These days job security is vital, so when it comes to changing jobs many people are very hesitant about moving forward. What you don’t want to do is move careers when there’s no actual need to do so. Because it can be stressful, frustrating and sometimes detrimental. So knowing what to look for can help you make a decision and start moving you forward in the right direction.
A Sinking Company
Following a company into financial ruin is never a good plan when it comes to your career. Unless you are particularly heavily invested in the company, there aren’t many reasons to stay on if you know they’re in a bad position. Shuffling of management and regular re-organising of staff can be a sign that there are leadership issues amongst the company, and it can sometimes offer you an opportunity to step up and take control of what’s going on. But more often than not it can indicate turbulence and an unstable work environment that is bound to disrupt your focus and progress.
If you’ve started to hear rumours around the water cooler that things are starting to go south, then have a look into it yourself. Office gossip can be filled with exaggerated inaccuracies and false lies so it’s good to hear it from the horse’s mouth and not through the grapevine. Once you have a concrete answer that the company could end up like a sunken pirate ship that’s lost all its treasure, then start looking for other job opportunities rather than waiting to see what happens.
Your Personal Life Has Changed
Every working individual has two lives. Their professional work life, and their personal at-home life. These two often stay separate, but are required to work together so we can live happily. But every so often, something in our personal life takes over and we lose control of our working lives. It’s not always intentional, and sometimes it’s manageable, but sometimes our work lives have to be put on hold. It could be anything from having a child, your spouse getting a new job in a different country, or being diagnosed with an illness.
These can’t always be in our control, but when something like this does happen, we often have to alert our working lives of the change. If you can, it should be done as early as possible as a common courtesy to your Employer, as well as making the change easier in the long run. If your employer is unwilling to accommodate your change of lifestyle, or is unable to work around it, then a change of career may be the best option.
You’ve Lost Interest
When your hobby becomes a career, it is possibly the best outcome you could’ve asked for. You’ll continue to do what you love, and you’re paid for it. What more could you ask for? But when it comes to losing interest in your working life, the exact opposite can happen. Despising the fact that you have to come into work, checking the time every 2 minutes, wishing you were somewhere else are all signs that you aren’t doing what you’re passionate about. And if you’re not doing what you’re passionate about, you’ll never reach your true potential. You can tell when someone loves what they do, because they put effort into perfecting it, they stay late at the office, and they’re good at it.
You have to get your ideas clear in your head about what you really want out of your career and what you want to be doing.
You’re Ready For A New Career
No-one else knows your own working environment better than you do. You have to be able to follow your instincts and decide for yourself when it’s time to move on. Sometimes we simply get tired of what we’re doing, so instead we start searching for something else. There’s nothing wrong with that. If you’re having feelings that you’d be better off somewhere else, then go ahead, go search.
If you’ve been studying while you work, then that could also a compelling reason to start searching for something better. But communicate the fact that you’re pursuing a new degree and get your co-workers and employer used to the idea that you may be moving your career in a new direction. Communication is key to making something like this work.
You’ll know when you’ve found the right career for you. Everything runs smoothly, you feel at home, and you love what you’re doing. Until then you can continue to work and search until you find something that may be better suited to you. Just think carefully before you make a final decision.
