Career change: how to start from scratch in 2026

Changing careers is possible at any age, and the safest path is to start from what you already know how to do, choose an entry field, and build your qualifications with free courses before quitting your current job. As a rule, the transition starts with an entry-level position or a role close to your own, not a complete leap.

There is no specific law on changing careers. The rules that matter are the usual ones: the employment contract, the trial period, and your rights when you leave your current job.

Start with the skills you already have

Before choosing a new field, list what you do well that is useful across many sectors. These are called transferable skills.

• Customer service, negotiation, and communication with clients.
• Organization, deadline tracking, and spreadsheet control.
• Team leadership or task coordination.
• Command of digital tools, languages, or administrative routines.

Then look up openings in the field you want and note what keeps repeating in the job postings: tools, courses, and the amount of experience requested. That list becomes your study plan.

Build your qualifications for free

The Ministério do Trabalho e Emprego (MTE, Ministry of Labor and Employment) runs the Caminho Digital (Digital Path) program, which offers free technology and productivity courses through the Escola do Trabalhador 4.0 (Worker School 4.0), with online registration. There are also free public courses from universities, federal institutes, and the Sistema S (a network of Brazilian vocational training institutions), and costs vary depending on what each institution offers.

• Choose a few courses, tied to what the job postings ask for.
• Build small projects to show what you learned, such as a spreadsheet, a simple website, or a report.
• List your certificates on your résumé and on LinkedIn.

How to apply in the new field

1. Rewrite your résumé around skills, highlighting results and not just past job titles.
2. Include a professional summary saying where you are headed.
3. Apply for entry-level, junior, or assistant openings, where prior experience weighs less.
4. Talk to people in the field to understand the day-to-day work and get referrals.

See the step-by-step guide in Como conseguir emprego em 2026.

Precautions before leaving your current job

• In a trial-period contract (contrato de experiência), the maximum term is 90 days (art. 445, sole paragraph, of the Consolidação das Leis do Trabalho (CLT, Brazilian Labor Code)). If it does not work out, you may end up without your old job.
• Employees who resign are not entitled to unemployment insurance (seguro-desemprego) or to the 40% FGTS (Fundo de Garantia do Tempo de Serviço, Severance Fund) penalty. See the rules in Pedido de demissão: o que recebe e aviso prévio.
• Build a reserve to cover a few months, because the starting salary in the new field may be lower.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a degree to change fields?

It depends on the profession. Some require a degree and registration with a professional council; many entry-level roles ask only for a course and practice.

Can I do an internship to change careers?

Internships are aimed at enrolled students (Lei 11.788/2008, the Internship Law). If you are not studying, you can look for entry-level openings or courses that give you a tie to an educational institution.

How long does a transition take?

It depends on the field, your qualifications, and the local market. There is no guaranteed timeline.

Read also

• Currículo: como fazer, o que incluir e o que evitar
• Recolocação profissional depois da demissão: por onde começar
• Pedido de demissão: o que recebe e aviso prévio