking to the streets in their beautiful costumes and dancing to the local music.
Other things to do: Visit Hunte’s Garden in Joseph’s Parish and find peace in the picturesque garden while spotting an array of different birds and animals. If you’re looking for beach relaxation, spend a day at Carlisle Bay, the perfect beach for swimming, taking in some sun, and a possible turtle sighting.
Saint Thomas Carnival
Saint Thomas Carnival Dates: April 28, 2024 - May 5, 2024
No passport? That won’t be a problem for U.S. travelers looking to get in on the carnival experience. Saint Thomas, one of the three U.S. Virgin Islands, is known for its crystal clear beaches, scuba diving scene, and overall vibrant culture. The island celebrates its carnival in late April and features a dynamic lineup of events including colorful adult and kiddie parades, calypso competitions, and street parties. Virgin Islanders are known to love to party, so make sure to fill up before the festivities with some local favorites like johnny cakes, callaloo, and conch fritters.
With its rich cultural heritage and lively atmosphere, this is a carnival experience perfect for a first-timer who wants to ease their way into the lifestyle.
Other things to do: Visit one of Saint Thomas’ many turquoise blue beaches such as Coki, Magens Bay, Brewers Bay, or Lindquist Beach. Coki Beach is perfect if you're looking for a more lively experience and want to snorkel without swimming far out, and Brewers Bay is best known for the sea turtles that you can see from the sand. You can also take a short ferry over to Saint John, another of the Virgin Islands, and spend a day at Lime Out, a floating taco and margarita bar.
Spicemas - Grenada Carnival
Courtesy of Grenada Tourism Authority
Spicemas Dates: August 7, 2024 - August 14, 2024
Grenada, also known as the Spice Isle due to its production of a variety of spices, has one of the most anticipated carnivals every year. During Spicemas, revelers hit the streets for lively music, paint, oil, dancing, and good times. One of the most important aspects of Spicemas is Jab Jab, a celebration that involves covering one's body in black oil or paint. This tradition started as a post-emancipation masquerade, in which former enslaved Africans would paint themselves black emulating a “Jab” derived from the French word diable, which means devil.
This was a way of mocking their former masters and also represented rebellion and freedom. Since then, the tradition has evolved into a staple of Carnival on J’ouvert morning, a celebration of freedom, and undoubtedly an element that makes Grenada stand out from other Carnivals across the diaspora. Outside of J’ouvert, Spicemas is a beautiful culmination of colorful and vibrant costumes, steel band competitions, delicious rum, and music that you’ll dance to all night.
Grenada is celebrating 50 years of independence this year, so just know that Spicemas is going to be extra special!
Other things to do: For the ocean lovers, the Molinere Bay Underwater Sculpture Park is a must-see attraction. It is the world's first underwater sculpture park and a popular excursion for folks visiting the island. This year, five new installations are being added to the park, which can all be viewed through snorkeling, diving, or a glass bottom boat ride.
Antigua Carnival
Antigua Carnival Dates: July 31, 2024 - August 7, 2024
Every August, carnival lovers flock to the beautiful island of Antigua for its annual carnival festival. First celebrated in 1957, Antigua’s Carnival started as a celebration of emancipation from slavery and has since expanded into a dynamic showcase of local talent, music, and cultural pride. Some events to look forward to are the Party Monarch and Calypso Monarch competitions, as well as the Caribbean Queen’s Competition.
Antigua Carnival is an almost two-week extravaganza that leads into J’ouvert on Carnival Monday and the main parade on Carnival Tuesday. If you love good music, vibrant costumes, and delicious food, this is the carnival for you.
Other things to do: Take a trip to Shirley Heights Lookout for live music and breathtaking panoramic views of the coastline and ocean. And with 365 beaches in total, you’d be missing out if you didn’t fit in a few on your itinerary.
Bermuda Carnival
Bermuda Carnival Dates: June 12, 2024 - June 17, 2024
Also known as Heroes Weekend, Bermuda Carnival may be smaller than some of the other carnivals, but is still a great time. Bermuda is one of the newer carnivals, originating in 2015. Celebrated in June, this long weekend of festivities draws inspiration from other popular carnivals while also highlighting elements of Bermudian culture. You can expect some similar elements as other countries such as daily fetes, soca music, and a parade filled with different bands and extravagant costumes.
They also celebrate Bermuda’s National Heroes during carnival with a national feast. Bermudians have immense pride in their country and culture, and their carnival is the biggest celebration of the year that you don’t want to miss.
Other things to do: Take a day trip to Crystal and Fantasy Caves, beautiful caves formed over millions of years that you can take tours of. Spend a few hours taking in these beautiful natural wonders and seeing some of the formations and underground pools.
Saint Lucia Carnival
Saint Lucia Carnival Dates: July 10, 2024 - July 17, 2024
Home to some of the most beautiful mountains and beaches in the Caribbean, Saint Lucia has the perfect backdrop for an unforgettable carnival experience. Saint Lucia Carnival didn’t take flight until the late 1940s but has grown into a favorite for both novice and seasoned masqueraders. Formerly held in February, this carnival now kicks off in July which allows it not to compete with the highly revered Trinidadian carnival that also happens at that time. Saint Lucia’s Carnival has grown in popularity over the years because of the lively music, delicious food, and turned-up fetes.
One of the highlights is the Parade of the Bands, where masqueraders adorned in elaborate costumes dance through the streets to the rhythms of soca, calypso, and steelpan music. The best way to prepare for the Saint Lucia Carnival is to stay hydrated and well-fed so that you can thoroughly enjoy the plethora of events and parties happening from early morning to nightfall.
Other things to do:The Pitons, Gros Piton and Petit Piton are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the main attractions in Saint Lucia. Take a hike of Gros Piton or just marvel at its natural beauty. If you're there on a Friday night, stop by the weekly Gros Islet Street Party, which is filled with music, drinks, and local food.
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Featured image courtesy of Grenada Tourism Authority