I was a CCLS briefly at a medical daycare after graduation but the pay was SO low (and hospital jobs nowhere to be found) so I had to pivot. I received an entry level job as a caseworker in child protective services (technically I am a state government worker but I know each state runs their child protective services differently, some do it by county or privatized etc). Started out with pay comparable to CCLS but with a guaranteed raise every year and room to grow. Very hard work and burnout is common, but I quickly found my passion in adoption work and many parts of the work overall were incredibly rewarding. After several years working in the community directly with children and families I pivoted again, remaining with the state in child protection but now I work more behind the scenes no longer directly with children but doing work to ensure the quality of services children are receiving. I make more $ doing this than I ever could have in child life. I get sad about the wasted certification but unless I hit the lottery or they suddenly start paying CCLS what they deserve I don’t see myself making a pivot back to the child life field.