12 Wild Career Transformations That Prove You're Not Stuck With Your Job

"When I got hit by a wrong-way driver, I decided that life was too short not to do something I enjoy."

Choosing your major or starting your career can be stressful and confusing. For me, it felt like I needed to have my whole life already planned out, and I just...didn't (and spoiler alert: I still don't). But now that I'm in my thirties, I've realized that life isn't so black and white.

CBS / Via giphy.com

Plenty of people end up in jobs that have nothing to do with what they studied or change careers later on in life, and it's totally okay. In fact, it's actually really freeing to know that if you're not happy in your major or career, you can make a change.

So I asked members of the BuzzFeed Community to share their biggest career changes. Here are their stories:

Note: Some submissions include mentions of physical violence.

1. From loan officer to social media marketer, via the paranormal

Fox / Via giphy.com

"I've been working in the financial industry as a loan officer for 11 years. However, two years ago, I decided to start pursuing an old passion of mine — paranormal investigating. I've since grown an original brand and blog, have traveled all over the US, and have networked with all sorts of people within the paranormal field. In doing so, I recently learned that my social media skills are valuable and transferrable in the marketing agency world. So now I'm in the process of switching careers. It's the scariest but most rewarding thing I've ever done in my life."

—prettyfnspooky

2. From American Sign Language interpreter to TV writer

"I studied American Sign Language in undergrad and planned on becoming an interpreter for the d/Deaf community. I finished my last semester and promptly ditched that to become a writer. I enrolled in a graduate playwriting program at an Ivy League that same fall, graduated three years later, and now I write professionally for both theater and television. I still miss interpreting from time to time, but I have the opportunity to write d/Deaf characters for d/Deaf actors, so I still get to marry my two worlds."

—asd48

3. From nursing assistant to teaching English in Japan

ABC / Via giphy.com

"I have a master’s degree in counseling psychology and even have a counseling license. Jobs were hard to find, and pay was not great. Worked on a hospital psychiatric floor, but 90% of my job was CNA type work (untrained), like showering and diapering adult patients. Got the opportunity to teach English in Japan (I never wanted to be a teacher), and I love it! Just started my seventh year. I use my psychology training in ways I never imagined. It’s made a huge difference in how I understand culture. Don’t be afraid to take a leap into your next career!"

—hphilpot128

4. From astrophysics student to EMT to screenwriter

"I went to college for astrophysics and aeronautical engineering, as I love math and science. My second semester, I was attacked by a fellow student, and it left me traumatized, and I left that school to come back home and recover.

While I was home, I worked as an EMT-B while I took a lot of general random classes and took up a lot of hobbies to try and figure out my next step.

During all of this, my brother and mom both had debilitating accidents and needed full-time help, and we couldn’t afford full-time nurses, so I did a lot of their care. Both have since passed, but I don’t regret it.

I’ve continued working as an EMT and also volunteer for rescue/recovery after disasters (lots of tornadoes in Alabama). I also do two other part-time jobs to help make ends meet while paying off my deceased husband’s medical bills, but as of one hour ago, I just optioned my first screenplay for enough to pay off almost all of my bills."

—kittyl4a2eb7cd1

5. From business student to airline pilot

NBC / Via giphy.com

"I went to university and graduated with a bachelor's in business. I thought I could sit in an office but then realized I hated being a salesperson. My friend suggested we go take flying lessons for fun. Eight years later, I'm now an airline pilot with an office with a great view. I don't regret going to university though; the experience taught me how to cram and study efficiently, and that skill is used everywhere, including learning to fly."

—ltsid8

6. From healthcare tech to professional camper

"I got my bachelor's in community health and was working as a supervisor for a healthcare tech company. I loved my coworkers and the company but still found myself staring outside and daydreaming. My boyfriend felt the same, and so one day we asked each other, "Why are we working full time to only live part time?" So we both quit our jobs, broke our lease, sold everything, bought an RV, and now work for a campground company. We get to travel all across the country, live and work at beautiful campgrounds. We make significantly less, but we are significantly happier."

