Vidostream | News, sport and opinion from the Vidostream's US edition

https://vidostream.com

‘Not realistic’: Wild reason 34yo worker quit six figure job

A lawyer has revealed the “surprising” reason she decided to walk away from her six figure job, despite having no other work lined up.

Chloe Taylor was at the peak of her career and earning six-figures when she decided to walk away.

The Sydney lawyer had been practising law for over six years but had never really been “passionate” about her career.

Ms Taylor, 34, lives in Sydney’s north shore and was making between $150,000 and $200,000 a year, but she wasn’t fulfilled by her career.

Sure, it sounded very good on paper, but she wasn’t enjoying it, and her frustration with work was starting to impede everything else.

“It got to a point where I found I wasn’t really enjoying anything. Ordinary things that usually brought me joy, like going for morning swims or trying new restaurants were not bringing that same joy,” she told news.com.au.

 

Chloe Taylor has left her career in law. Picture: Instagram/ChloeTaylor
Chloe Taylor has left her career in law. Picture: Instagram/ChloeTaylor


She'd been working in law for six years. Picture: Instagram/ChloeTaylor
She'd been working in law for six years. Picture: Instagram/ChloeTaylor

 

Ms Taylor found that not enjoying work was also beginning to impact her health.

“I was also getting sick quite often and very rundown. I took some time to really think about what needed to change. So, the exact moment was probably two years ago, but it took me a long time to take the leap,” she explained.

When she told her family and friends she was going to give up her career, they were “surprised”.

“My parents were definitely worried, mainly because they know how much hard work I had put into studying and also into being a lawyer,” she said.

Of course, there were other options. There are plenty of different areas of law to work in, and she toyed with the idea of exploring a different niche, but ultimately, she realised she needed to hit pause on her career.

“I needed to take a break from law altogether to reassess what I wanted to do with my career,” she said.

“The great thing about having a law degree is that the skills you learn are so transferable and I can still come back to being a lawyer if I decide that I miss it.”

Ms Taylor isn’t alone in her drive to change careers. In 2023, the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported that 1.3 million Aussies changed jobs, the highest rate of career changes since 2012.

 
She said people were surprised when she said she was quitting law. Picture: TikTok/iamzeiya
She said people were surprised when she said she was quitting law. Picture: TikTok/iamzeiya
 
She found not liking her job was making her feel rundown. Picture: TikTok/iamzeiya
She found not liking her job was making her feel rundown. Picture: TikTok/iamzeiya
 

For now, Ms Taylor doesn’t have a big plan for what she’ll do next. She didn’t leave law with another career lined up but, so far, she’s enjoying focusing on her passions for the first time in … well, forever.

“I have just launched a fashion accessories brand, ZEIYA. It’s a brooch brand that is focused on empowering individuals to great creative with their style,” she said.

To pay her bills though, she’s hoping to gain employment in the fashion world.

“I am also looking at working part time with a fashion brand in either content creation or buying. Very different to being a lawyer,” she said.

 

 
Chloe wants a more creative career. Picture: Instagram/ChloeTaylor
Chloe wants a more creative career. Picture: Instagram/ChloeTaylor
 
 
She's now excited about her future. Picture: Instagram/ChloeTaylor
She's now excited about her future. Picture: Instagram/ChloeTaylor


Ms Taylor said she feels like the next few months will be all about “self-discovery” and, while people have commented that she could have started a side hustle and maintained her gainful employment, she disagrees.

“I just don’t believe that is realistic, especially as a lawyer,” she said.

The general reaction has affirmed her decision, though. She said so many people have told her “congratulations”.

“I definitely won’t miss billable hours as a lawyer and always having to account for my time. The freedom of not knowing what’s next, is probably the best and most exciting part,” she said.

Of course, within that freedom, there’s some financial stress involved.

“This hasn’t been a spontaneous decision. I had to do a lot of planning and cut down on some unnecessary expenses. Goodbye, Netflix,” she said.

 
She wants a job in fashion. Picture: Instagram/ChloeTaylor
She wants a job in fashion. Picture: Instagram/ChloeTaylor
 
 
She's ready to chase her dreams. Picture: Instagram/ChloeTaylor
She's ready to chase her dreams. Picture: Instagram/ChloeTaylor
 

She is ready for a change.

“It can be really hard to have the confidence to leave a career path that you have been on for so long and trust it’s the right decision. It’s easy to stay on it, stay comfortable and not make any changes. But I am not getting any younger, so now was the time,” she added.

Ben Thompson, CEO of HR company Employment Hero, said that employees aren’t afraid to leave careers they are sick of.

“Gone are the days when employees would stay in unfulfilling roles indefinitely, with almost 1 in 10 workers changing employers in the past year,” he said.

Mr Thompson said that employees constantly evaluate if they want to stay in their jobs.

“Today’s workforce is not afraid to make swift moves if a job doesn’t align with their career prospects and values or detracts from their wellbeing.”

Author: Editors Desk, Mary Madigan

Source: News Corp Australia Network:

We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website. By continuing to browse, you are agreeing to our Cookie Policy.
You did not use the site, Click here to remain logged. Timeout: 60 second