29 years old, accountant and I can’t take it anymore – I want a complete career change

Hi everyone,

I’m 29 years old and currently working as an **accountant in Belgium**. I earn around **€3,000 net per month**, so financially I really can’t complain. The problem is that **I genuinely can’t stand working in accounting anymore**.

For a while now, I’ve been seriously considering a complete career change. I’m particularly interested in becoming a **prison officer** or a **police security officer (BAGP)**.

I want to make it clear that **money is absolutely not the reason why I want to change careers**. On the contrary, I’m willing to take a pay cut if it means doing a job that suits me better.

The problem is my monthly expenses. Realistically, I need to earn at least **around €2,600 net per month, including shift allowances**, in order to comfortably cover all my expenses.

I recently spoke to a former prison officer who told me that he started at around **€2,500–€2,600 net + meal vouchers**, and that with night and weekend shifts, it was possible to earn **€3,000 net or even more**. That made me seriously consider this career path.

I don’t mind working **nights, weekends or public holidays**. What I’m mainly looking for is a job that is less sedentary, less office-based, and where every day isn’t exactly the same.

Has anyone here made a similar career change, especially from an office job?

And for anyone currently working or who has previously worked **as a prison officer or BAGP**, is **€2,600 net per month realistically achievable from the beginning, including allowances**? And after a few years, is earning **around €3,000 net per month** realistic?

I know leaving a €3,000 net office job might sound strange to some people, but I’ve reached a point where **the salary alone is no longer enough to make me stay in a career I don’t enjoy**.

Thanks in advance for any advice or personal experiences!