How Often Do People Change Careers?

I've been working in the career planning field for over 16 years now. During that time I've heard various experts talk about how often people change careers in their lifetimes. These figures range from between three and seven times. Often these statistics are attributed to data collected by the U.S. Department of Labor. The U.S. Department of Labor, however, has never published statistics about career change according to an article in the Summer edition of the Occupational Outlook Quarterly Online.

The reason they haven't collected this data, they say, is that career change is difficult to define. It might mean switching career fields or it could mean switching employers. The DOL says collecting this kind of information "is difficult, if not impossible." They do keep statistics on the number of times people change employers or change occupations while working for the same employer. The statistics show that workers between the ages of 18 and 38 change jobs an average of 10 times.

Whether that number signifies a change in place of employment or career field, it is a big one. Perhaps you can increase your odds of having career stability by putting more thought into choosing a career or deciding whether to accept a job offer. Better decision making could lead to finding a job or choosing an occupation for which you are better suited thereby increasing the chance that you will stick with it. Of course, even taking great care when choosing a job or career doesn't mean you won't want to or need to make a change. There are other reasons you may decide to leave your job or change your career.