A midlife career change
Every generation wants a midlife career change earlier than the generation before them. Here’s how to successfully change careers mid-life.
Brian Thompson talks about midlife career change:
Wanna quit your current job for a midlife career change?
CNBC reported in January 2020 that Americans quit jobs at the fastest rate on record in 2019. When we recorded Queer Money® episode #11 in 2016, 80% of 20-somethings already wanted a new career.
What should job hoppers know before jumping ship? We talked about that with Brian Thompson of BT Financial. You see, Brian had recently quit his job as a tax attorney to become a Certified Financial Planner (CFP).
On this Queer Money®, Brian shared the steps he took to make this drastic change. Because while there are many similarities between tax law and CFPs, the barriers to entry (regulations, certifications, time, money) for each are high.
Honestly, Brian’s first step was to start a blog, as we often suggest to folks whether they don’t want to quit a job or if they want to quit a job today. Brian shared how he methodically (and slowly) researched his mid-life career change and chipped away (slowly) at the steps to quit his former job. When a new career presented itself, Brian was ready to leap rather than stick with the familiar, “safe and secure.”
Brian analyzed his and his husband Ben’s finances, employment situations, and others to prepare. Brian shares how he then used his analysis to decide when and how to quit his job and take that leap.
Some might say Brian’s lucky, but he wouldn’t put it that way. His decisions were hard and not without consequence not least of which scary.
As the Stoic philosopher Seneca said, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”
That means that knowing and preparing for what we want is at least as important as the opportunity presenting itself. In fact, not preparing may mean we don’t see opportunities when they come our way.
Listen to this Queer Money® episode to get Brian’s four tips for quitting your job and starting the career (and life) you love.
About Brian Thompson, JD, CFP®
Brian graduated from college with a degree in philosophy and fell into law on the advice of his advisor. For a couple of reasons that we discuss, one very personal, Brian gained an interest in personal finance. Because of his general interest in the topic and what life put in front of him, Brian felt the universal pull towards a career change.
Brian started blogging about personal finances about three years ago and, for a few reasons that we share on the show, quickly focused on the queer community. Brian married his husband, Ben, in August 2014 in Illinois. He is, also, a member of our Queer Money Facebook group and we’ve shared his writings in the Queer Money™ Facebook group and on the Debt Free Guys™ Facebook page.
Watch more here about how to make that midlife career change:
How can you get more Queer Money® podcasts?
✅ Subscribe to the Queer Money® podcast here @ QueerMoneyPodcast
✅ Hear the original Queer Money® episode @ 4 Keys to Winning the Mid-life Career Change
✅ Join the conversation in the Queer Money Facebook Group @ QueerMoney
✅ Email us with questions @ [email protected]
We’re David and John Auten-Schneider, the Debt Free Guys (www.debtfreeguys.com) and hosts of the Queer Money® podcast. We help queer people (and allies) live fabulously not fabulously broke by helping them 1) pay off credit card debt, 2) become part- or full-time entrepreneurs and 3) save and invest for retirement.