If you’re sitting at your office desk wishing you had a more exciting career, why don’t you do something about it? There are so many great career options out there that pay well and offer job satisfaction, and they’re not impossible to achieve.
Making a switch to a career you love is a sacrifice worth making – you don’t know where it will lead. What career would make you jump out of bed on a Monday morning? Take a look at the following exciting careers to give you some inspiration.
1. A Journalist
Have you ever sat down to watch a movie about journalists taking on a huge, impactful story? From All The President’s Men to Spotlight, the best movies about journalism show the excitement the job can bring. While it’s said that investigative journalists are a dying breed, there are still journalists out there who are chasing stories and hoping to make a difference. Even day to day journalism brings excitement, so if you love researching and looking into different things, then a career in journalism could be just the thing for you!
2. A pilot
Becoming a pilot is the dream of many kids when asked what they want to be when they grow up, so what happened to the dream? Becoming a pilot is an exciting, thrilling career that you can undertake later in life too. It takes years of training to become a pilot, but the best aviation universities will provide you with the in-depth training you need to succeed as a commercial pilot or prepare yourself for the Air Force. It’s a lot of hard work, but it’s certainly an exciting career to undertake.
3. Search and rescue
Search and Rescue is a vital area which saves lives every day. It can be a fast-paced, challenging but rewarding career choice that can mean the difference between life and death for people in danger. There are different ways to work in search and rescue, from becoming a helicopter pilot to search and rescue at sea. There are even volunteer positions available if you want to test the water before you make the permanent career switch.
4. A lawyer
Becoming a lawyer is still one of the top careers you can have, and you don’t have to have started out as soon as you left college in order to succeed. There’s a lot of hard work involved in becoming a lawyer, so some people like to revisit the idea after several years working in another role or after traveling. There are different areas of law you can specialize in, from criminal law to public law, which can bring all kinds of exciting cases to your desk. Be prepared to work long hours, but the thrill of the job will be worth it.
5. Work in film or TV
Working in Hollywood can seem like one of the most exciting careers on the planet – the chance to make movie and TV shows come to life. While you might not want to be on camera, there are plenty of behind the scenes roles that can make for a very challenging and exciting career. Working on set has a buzz around it, and achieving a career in film and TV can be easier than you think.
You could start by looking for assistant roles and work your way up from there, or train to do something more specialist to help you climb the ladder quicker. There are several websites and networks that will have information about available roles to help you get started. Working in these industries can be very interesting to outsiders, so be prepared to answer a lot of questions about your career!
6. A digital nomad
Do you know what a digital nomad is? A digital nomad is someone who is able to work from anywhere, either freelance or for a company, meaning they can travel the world while working online. It’s a fantastic career choice for someone who wants to travel without having to give up work or save for years to afford it.
Many people who work as digital nomads do so for themselves, perhaps as copywriters or web designers – anything that can be done on a laptop! This provides freedom and flexibility to work as you choose and enjoy all of the best bits of travel. Check out some of the ways you can become a digital nomad and see if you have what it takes to leave it all behind, see the world and get paid while doing it!
7. An intelligence officer
Shows like 24 and Homeland make the idea of working as an intelligence officer very exciting, and while it can be very thrilling, it isn’t the easiest of roles to get into. You can study for a degree that will be relevant for an intelligence officer or you can look at building other useful skills like learning languages. There are different routes you can take, but you can find most roles through government websites. Be prepared for a lot of secrecy in this type of career!
8. A climatologist
A climatologist is fast becoming an important career to have. As the impact of environmental damage becomes more and more apparent, climatologists are needed to study these changes and even find ways of reducing this impact. You can take a look at the career roadmap to becoming a climatologist to help you find out what’s required and whether it’s the career for you.
9. Work in tech
A career in the tech industry can be a very exciting role. It’s a fast-growing industry that impacts several other industries from healthcare to fashion. Working in tech provides a number of possibilities for careers, and you never know where you could fit. Tech is a great place to be if you’re looking to start your own company as well as work on innovative ideas and products. Tech is growing all over the world, so you’ll also find possibilities to work in other countries if working abroad is on your list of career aspirations.
10. Photography
The quality of today’s cameras means the quality of photographs you can take is outstanding. It makes the profession an exciting one no matter what type of photography you specialize in. From landscape photography to special events or weddings, photography is a thrilling and creative career which allows you to be your own boss and capture some unique and special moments. You can get started with photography by learning the basics using your phone camera, and work your way up to more advanced kit. Whether you choose to do it as a hobby or side hustle, or a full-time career, you’ll get to go to some exciting places and experience incredible things behind that lens.
Giving up your existing job or career to try something new can be a scary step, but it can be one worth taking. Would you rather approach retirement wishing you’d chosen to do something else with your life? Or are you better off making the switch now in the hope of achieving something great? Whatever your ambitions or the plan you had for your life, it’s never too late to make a change. Get some strong interview tips behind you and start walking your new career path. It’s the things we don’t try that we regret, so don’t be afraid to start a new career and find the job satisfaction that so many other people spend their lives wishing they had.
