Career Transition & Reinvention Blueprint

I've been in marketing for 12 years and I'm burned out. I'm interested in UX design but have no formal training. Is it too late to switch at 38? How do I even start when I have a family to support and can't take a pay cut?

**Career Transition Assessment:** At 38 with 12 years of marketing experience, you're not starting from zero—you're bringing invaluable transferable skills. **Your Marketing → UX Advantage:** - User research → UX research methods - Customer journey mapping → User flow design - A/B testing → Usability testing - Stakeholder communication → Design presentations - Data-driven decisions → UX metrics **Financial Bridge Strategy:** 1. **Overlap Phase:** Keep marketing job while building UX skills (6-9 months) 2. **Hybrid Role:** Seek internal UX-adjacent projects or marketing roles with UX components 3. **Transition Role:** Target "Marketing Designer" or "UX Strategist" positions that value your marketing background **Action Plan:** Weeks 1-4: Complete Google UX Certificate (nights/weekends) Months 2-3: Build 3 portfolio projects using marketing case studies Months 4-6: Network in UX communities, seek internal opportunities