Let’s look first at some job satisfaction data regarding the workplace in the United States.

Surveys (there are plenty of them: see the source list at the bottom of the page) have averaged that 45 % of Americans are content with their positions. That's LESS THAN HALF of the US workforce! That’s not a lot! Out of that 45%, only 20% declared that they were passionate about what they do.

Now, when asking the other 50% the reason of their dissatisfaction, more than 30% said they felt that they had reached a dead end and that there was no alternative place to go; they argued that they were too old to attend school again or they had too many responsibilities and thus couldn’t take the risk to shift their profession.

So, that’s 80% of the demographic. What about the remaining 20%?

As far as all the data I have looked at, they said that they were eager to change their career.

So, what does this mean?

Simply put… If you are unhappy at your job, you are not alone!

Do you think you are happy at your job?

I created this little questionnaire. Circle the right answer.

• You are recognized at your workplace. YES or NO.

• You are appreciated. YES or NO.

• You feel accomplished. YES or NO.

• You make enough money, or at least, you earn what you think you are worth. YES or NO.

• Your workload is light and you have full support (help). YES or NO.

• You have plenty of promotion opportunities. YES or NO.

IF YOU CIRCLED MORE THAN THREE OF THE NO ANSWERS, YOU NEED TO MAKE A CHANGE, AND HERE IS THE GOOD NEWS!

More studies have shown that the vast majority of unhappy employees think that if they had a chance of getting new skills and training, it could be the key to their future success and fulfillment.

WHAT ABOUT YOU? DO YOU THINK YOU COULD SUCCEED AS WELL? THE ANSWER IS YES!

You could make anything happen, because:

• Over the years, you have built a network of friends and colleagues.

• You have already experienced the best and the worst and aren’t afraid of whatever may come your way.

• You believe in yourself and that, by itself, is empowering; younger people have the tendency to self-doubt.

MY PERSONAL STORY – IF YOU WERE INTERESTED TO READ.

I am 50 and I changed my career four years ago. I left the safe and somehow lucrative world of science (I was a medical researcher, molecular biologist) to become a self-employed fantasy novel author and illustrator.

The main challenge I faced was not knowing where, and how to begin. This was scary and overwhelming at first, but I did not let that hold me back, because I saw I needed to move forward.

As I write this article, I will admit that my earning is extremely low, almost nonexistent. But I am not frightened or discouraged, as I am building a strong base for my business. On a weekly basis, I post illustrations on my social platforms, compose blogs on my website, and create video tutorials on my YouTube channel. One day, I will get noticed. My novels and merchandise will sell and my drawings will be commissioned.

HERE IS WHY I LEFT MY CAREER AND HOW I DID IT.

Why:

I was miserable in science. I saw men being promoted before me on numerous occasions; it hurts just thinking about it. I was not appreciated, underpaid, and overworked. I had no feeling of achievements, as the world of research is maddeningly slow and mostly futile. At least, that was my personal experience, as our lab’s attempt to come up with an HIV-1 vaccine was not successful for many years.

Long story short, I was burned out, disappointed, and unhappy.

How:

• I started off with a clean slate, meaning no regrets, but most importantly no debts: my husband and I have no children, nor pets, and live in a small house. We are not big spenders. However, once a year, we do splurge, and after we saved the amount needed, we travel to Europe. The success being here: we don’t buy the unaffordable.

• I taught myself all the skills I have now: All my life, I loved to sketch and write short stories. Though, I never composed an entire novel before or used a drawing tablet and software to create digital illustrations. So, I had to learn all these new skills on YouTube, Coursera, Skillshare, etc.

LAST THOUGHT

There are truly no reasons anymore for you not to start a new career. If you have the drive and passion and know it’s the right thing to do at the right time, you should go for it. Thanks to the internet, we now have all the tools we need at hand. I understand that some changes may be drastic for some of you and you may have to get a degree or certification, or simply need a mentor.

That said, age is not an obstacle as it used to be in the 1970s or 1980s. Mentalities have evolved for the better and now companies would rather hire a candidate with experience, responsibility, and who is driven over young people coming fresh out of college with no ambition or idea of what they want to do with their lives.

Just remember this:

• WORK HARD!

• Make all the appropriate efforts to learn new skills and improve them through repetitive practice.

• DO NOT Procrastinate.

• Defeat (or discouragement) is not an option.

• YOU ONLY HAVE ONE LIFE! Make the most of it and be happy.

As for me… Whatever is out there… I am eager and excited! I hope it’s good. But most importantly, today…

I LOVE MY JOB!!!

Until next time…

Corinne Zaragoza

Author and Illustrator.

Sources (where I found all the statistics):

American Staffing Association Sources:

Bureau of Labor Statistics

Career Builder

Forbes

Gallup

Glassdoor

Harvard Business Review

Officevibe

Pew Research Center

PR Newswire

The Economic Times