Too many people think, “Oh, it’s just a job. I don’t love it, but it pays the bills.” But that’s no way to live. When you spend 40 or more hours a week somewhere, you should enjoy what you do, at least somewhat.

You don’t?

Maybe it’s time to for a change. Whether you no longer find your job stimulating, you need a lifestyle change or you’re struggling to find a fit with your current aspirations, the end result is the same: a change is in the air. Here are a few stories of people who were also in that place and pursued a different career and lifestyle.

From Health Care to Tech

Faithlyn Waugh worked in health care and loved how her job made a difference, but her health care career wasn’t sustainable. She was looking for a change. She won a scholarship through CompTIA and Just IT, which allowed her to gain two certifications. She is now working toward a network administrator position.

“It’s so fast and always changing. It’s such an important part in the lives of everyone. I thought ‘cool, I want to work in that environment.’”

From Construction to Tech

Lucas Block was working as an industrial plaster and cement mason when his body began to fail him under the stress of a labor-intensive job. Knowing he needed to make a change for his health and having some experience fixing computers at home, he had a lead. He earned four CompTIA certifications and now works as a tier 3 backbone engineer.

“No matter what the issue is, you have to hit the ground running and learn on the go. Being able to certify gave me the confidence to know I can do that.”

From Manufacturing to Tech

Tony Phillips worked in the textile and tool-and-die industries for many years but needed a new career when factories started closing down. After training for and passing CompTIA A+, Tony started his IT career at age 40 and is still going strong. Several years later, he added two more certifications to his resume and moved up to his current position in information services support.

“The benefit of getting certified is the education you get preparing for the certification. It’s the respect you get from the people who realize you went above and beyond what you had to just to do your job.” 

From Military to Tech

Andrew Donga now works as a network engineer, but he’s also a U.S. Navy veteran. He worked with radars, direction-finding antennae and other communication tools in his time in the military. And when he left the service, he used the GI Bill to pursue further education. He now holds two CompTIA certifications and said that the biggest benefit is the knowledge he gained.

“One thing I like about IT is if you get tired of what you are doing, you can change and keep all that work experience.”

From Liberal Arts to Tech

Mika Devonshire graduated with the hopes of working in international relations but found herself without an entry-level position to apply for. After taking a shot applying with a data analytics company, she found herself working in cybersecurity. She began pursuing a master’s degree in cybersecurity but needed more IT experience to move further along, so she got two CompTIA certifications to fulfill those requirements. While her job is not what she envisioned as an undergrad, cybersecurity is now her dream job.

“[Cybersecurity is] always worth trying because it’s a great field. It’s stimulating. It’s constantly changing and evolving. You can be a critical thinker and an analyst and love what you do.”

You can change your career too. No matter what your background is or what skills you possess, there’s an option out there for you. All it takes is deciding what direction you want to go and taking those first steps.

Not sure where to start? That’s okay! Learn more about changing careers.