For 13 years, I managed the visual brand of the University of South Carolina. I led creative teams and worked with vendors and agencies. I produced banners, designed signage, wrapped buses, worked on TV commercials, and installed 6-foot high USC letters. And while I loved my time as the “Guardian of the USC Brand,”¹ this summer, I started to think about making a career change. I’m getting close to finishing my Ph.D. The design industry has changed in countless ways since I started my career almost 30 years ago, and while some of it is great, there are other parts that I don’t love as much. I wanted to stay at USC, so I started looking for other jobs on campus that I felt like would be a good next step for me.

I assumed that role would be a communications job in a different unit on campus. Or maybe a teaching position. I couldn’t wrap my head around what a new career could look like. Making a career change is hard, especially when you are moving from a job that is perceived as more of a “calling.” Design was more than just my chosen profession… it was my identity. I added USC’s jobs listing to my RSS feed and checked every day to see what new opportunities were posted.

One day in early September, I saw a posting for a Director of Research Training position. I read through the post and instantly thought that this was a job I’d enjoy. And then, I started second guessing myself. Was I really qualified for the job? Would I even be happy in a non-design job? I bookmarked the job, but moved on to look at other options.

A couple of days later, I randomly came upon a link to a YouTube short from a podcast with Simon Sinek² interviewing Arthur Brooks from Harvard Business School about career changes.³

The basic gist of the clip was that most people limit a career change search to something close to what they already do. Instead, Brooks and Sinek suggested that you should look at how your skills, abilities and interests could be leveraged in other careers. Ask yourself “What is my greatest area of interest?" Your instincts should guide you in these decisions. Ideally, Brooks noted, you want to go into a career change with 80% excitement, 20% fear and 0% deadness.

I thought back to the research training position description and looked at it through this new lens. I was limiting myself to adjacent career fields — only considering typical communications or design jobs. Through my grad school experience, I learned that I really enjoy academic research. I loved working with the campus community. Was there a little fear leaving the design world? Absolutely. But that fear was overwhelmed by the excitement of something new. I took a chance, decided to apply and figured I’d see what happened.

The interview process went incredibly well, and right before Christmas, I started my new job: Director of Research Training in the Carolina Grants and Innovation Hub at the University of South Carolina. It’s part of the Office of the Vice President of Research and is focused on helping faculty and staff maximize grant opportunities. It’s very different than what I’ve done for the last few decades, but it’s very much aligned with where I want to go with my career. I’ve only been in the office for a about a month, but so far, I couldn’t be happier with my choice. I feel better than I have in a long time.

Bob Wertz is a type designer, Ph.D. student and researcher living in Columbia, South Carolina. He’s been blogging since 2008.