—happy-camper

7. From country club server to high-end art salesperson

Freeform / Via giphy.com

"I went to college right after high school. In my first year, I majored in early childhood education, international studies, then psychology, and I dropped out after my second semester. A year later, I went to cosmetology school because I love dress up, but it turns out I hate touching people, so I dropped out about two-thirds of the way through. At this point, I was working at a country club as a server. I ended up being promoted to dining manager and overseeing about 50 people by 24. I loved the work, but I hated the schedule and wanted to have more freedom, so I left.

The benefits of working customer service jobs, especially with influential clientele, is that you make some seriously valuable connections. About five different club members offered me jobs when I left, and I ended up working for a jewelry designer, who eventually bought an art gallery, so now I sell high-end art. Never underestimate the value of being a jack of all trades and a master of none, because you can be pretty good at just about anything. Also, never discount the impact that making good connections can have. No one actually gets ahead without someone helping them out along the way. You can be super smart and very hardworking, but you're never 100% self-made. It's not a bad thing."

—slightlygolightly

8. From clerical desk job to interior designer

"I went to junior college at 18 because my parents made me feel obligated. I didn’t really want to go to college, I wanted to pursue my art. I ended up taking a few office skill classes and got a clerical job so I could get my own place. I spent over 10 years miserable at work that gave me no purpose or sense of fulfillment. Interior decorating was kind of an affinity/hobby of mine. When I got hit by a wrong-way driver, I decided that life was too short not to do something I enjoy, so I went back to college for interior design. I could not have made a better decision. I don’t resent my work anymore, even the stressful and unpleasant parts. I enjoy what I do, and I’m generally happier as a person, and I make more money with this skill set than I would have without it."

—panda_13

9. From veterinarian to full-time parent

Paramount Pictures / Via giphy.com

"As a kid, I always wanted to be a veterinarian. I went to an agricultural high school, so I joined the FFA [Future Farmers of America] and took all the Ag classes. I got a summer job working with horses and then landed the best job I ever had managing a barn in my early twenties. I got to work closely with the vet we had our contract with. It was great. I fostered countless kittens, learned to shear sheep, helped with floating teeth and other disgustingly amazing procedures. Spoiler: Castrating sheep is as bad as it sounds.

Then I became a stay-at-home mom, which was a career I never knew I wanted. I now get to spend every day with my kids and help them discover themselves, their interests, and encourage them to find their own passions. I homeschool, so we bird-watch at the park, visit old cemeteries, and learn about symbols on headstones and the people buried there; we learn new skills together. Chasing toddlers is close enough to wrangling up hogs into a squeeze cage on vet day, so I'm not missing out on much."

—embalina26

10. From history major to senior living activity manager

"I went to college as an American history major. Turns out there aren’t a lot of jobs for history geeks who don’t want a master's degree. I randomly took a job at a senior exercise place in college and discovered I loved working with the elderly. Now I am an activity manager for a senior living center. College helped me learn to be on my own, but I use very little of my actual education."

—bhagerman1

11. From jewelry design student to climbing instructor to geography teacher

NBC / Via giphy.com

"I was good at art, so I went on to study jewelry design at university. While doing that I discovered outdoor sports, and I loved it so much that I decided to become a climbing instructor instead. After a few years doing THAT I retrained, and now I teach geography! I'm so lucky that I got to try out so many things and meet so many awesome coworkers. It just took me a bit longer to 'grow up,' I guess."

—alexlouise13

12. And finally, from criminology student to finance professional

"I have a degree in sociology and criminology; for as long as I can remember I have wanted to be a policewoman and have a career in that field, so much so that when I was applying for university I wanted to study something that would help me integrate and immerse myself into policing easier. But then the 2020 BLM protests came about, and although the incident happened in the US and had nothing to do with the UK, as a young Black woman my eyes were opened up into the institutional injustice my chosen career was accustomed to. I just became completely disillusioned with it and wanted nothing to do with the field. I received my degree in the midst of the protest and promptly went into a career in finance, and I am better off for it — not just financially speaking, but also it turns out numbers and data can be just as exciting as a police chase for me."

—thesmolgiant

Have you been through a big career change? Share your story in the comments.

And check out the rest of our personal finance posts for more on money and careers.

Note: Some submissions have been edited for length and clarity.