Whether you’re looking for more stable work or you need a new challenge, changing careers can be an effective way to raise your earning potential while working in a field or a role that you’re passionate about.
How Often Do Workers Change Careers?
According to Monster’s Career Pivot Report, which surveyed over 1,000 US workers, 64 percent of job seekers said they’ve applied to roles outside of their industry, while 20 percent said they are actively trying to change careers. Of those surveyed, job seekers seem to be motivated by better pay (33 percent) and job stability (29 percent).
Monster’s report bolsters existing data indicating that most working professionals change careers multiple times throughout their lives. Roughly two-thirds (69 percent) of people surveyed in the FlexJobs’ 2025 State of the Workplace Report say they have changed or are considering changing their careers within the past year. Reasons include:
- Remote work options (67 percent);
- Improved work-life balance (52 percent);
- Greater job fulfillment (48 percent); and
- Expanded skill sets (40 percent).
Changing Careers to Follow Your Passion
If you’re looking for a new challenge that better aligns with your personal interests, finding a new role or industry can be one way to satisfy your curiosity.
Lauren Fortin, a graduate of the Master of Science in Sustainable Management and an energy and sustainability analyst for Kwik Trip, initially began her career in accounting as a loan coordinator in the mortgage industry. After just three years, she realized her job wasn’t fulfilling.
“I could either go get my CPA and become an accountant, or I could go and work at another mortgage company. And I didn’t really like those two avenues,” she said.
Lauren decided to pursue a career that more closely aligned with her interests.
“I did one internship with an environmental nonprofit in Rhode Island,” she says. “And I really, really loved that.”
She ended up getting her master’s degree in Sustainable Management through UW-Green Bay. She leveraged her mortgage background to excel in the program.
“It gave me a strong foundation of being able to analyze data, which is a big part of any corporate job really. It gave me the skills of being able to work collaboratively with people.”
Changing Careers To Land More Stable Work
If you’re seeking better pay or more stable jobs, you may be able to use your strengths to fill a predicted skills gap in healthcare. If this skills gap continues to go on unaddressed, it has the potential to hobble the American economy.
Some healthcare roles with significant needs include:
- Nursing. Employment of registered nurses is projected to grow five percent from 2024 to 2034, faster than the average for all occupations, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Over the next decade, about 189,100 openings for registered nurses are projected every year.
- Medical and health services managers, which are projected to grow 23 percent over the next decade. Many medical and health services managers previously worked as radiologic technologists, surgical technicians, or other roles in medical imaging.
- Substance abuse and mental health counselors. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects demand for substance abuse counselors and mental health counselors will grow 18 percent in the next 10 years. If you’re already working in the mental health field, or another adjacent career, transitioning to become a substance abuse counselor is possible with the 100 percent online UW Flexible Option Substance Use Disorders Certificate program. Or, consider earning your master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling to expand your skills and become a highly effective counselor.
How Do I Change Careers? Five Tips to Help You Make the Transition
Set yourself up for a successful career change by:
- Identifying your current skills and knowledge. What are some of your strengths? Do you have any special skills? If so, what are they? How can you leverage them into a different role? Skills like project management, problem solving, and leading teams are essential for success in a variety of work environments.
- Completing a quick assessment. The Department of Labor offers a free Skills Matcher tool that allows users to rate their levels on 40 key workplace skills to see what other roles might be a good fit, along with an Interest Assessment that analyzes what you like to do and suggests jobs that might be enjoyable for you.
- Finding a mentor. Whether you connect with someone in-person at a networking event or through a digital networking platform like LinkedIn, talking with others who have navigated similar career transitions can give you the information and inspiration you need to make your dream of finding a new field a reality.
- Going back to school. After you’ve assessed your strengths and what you enjoy doing on the job, make a list of skills you’d like to develop to help you transition into a new field. Completing an online degree or certificate program can help you build new skills while continuing to work full-time. For working professionals like Aaron Sens, a pension actuary, completing a graduate certificate in the Master of Science in Biodiversity Conservation and Management through UW-Green Bay has given him exposure to a new field he’s passionate about while allowing him to continue building his career in accounting. Once he’s completed his “passion project” in graduate school, he sees himself possibly seeking a leadership role at an environmental nonprofit.
- Realizing that a non-linear work history is no longer a liability. “In a volatile economy, it can be a survival strategy,” Monster says. “In the coming years, the most successful professionals may not be those who stayed in one lane, but those who had the confidence to switch.”
Build Skills to Make Your Career Change a Reality
Are you considering a career change, but aren’t sure what degrees or certificates might help you best accomplish your goals? UW Online Collaboratives and UW Flexible Option offer online degrees and certificate programs that you can complete while working full-time. Learn practical information you can apply immediately on the job while pursuing a field of study you’re passionate about.