Many people switch careers because they are miserable in their current one. In some cases, though, people are happy in their current job but have an opportunity to do something they like even more. Such an opportunity came along for Ken Jeong, best known as Leslie Chow in the movie The Hangover and Ben Chang on the TV Series Community.
You see, Jeong is a licensed physician. He didn’t quit the practice to pursue acting, either. While he was completing his residency he also worked on his stand up routine. Through his stand up comedy, doors were opened which ultimately led to some very big acting jobs and a new full-time career.
As I said, Jeong can be seen on the show Community quite a bit, and there’s no mystery why: he’s hilarious! It would have been very easy for him to say “being a doctor takes up so much time, comedy and acting would just take up more of my time and who knows if anything would happen with it…” Instead he pursued it, even while – I can only assume – putting in crazy hours in his training and subsequent career as a Doctor.
For many reasons, career changes are not that common. If you start as an electrician, you will likely continue to be an electrician for the next forty years. Career changes do happen, though. Another personal finance blogger, Kristina at DINKs Finance, works in finance but decided to go back to school for journalism. She’s publishing her first book soon. Kristina also did not quit her full-time job to pursue writing; instead she started writing on the side and continues to write in addition to her full-time job.
This brings me back to an earlier post I wrote about why most people do not pursue side income. In short: it can take a lot of time and with some side income hustles you don’t see the dollars right away. Which brings up a point: if you are going to pursue something on the side, you better be passionate about it. Your chances of success increase dramatically (at least I think so) and if it becomes a full-time job it will be centered around something you love.
While there is definitely something to be said about fully committing yourself to a new career, there are many examples of people pursuing an interest on the side and seeing what doors it opens. I’m a big proponent of pursuing things on the side while bringing in a full-time salary at your day job. Who knows? Pursuing a new career could be the best decision you’ve ever made.
Have you ever considered changing careers? What have you done to pursue a possible career change?
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Photo by Gage Skidmore
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I did not know that about Jeong, that is a bit of a change. :) I changed careers, about six months ago. I keep meaning to write a post about it, but keep putting it off. It, so far, has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made and things are happening that I never thought was possible. I think you just encouraged me to start on that post this weekend!
@FrugalRules I’m looking forward to reading your post!
I made a gradual change, writing travel articles on the side while having a full time job. Then left the full time job. And now my master in business and I are living barefoot and fixing a house in Guatemala. Who knew? Any change is possible but people put up a lot of not so great excuses, and if you are not completely into it, there is no way you will change.
@RFIndependence Your “career” journey is pretty incredible!
I have definitely thought about it. The chance to do something more exciting is always on my mind.
@SenseofCents Come on, there is NOTHING more exciting than investment banking, and you know it. ;)
Greg got his first bachelor’s degree in theatre arts. It was hard to make a living so he went back to school to be a mortician. I’m glad he did because it is a much more stable profession. I wouldn’t want to be married to an actor with an unpredictable paycheck.
@Holly at ClubThrifty Yes I remember reading his posts about that. It seems like actors either hit it big or kind of struggle to stay afloat. Actually seems like most struggle to stay afloat. I’d be interested in reading more posts about what it’s like to work as a mortician or in that industry (I think you both work at the same biz???)
I don’t see a career change, but I can see owning a totally unrelated business. Did I ever mention my dream of owning a laundromat? Seriously, those things rake in the money.
@Eyesonthedollar You did not mention it, but I have heard those things are cash cows once you are established. Maybe if you started one you’d end up opening more and more and before you know it you are managing those full time ;)
I left a high pressure but very well paid IT career to start an interior decorating business. In hindsight I probably should have started the business on the side while maintaining my full-time career so as to keep the steady income flow. But at the time I was stressed and tired and wasn’t thinking clearly. So basically not as successful as the doctor you have written about :-)
@TacklingOurDebt hindsight is 20/20! I still am amazed at people who are able to build two full-time incomes at the same time. Day jobs can be incredibly draining, so to think that someone would be able to do that PLUS build a second full-time income is really hard to fathom. I don’t blame you for ditching your full-time job and putting all your efforts into your new business.
I am constantly thinking about switching careers, but I am still trying to figure out what my current skill set can be used for in other industries. I have thought about going back to school, but I am still working on paying off student loans from many years ago.
@sethA I think a lot of people are in the same boat. You don’t want to switch careers because you want to apply your skill set that you already have.
@sethA Oh, and the student loans ;) I will be paying mine off for another 15+ years most likely.
Get out, I didn’t know he was a doctor! I love him on Community! Great post :)
@momoneymohouses That’s about the same reaction I had when I heard it! I was hoping more people would have comments like yours but maybe people don’t know him?!? Guy is hilarious. Never seen him do stand-up, I think I’d be on the floor laughing!
@DC @ Young Adult Money I would love to see him do stand up. I frickin’ love that guy.
I would love to change careers, as I no longer enjoy doing what I am doing. The biggest problem that I have with swapping careers, is that I now earn way too much money in this current profession to ever be able to get the same amount anywhere else within the next 10 years.
The best thing I can do, is work on the side income streams I have started and hope that it will supplement my income enough should I ever want to move into a new career.
Great post BTW.
@MonsterPiggyBank Thanks, I really appreciate the positive feedback!
I understand where you are coming from. There is other careers that I could make more money doing, but it would require going back to school / getting an advanced degree so I have to factor in losing that money. Another problem I have is that I could switch to another company and do something a little different, but I would make less and my benefits are just too good to pass up. I can’t complain where I’m at but I also want to be open to new things.
I’ve done the side gig thing and considered changing to other forms of business but decided to stick with accounting for now. Seems to be working out.
@Money Life and More Good to hear man!