It’s time for a wake-up call.
More than half (55 percent) of working adults want to change careers. Nearly 1 in 4 of them say they are extremely or very interested in switching careers. Just 14 percent of American workers are happily ensconced in their dream careers.
These findings come from a recent University of Phoenix online survey conducted by Harris Interactive in April 2013. More than 1600 working U.S. adults ages 18 or older were polled.
So what are these potential career changers doing to make their dream work reality? The survey didn’t ask about that, but it seems many could be letting surmountable obstacles trip them up. Nearly all (95 percent) working adults who are interested in changing careers can name barriers to making the change. More than half (57 percent) cite a lack of financial security, while 4 in 10 don’t know what career to switch to. Thirty-seven percent say too little education or experience poses an obstacle. And nearly 1 in 3 (32 percent) simply fear the unknown.
If you want to change careers, but feel you are facing barriers to entry, you’re not alone. The good news is that in many cases, more training does not necessarily mean you have to go back to college. Many of us learn on the job. And online courses have proliferated at prices that compare favorably with classroom-based college courses.
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