Are the minor things in your position starting to drain you and irritate you in a way that they haven’t in the past? If so, that may be a clear indication that you may be ready for a career change. And, although, it may sound like a drastic measure, it’s not.
People pursue career changes often. In fact, the transition can be quite seamless with the right preparation. So, if you are unsure if a career change is right for you, read on for some career-changing signs to watch out for.
Stress Levels
Working life can be stressful. There are busy days in the workplace, high expectations, and Sunday night’s when you may dread going to sleep and getting up in the morning. In fact, work stress is something that we can all expect to experience at some point in our career journeys.
However, when this begins to take over, it’s definitely worth reevaluating your position and/or career. Why? Because your work should be purposeful and also inspiring; not the opposite.
Self Esteem
Again, your work should be purposeful and inspiring. When it is, it helps to build your confidence and self-esteem. If it’s not and you begin to feel down a lot more than you should on the job, you may want to consider a change.
Again, yes challenging work situations come up from time to time in the office, and there may be social dramas, but when it starts to affect your mental health and well-being, you have to consider other options.
Motivations
Motivations are something else that should be examined when considering a career change. As an example, if you are in a well-paid job role but you are unhappy or unsatisfied, it may be time to examine your motivations. So, examine your motivations carefully to decide whether you should stay in a job role or make a switch.
Keep a Work Journal
One way to examine this about yourself is to begin keeping a work journal. By journaling your work experiences daily, over time you will begin to find clarity and know if it’s time to change your career.
From personal experience, I can tell you that keeping a small work journal is extremely beneficial. It’s a great place to express your feelings and concerns about certain situations, projects, people, etc. It’s a way to capture your mood, things to do, and ways you may want to improve, amongst other things.
New Options
Next, take into account what you are journaling. Are you journaling about a future career that you would like to explore? If so, it’s worth looking into.
For example, you could visit the Greensboro Healthcare Administration Professionals if you find yourself journaling about careers in healthcare.
Regardless of which industry you choose, do the research and find out everything that you can including skills needed for the job, education, salary, etc. Doing this will allow you to find out if this is a path worth pursuing.
New Challenges
Finally, reflect on the work that you have been doing in your current position. If you feel as if you have learned all there is to learn in a job role, and you are not getting the recognition or compensation that you think you deserve, then that may be a sure sign that you may want to seek out a new career or position.
Final Thoughts
While there are several signs that suggest that it may be time for a career change, this post only explores a few. If a career change is in fact something that you are interested in, take some time to examine the pros and cons of a new career change and if it’s time to step into the next chapter of your life. Only you know.
#NationalCareerDevelopmentMonth
