No matter how driven you are, there comes a time when you’re ready to embrace new opportunities and challenges. If your current job isn’t fulfilling, rewarding, or engaging, it might be the right time to explore new possibilities. However, you don’t necessarily need to remain in the same sector or even the same industry. With fast-track training opportunities and transferable skills, it’s never too late to start changing your career.
If you’re thinking of switching to a new path, take a look at these eight signs you need a career change:
1. You’re Not Excited to Go to Work
Very few people are filled with excitement every day of the working week but, on the whole, being happy in your job means looking forward to the next challenge that awaits you. If you don’t often feel excited about going to work, it’s a sure sign that you’re not fulfilling your professional goals.
Perhaps you’ve ended up in your current role because of the security it offers? Or maybe the hours give you the opportunity to spend more time at home? While there may be benefits associated with your current position, an apathy towards your role cannot be ignored. By changing careers, you can secure a job that you’re genuinely excited about and look forward to going in each day.
2. You Crave More Flexibility
The world of work is changing, and modern employers recognize the need to offer more flexibility and work-life balance to their employees. If your boss or your employer isn’t making changes that provide you with more flexibility and greater levels of self-management, you might want to look elsewhere.
If so, you can consider a sideways move into a specialty and look for a role that gives you maximum flexibility. Instead of being a full-time nurse at a clinic, for example, you may want to look for a travel nurse staffing agency, so that you can choose when to work. Alternatively, you might decide to do something completely different and launch your career in an industry that’s known for its flexibility. The IT, marketing, and even financial sectors are notably more flexible than other industries and can provide you with the flexibility you crave.
3. The Quality of Your Work is Declining
When your job doesn’t challenge or fulfill you, it’s hard to stay motivated. Due to this, you might find that your performance begins to suffer and, as a result, the quality of your work may decline. This can be problematic for a number of reasons but, essentially, it can lead to unnecessary reprimands and even poor employee feedback.
By recognizing your need for a new start before your outputs begin to suffer, you can avoid the negative consequences of staying in a career you don’t love. In many ways, starting afresh in a new role, sector, or industry can enhance your future performance and enable you to reach new heights, even if the thought of starting over feels overwhelming or daunting.
4. Your Industry Has Changed
Businesses and sectors and continually evolving but the fast-paced evolution of technology means that some industries are no longer recognizable. This could mean that the sector you launched your career in is now vastly different from what it once was. While this shift may suit some people, it won’t necessarily be beneficial to everyone.
You might find that you’re no longer passionate about the future of your industry, for example, or that your dream job role has changed significantly. If so, there’s no need to stay put simply because you once wanted to work in a particular specialism. Instead, you can cast your net wide and look for new opportunities that meet your ideals of what a dream job really is.
5. Lack of Professional Support
Even if you love your job and you wholly believe in what you do, a lack of professional support can be damaging to your career. If your supervisors don’t provide you with the feedback and motivation you need to succeed, for example, your work may become lackluster. Similarly, companies that don’t ensure employees have the resources they need to operate to the best of their ability may see a reduction in productivity when staff become disheartened and demotivated.
You need professional support in order to reach your own career aspiration, so don’t let this prevent you from moving forward. If you don’t have access to training opportunities or promotions, it might be time to look elsewhere to ensure you can achieve your career goals.
6. You Deserve a Salary Increase
If the salary you’re currently receiving doesn’t reflect your work, experience, or skillset, there’s no doubt that you’ll be feeling taken for granted. If you could secure a higher salary while performing a similar role for a different company, you might decide to apply for upcoming vacancies. However, most roles are capped at a certain salary limit and if this isn’t meeting your needs or expectations, you might prefer to switch to a more lucrative industry.
If you can use your transferable skills to secure a mid or top-level position in a different sector, you may even be able to obtain a salary increase by moving into a different industry. While many people assume that a career change means taking a pay cut, this isn’t always the case.
7. You Have a Burning Ambition
Unfulfilled ambitions can lead to regrets, so think carefully before you give up on your career goals. If you’re passionate about a particular cause or industry, changing your career plans could enable you to work in a sector that you genuinely care about.
Although it’s easy to stay in a secure role, particularly if you’re familiar with the job and receive good feedback from bosses, giving up the status quo and fulfilling your ambitions can be more rewarding in the long term.
8. You Want to Re-Quality
If you didn’t attend college when you were younger or you’ve always dreamed about studying for a postgraduate qualification, a career change could be the perfect reason to re-qualify. With online learning programs now widely available for reputable colleges and universities, you can qualify in virtually any subject and use your newfound knowledge as a springboard for your new career.
Many courses are designed for professionals who want to change careers or enter a new specialism, so you’re sure to find others who are striving for the same goals among your classmates. What’s more – part-time study could enable you to obtain additional qualifications while continuing to work on a full-time basis, so you won’t have to take a sabbatical or an extended pay cut.
Are You Ready to Change Your Career?
Modifying your career plan is a big decision and one that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Be sure to give yourself enough time to determine whether changing your career will enhance your enjoyment of work and allow you to achieve your potential.
Similarly, research your preferred industries and job roles in detail before you decide to change your career. It’s easy to assume that your dream job will be exciting and rewarding, but you’ll want to confirm that it will offer the opportunities and benefits that you expect – it’s not something you should ever do on a whim.
Once you’ve done this, you’ll be able to make an informed decision about changing your career and start working on your strategy to secure your dream job. By doing so, you can reignite your enthusiasm for your career, boost your earnings and achieve a work-life balance that matches your priorities.
Read also: Top Reasons Why Employees Are Underperforming At Work
