We (and the industry) generally consider an age above 30 years to be a barrier of entry to the industry: as people reach their 30s, they have a certain level of income, and require a certain level of work-life balance.
Switching into the competitive finance industry likely means getting entry-level pay and working >12 hours a day. This is a huge sacrifice to one’s lifestyle. With some years of working experience in an irrelevant role, people could have already shaped their own way of working and become resistant to changes as required by the industry.
Based on our observations, the few people who usually land research roles after 30 years-old are doctors (to cover biotech) or specialists in certain industries. If you are above 30 years old and still wish to change your career, please feel free to contact Springboard for a non-obligatory assessment of your chance of making the switch.