If you’re wondering how to make a career change in your 30s, you’re not alone. A lot of people hit a point where they realize the path they’ve been on isn’t sustainable—or maybe it’s just not the right fit anymore. That’s exactly what happened to me.
For over a decade, I was a full-time worship pastor, convinced that ministry was my only calling. But life had other plans, and I found myself making a complete career pivot into web design.
If you’re considering how to make a career change in your 30s, I want to share my story with you—not because I have all the answers, but because I want you to see that it’s possible.
Even if you don’t have experience. Even if you’re scared. Even if it feels like you’re starting from scratch.
Don’t want to read over 1,000 words about how to make a career change in your 30’s? Check out the YouTube Video
When Life Forces You to Pivot
For as long as I could remember, I wanted to work in ministry. I had a powerful experience with God as a teenager, and I never looked back. My career path was clear: I would serve in the church. And that’s exactly what I did.
I started as an assistant minister of youth and young adult worship. Eventually, I was leading worship for a large congregation in Phoenix, Arizona. I loved my job.
I was also recording music with a band on the side. Everything seemed to be going well—until the night my wife of nearly ten years told me she was filing for divorce.
Suddenly, my world flipped upside down. Not only was I navigating a painful emotional season, but I also lost over half of my income. With three young daughters to care for, I had to figure out how to replace that lost income—fast. That’s when I stumbled into web design.
Learning a New Skill to Figure Out How to Make a Career Change in Your 30s
At first, I didn’t know much about building websites. But I knew I needed money. So, I ate up sites like Codecademy learning everything I could.
AND, I just started telling everyone that I was making websites on the side—friends, family, coworkers, random people in coffee shops. And eventually, someone called.
A friend’s website had crashed, and the original developer wasn’t responding. She couldn’t afford to pay me, but I didn’t care. I took the project anyway. You’ll hear a lot of people say, “Never work for free!” But when your pantry is close to empty, you do what you have to do.
That first project took me forever to finish. In the end, my friend gave me a $100 Visa gift card, and I was ecstatic. It wasn’t much, but it was proof that someone was willing to give me something in exchange for my skills. And that was enough to push me forward.
More calls started coming in. Every time I got a new project, I raised my prices a little. But then, out of nowhere, the work stopped. I panicked. I assumed demand would always go up and to the right. Clearly, I was wrong.
Finding Work in Unexpected Places
At the time, I was venting to a friend about how my leads had dried up. He mentioned a platform called Odesk—now known as Upwork—where freelancers could bid on projects. It sounded amazing. I signed up right away and started bidding on everything that was remotely related to web design.
I thought it was a numbers game. The more I pitched myself, the more chances I’d have of getting a client. But I was wrong. I got nothing. No responses. No interest. So I gave up.
Then, months later, a message popped up. A fitness coach needed a simple webpage. The pay? $120. That wasn’t even close to what I was charging by then, but I said yes. And that one project changed everything.
From there, more projects started rolling in. I kept increasing my rates, doubling them every time I got a new client. Soon, I was charging $500… then $1,000… then $2,000. Before I knew it, I was consistently landing projects for $5,000 to $7,000. I eventually earned over $80,000 on Upwork alone and even got featured in one of their ad campaigns.
Taking the Leap: How to Make a Career Change in Your 30s
For a while, I juggled both worlds—ministry during the day, web design at night. When my daughters went to bed at 8 PM, my second shift started. I worked until 2 or 3 AM most nights. I was exhausted. But I had to make it work.
Then, everything came to a head.
I was at a conference with a friend, and during breaks, instead of networking or exploring, I was holed up in my hotel room working on websites. One night, my friend came back and said, “You can’t keep doing this forever.” And he was right.
I started searching for full-time web design jobs. But I was terrified.
• Was I actually good enough at web design?
• Would anyone hire me without a degree?
• What would people at my church think?
I didn’t have answers. I just knew I had to take the next step.
I went on interviews. I even got a few job offers. Then, out of nowhere, I got a DM from a company called Showit. They were looking for a UX/web designer, and everything about their culture and mission resonated with me. It felt like the perfect fit.
Thankfully, all the late nights, all the small projects, and all the skills I had learned paid off—because they offered me the job. And I took it.
Building Something Bigger
For almost six years now, I’ve been working as a web designer at Showit, and I love it. But one night, I was reading The Proximity Principle by Ken Coleman, and he posed a simple question:
“Where do you want your career to be in 20 years?”
That hit me hard.
I realized I didn’t just want to be a great web designer. I wanted to help people—specifically, people like me who were trying to figure out how to make a career change in your 30s. I wanted to teach others how to learn web design, start a side hustle, or even build a full-time business.
You Can Do This Too
So, in 2019, I launched Self-Made Web Designer. And that’s what I’ve been doing ever since.
If you’re wondering how to make a career change in your 30s, here’s my advice:
1. Start before you feel ready. You’ll never have enough time, money, or experience. Do it anyway.
2. Tell everyone what you’re doing. You never know where your first opportunity will come from.
3. Be willing to learn and adapt. The best career pivots come from a willingness to grow.
4. Take small steps consistently. You don’t have to have it all figured out today—just move forward.
I started with nothing. No formal training. No connections. Just a desperate need to provide for my family and a willingness to learn.
Now? Web design has given me financial stability, creative fulfillment, and the ability to help others do the same.
So if you’re thinking about how to make a career change in your 30s, know this: It’s possible. You can do it. But you have to start. And if you don’t quit, you win.
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