Do You Ever Find Yourself Daydreaming About Changing Your Career?
During quarantine, many of us found ourselves stuck inside and working from home instead of going to the office. For many, this transition meant extended work hours and more focus on the job itself. After a year of working like this, many people are rethinking their current roles, and possibly their careers altogether. Without the distractions of going into the office and socializing with coworkers. This has now left people questioning whether they even like their jobs.
If this applies to you, don’t worry – you’re far from alone. Lots of people were influenced to look into new jobs and careers following the onset of the pandemic. This has caused an influx of people exploring new career avenues. Or pursuing their passions for something more fulfilling than their original careers. Though it can be scary rethinking what you want to do in life, it’s overall a good thing. Finding a job you’re more excited about will often lead you to feel happier overall.
While many people have made the decision to leave their current role for something new. Many more are still wondering if they should stick with their job or move on. If you’re on the fence about your job, but not sure if it’s time to make the jump. Here are some things to consider to help you decide if a career change is the right move for you:
You’re Feeling Complacent
Feeling complacent in your job is one of the number one signs it’s time to move on. If you’ve noticed yourself feeling like your job isn’t going anywhere, and you aren’t getting any sort of fulfilment from it. Then chances are you’re experiencing complacency at work.
It’s important to note that feeling comfortable is not the same as feeling complacent. A comfortable job provides the right amount of challenge and fulfilment. A complacent job feels like a dead end.
You Constantly Feel Bored
Everyone has boring days (or even weeks) at work here and there. Especially if you’re working full-time, there will be days you may feel bored or uninspired at your job.
If you’re feeling bored or disengaged for multiple days or weeks at a time fairly often. This may be a sign it’s time to find a new job. You may not be receiving tasks that interest you, or your role overall may not be a good fit.
You Dread Clocking In
While you may not be jumping out of your bed every day to go to work, you definitely shouldn’t dread it. Going to work should not feel like a significant burden.
There are some days you may not want to go in. Maybe you’ve had a long night the day before, or you’re nervous about an upcoming meeting. If you’re noticing it’s hard to get out of bed on a regular basis, it could be time for a change.
Reaching Career Goals Doesn’t Excite You
Maybe you’re up for a raise in the near future, or you’ve got a promotion insight. These are career goals to look forward to when you’ve been in your current role for a while. Overall, you should feel some sense of excitement and motivation at the thought of reaching your career goals.
If you’re not feeling much of anything at the idea of taking the next step at work. This could be a sign this career isn’t right for you anymore. A job you feel more passionate about will give you the motivation to succeed.
Your Gut Tells You It’s Not Right
At the end of the day, we should always trust our gut.
If you truly don’t feel like your job is right for you anymore, chances are, it’s time to switch it up. You don’t need to have a clear reason for why you want to leave. Simply feeling like it’s not the right fit is plenty of reason enough.
Choosing a Career That’s Right for You
So, you’ve decided that it’s time to move on from your current job – or maybe even your career altogether – and you’re looking to make your move. What do you do next?
Changing jobs or even careers can be intimidating at first, but it doesn’t have to be. To help you on your career journey, here are some things to keep in mind to make a successful change:
Layout Your Next Moves
While you know what you’re currently doing isn’t right for you. You may not know what career you want to move on towards. Career tests and other self-assessments are great tools that can help you identify where your skills and interests will be best used in a new role. Alternatively, you may want to work with a career coach to help you identify your passions, strengths and what is really important to you. A coach will help you channel your thinking to help find a career that is aligned with your values. If this is of interest, check out our career coaching tab for more information.
As you are getting ready to leave your current role, you will want to have your future job or career in mind. Once you’ve identified what your ideal career is, start to do your research on what is required.
For some jobs, you may need extra schooling or may need a certificate in a specific subject to qualify. Whatever it is, lay out a tentative plan of everything you need to have on your resume. It’s important to do this ahead of applying for jobs or transitioning to a new career. This will give you a checklist of priorities to focus on in the near future.
Talk to Your Network
As you’ve developed through the beginning years of your career, chances are you’ve built a small network of contacts. These may be contacts in different fields and industries or even old colleagues who have also transitioned into new careers. When you’re looking to change careers, your network can prove to be a valuable tool to rely on. If you have a LinkedIn profile, you can even reach out to connections directly on the platform.
Reach out to any contacts that work in the same industry or even the same role as the one you are looking to break into. From here, you can ask them about what their day-to-day looks like at their job, or what it’s like to work in that industry. This will give you a good idea of what to expect if you get a job in that industry.
This is also a great opportunity to gather future references when it comes time to apply for a job. These connections are great resources to help you present yourself as a competitive applicant for your future job.
Get Experience Whenever Possible
Depending on the career you are looking to transition into, you may not be able to get started right away. For jobs that require extra schooling or certifications, try to also get job experience in your new field wherever possible.
For many industries, internships are available as a valuable learning experience. Take a look at current internship opportunities available and see if you qualify. Internships are a great way to gain insight into the types of projects and goals to expect in a full-time role. They’re also a good time to connect with more people in the industry and build your network further.
If internships aren’t available or you don’t yet qualify, see if there are volunteer opportunities you can take advantage of. Volunteering is a great way to get the exposure and experience you’re looking for in a more low-pressure environment. Volunteering will help you to try out the role without having to make any long term career commitments. An added benefit is that you can get to know people in the industry through volunteering and collect some valuable references for the future.
The Bottom Line
Many people change their jobs and careers throughout their life. As we grow in our working lives and gain more exposure to new career paths, it’s natural to rethink our current roles in favour of something we feel more passionately about.
If you’re noticing you are feeling unmotivated at your job or dreading going into work every day, it may be time for a change. Consider your passions and talents to help you decide on a career that is a better fit for you.
It’s natural and common to look for a new challenge in your professional life. Everyone deserves to feel satisfied at their workplace. Trust yourself to take the leap into something new!
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If you or someone you know has recently decided to change jobs, comment below and share what made you realize it was time to move on. Share this post with anyone you know that’s thinking about starting a new career!
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