By Jane Bianchi

Have you been fantasizing about leaving your job behind and going into an entirely new profession—but also worrying about what a big change would mean for your finances?

You’re not alone. “A lot of times people stick with a job out of fear. I’ll ask, ‘What are you afraid of?’ The person might say, ‘I’m afraid I won’t make as much money,’” says Nancy Von Horn, Senior Career Coach at SoFi. “But once you do some digging, you’ll likely find that it’s possible to make that money back.”

It’s true. Changing careers doesn’t have to mean accepting a lower salary. It just means that you have to do some soul-searching and some homework ahead of time. Ready to dive in? Follow this game plan.

By Katie Wolf

Updated 8/14/20

Think back to the first job you ever had, and compare it to the job you have now. You can probably see quite an evolution—over the years, you’ve likely gained experience, confidence, and efficiency in the way you approach your role.

Yet when it comes to the job search, many people take the same approach they did when they first entered the professional world. It’s simply easier to default to the strategies you’ve always used. But that mindset could lead to a frustrating, lengthy search.

Instead, think of how many executives look for new jobs. By that point in their career, it’s no longer about casting a wide net—it’s about knowing what they want and confidently going after it. And that often results in a more strategic, efficient, and fruitful search.

Here’s what you can learn from that executive job search mindset and how to apply it to your own job hunt—even if you haven’t made it into the C-suite yet.

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We’ve helped members pay off over $33B in debt with a SoFi Personal Loan.

The savings and experiences of members herein may not be representative of the experiences of all members.
Savings are not guaranteed and will vary based on your unique situation and other factors.

We’ve helped members like these pay off over $33B in debt with a SoFi Personal Loan.

The savings and experiences of members herein may not be representative of the experiences of all members. Savings are not guaranteed and will vary, based on your unique situation and other factors.

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Online personal loan options for what you
need—and when you need them.

Combine your debt into one payment and you could reduce your monthly payments. Learn more.

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Pay for home repairs or renovations without using your home as collateral. Learn more.

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Cover pregnancy, adoption, IVF or surrogacy costs with manageable monthly payments. Learn more.

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With low fixed rates, steady monthly payments, and no fees required, our personal loan travels well. Learn more.

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From engagement ring to honeymoon—you could save money compared to a high-rate credit card. Learn more.

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Why apply online with SoFi?

Expand to see how SoFi stands out from the rest.

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How do loans work? A
loan is a borrowed sum
of money that is paid
back with interest in
installments. With SoFi,
you can borrow
between $5,000 and
$100,000 for various
expenditures such as
home improvements,
credit card
consolidation, medical
bills, IVF, or even
unexpected life events
that call for emergency
funds. You can also
check your rate in
minutes without
affecting your credit
score†, and get your
funds as soon as the
same day you’re
approved.^‡

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Get a more precise estimate of how a SoFi Personal Loan could save you money.
Personal Loan Calculator

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BTW it’s a soft inquiry, so it won’t affect your credit score.^†

† To check the rates and terms you may qualify for, SoFi conducts a soft credit pull that will not affect your credit score. However, if you choose a product and continue your application, we will request your full credit report from one or more consumer reporting agencies, which is considered a hard credit pull and may affect your credit.

Terms and conditions apply. SOFI RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MODIFY OR DISCONTINUE PRODUCTS AND BENEFITS AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTICE. To qualify, a borrower must be a U.S. citizen or other eligible status, be residing in the U.S., and meet SoFi’s underwriting requirements. Not all borrowers receive the lowest rate. Lowest rates reserved for the most creditworthy borrowers. If approved, your actual rate will be within the range of rates at the time of application and will depend on a variety of factors, including term of loan, evaluation of your creditworthiness, income, and other factors. If SoFi is unable to offer you a loan but matches you for a loan with a participating bank, then your rate may be outside the range of rates listed above. Rates and Terms are subject to change at any time without notice. SoFi Personal Loans can be used for any lawful personal, family, or household purposes and may not be used for post-secondary education expenses. Minimum loan amount is $5,000. The average of SoFi Personal Loans funded in 2023 was around $33K. Information current as of 2/21/24. SoFi Personal Loans originated by SoFi Bank, N.A. Member FDIC. NMLS #696891 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org). See SoFi.com/legal for state-specific license details. See SoFi.com/eligibility for details and state restrictions.

Fixed rates from 8.74% APR to 35.49% APR reflect the 0.25% autopay interest rate discount and a 0.25% direct deposit interest rate discount. SoFi rate ranges are current as of 12/14/25 and are subject to change without notice. The average of SoFi Personal Loans funded in 2023 was around $33K. Not all applicants qualify for the lowest rate. Lowest rates reserved for the most creditworthy borrowers. Your actual rate will be within the range of rates listed and will depend on the term you select, evaluation of your creditworthiness, income, and a variety of other factors.

Loan amounts range from $5,000– $100,000. The APR is the cost of credit as a yearly rate and reflects both your interest rate and an origination fee of 0%-7%, which will be deducted from any loan proceeds you receive.

