A Mid-Career Change Is Not A Crisis

A mid-career switch, while daunting, can be the key to unlocking a more fulfilling and aligned professional life.

- Cheryl Lai-Lim

But don't just take our word for it: We speak to mentors and mentees from Her World's 2024 Mentorship Programme who have navigated career transitions and personal growth.

For many professionals, changing careers isn't triggered by a single moment but evolves from a series of growing questions.

Rachel Kuo, a mentee in Her World's 2024 Mentorship Programme, experienced this first-hand.

"I kept asking myself, 'Is this all I can do and be?' and 'Would this be something I want to continue for the next two to three years?" These questions posed internally were signals that it was time to find the next adventure." Rachel initially pursued a career as a Sociology professor, driven by her passion for analysing social phenomena and understanding people. She excelled academically, secured relevant internships, and earned a spot in the University of Cambridge's Master of Philosophy programme in Political and Economic Sociology.

Despite this clear path, Rachel felt drawn to the private sector and decided to explore her curiosity, which led her through several career transitions: from banking to government, insurance, and finally, technology.

Today, she is a senior product manager at Tiktok, working on the Livestream Trust and Safety team.

"The underlying pattern in all these changes was a desire to align my work with my values and interests, in a dynamic environment where I would never feel bored," she explains.

Angela Toy, partner and chief operating officer (COO) at Golden Gate Ventures and a mentor for Her World's 2024 Mentorship Programme, also illustrates how a career is often shaped by a series of experiences rather than a single turning point.

Starting her career at Ernst & Young, Angela grew restless with the conventional accounting and banking path.