I’m trying to figure out my next career move. I’d really appreciate advice from people who have successfully transitioned into different industries, especially those who didn’t go back to school for four years to do it.
I’ve spent over 10 years in graphic design and print production. In my previous role, I spent several years as a department supervisor, managing teams, training employees, overseeing production workflows, reviewing projects, tracking deadlines, and making sure jobs moved through the process efficiently.
I’m currently working as a graphic designer at a sign and graphics company. The flexibility is nice, but the compensation and benefits aren’t where I’d like them to be. I’m making around $80k a year, with no employer-provided health insurance or PTO.
I’m married with two kids, so I can’t realistically quit my job and go back to school full-time or take a huge pay cut to start over.
I’ve been looking into project management, operations, manufacturing, business analysis, and other corporate roles. I enjoy organizing things, solving problems, coordinating people and projects, improving workflows, and keeping things moving. I’m not necessarily attached to staying in a creative field, AI art has really turned me off of design, as well as having to keep a domain name and portfolio current for job applications.
I’ve also wondered whether my experience managing production teams and deadlines could translate into roles at larger companies in manufacturing, defense, or other industries.
What career paths should I seriously consider? Are there specific job titles I should be searching for that might not be obvious to someone coming from graphic design and print production?
I’m located in Connecticut, if that helps with recommendations.
I’m not expecting to make $200k overnight. I just want to make a smart move that improves my family’s financial situation, gives us better benefits, and puts me on a path with real long-term potential.
Source: r/careerguidance · by /u/J_Prime