⁵ Autopay: The SoFi 0.25%autopay interest rate reduction requires you to agree to make monthly principal and interest payments by an automatic monthly deduction from a savings or checking account. The benefit will discontinue and be lost for periods in which you do not pay by automatic deduction from a savings or checking account. Autopay is not required to receive a loan from SoFi.

⁷ Direct Deposit Discount: To be eligible to potentially receive an additional (0.25%) interest rate reduction for setting up direct deposit with a SoFi Checking and Savings account offered by SoFi Bank, N.A. or eligible cash management account offered by SoFi Securities, LLC (“Direct Deposit Account”), you must have an open Direct Deposit Account within 30 days of the funding of your Loan. Once eligible, you will receive this discount during periods in which you have enabled payroll direct deposits of at least $1,000/month to a Direct Deposit Account in accordance with SoFi’s reasonable procedures and requirements to be determined at SoFi’s sole discretion. This discount will be lost during periods in which SoFi determines you have turned off direct deposits to your Direct Deposit Account. You are not required to enroll in direct deposits to receive a Loan.

§ Awards or rankings are not indicative of future success or results. Neither SoFi Bank, N.A. nor its employees paid a fee in exchange for ratings. Awards and ratings are independently determined and awarded by their respective publications.

‡ Same-Day Personal Loan Funding: Same Day Funding means that most borrowers receive funds the same day when loan is approved and the loan agreement is signed by 5:30 PM ET on a business day. SoFi does not guarantee this, and delays may occur outside of our control, such as if inaccurate information is submitted, the receiving bank declines the transfer. Your bank may have rules on when the funds become available. Does not include personal loans originated with a SoFi partner bank.

^ Direct Pay: Terms and conditions apply. Offer good for new personal loan customers with credit cards in their name only and subject to lender approval. To receive the offer, you must: (1) register and/or apply through this landing page; (2) complete a loan application with SoFi within 90 days of your application submit date; (3) meet SoFi’s underwriting criteria; (4) apply 50% or more of your loan proceeds directly to your creditors. Once conditions are met and the loan has been disbursed, the interest rate shown in the Final Disclosure Statement will include an additional 0.25% rate discount. Offer good for new customers only. Cannot be combined with other rate discounts with the exception of the 0.25% autopay rate discount, 0.25% direct deposit discount. SoFi reserves the right to change or terminate the Rate Discount Program to unenrolled participants at any time with or without notice. It takes about 3 business days for your credit card lender to receive payment after your loan is signed. You will be responsible for making all required payments to avoid credit card fees.

Excellent/4.2/5 star rating based on 10,308 reviews as of December 8, 2025. © 2025 Trustpilot, Inc. All rights reserved.

How long do I need to wait to reapply after my Personal Loan application has been declined?
You will need to wait at least 30 days before re-applying for a Personal Loan with the same borrower(s). You are welcome to retry at any time with a co-borrower, if the previous application was as a single borrower. If you initially applied with a co-borrower, you can retry as a single borrower or with a different co-borrower.

Returning Borrower Pricing: Former SoFi Personal Loan customers who have paid their previous personal loan in full may be eligible for Returning Borrower special pricing on another personal loan if they meet the eligibility criteria and any other applicable terms and conditions. The pricing special does not apply to new Personal Loan customers or existing Personal Loan customers who are currently in repayment. To receive this offer you must (1) apply for a new personal loan and submit your application; (2) complete a loan application with SoFi within 90 days of your application submit date; (3) and meet SoFi’s underwriting criteria. A 0.50% interest rate reduction will automatically be reflected in the rate offered at time of application. SoFi reserves the right to discontinue or modify the Returning Borrower Rate Discount at any time and without notice. Such changes or modifications will only apply to applications begun after the effective date of the change.

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The average doctor has

$241,600 in student loans.

If the average percentage rate (APR) on those loans is 6.75% APR, that doctor could save $35,356 in interest if they qualify for and refinance into a 10 year fixed-rate loan with SoFi at 4.29% APR^* (with autopay).

See your savings

See payment examples

^*Calculated payments example and savings are only estimates based on the following assumptions. This calculation assumes the borrower is refinancing a federal Grad PLUS loan with a 6.75% APR which is the average of Grad PLUS rates over the last 4 years. It assumes they are refinancing an average loan amount of $241,600 (medical)/$301,538 (dental) into a 10-year loan term with a fixed rate of 4.29% APR (with 0.25% autopay discount), and 120 total monthly payments of $2,480/$3,095. The SoFi APR is the average APR for borrowers who took out a student loan refinance loan from SoFi over the course of 2021-2022. Borrowers are not required to enroll in autopay. This calculation assumes the borrower made no payments during the current federal loan relief of 0% interest and no required payments which is set to expire on 12/31/22. When federal loan payments resume, this calculation assumes that the borrower’s federal monthly payment remains the same and the maturity date will be pushed out by the length of the federal loan relief. Any payments and savings may vary and will depend on the actual loan amounts and APR for which the borrower is approved.

Refinance loans during residency
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BTW it’s a soft inquiry, so it won’t affect your credit score.^†