Five signs it’s time to move on – and how to do it
A report by the London School of Business & Finance suggests that over half of UK workers want to change careers but are held back by fear of failure and a lack of financial security. Shockingly, the research also revealed that 23% of professionals regret their current choice of career.
Can you relate?
Changing your career isn’t as difficult as you may think. Here are five signs it’s time to move on, with some tips on how to get started.
1 – You’re constantly exhausted
The workplace is where we spend most of our waking hours. Many of us are familiar with the occasional unfocused day, but if you’re experiencing regular ups and downs at work, are uninspired by your workload or feel worn out and depleted at the end of every day, it might be time to embrace a new career perspective.
What you should do: If you’re chronically exhausted and bored at work, try to identify what is causing this slump. Analyse the key areas of your job, such as your workload, projects, co-workers, employer and commute.
If it’s the job that’s causing you dissatisfaction, it may be that you need a career change. Consider the topics, activities and environments that give you a boost. These are the key themes you should acknowledge when contemplating a new career path.
2 – You don’t find joy in your responsibilities or skills
Many people are very good at what they do and start in a job that gives them a real sense of value. But over time, this investment can dwindle and it can become too easy to continue on autopilot even though your heart’s not in it.
If your head is permanently out of the game and you feel apathetic towards your day-to-day duties, this is a key sign that you should consider pursuing another profession.
What you should do: Work out what you do care about and what values you’d like to experience at work, such as a better community, more freedom or a challenging workload.
If you find it’s the job or industry you’ve fallen out of love with, rather than the company or its culture, consider what career path would make you happy and plan your next steps from there.
3 – You’re jealous of other professionals
It’s quite common to envy other people’s lifestyles momentarily. But if you’re often jealous of what your friends, family or ex-colleagues are doing with their careers, it could be a sign your career is going in the wrong direction.
What you should do: Take some time to work out what’s making you jealous. Is it that a friend works with celebrities, or that they have flexible hours. Work out if it’s the career path or the job that’s making you jealous, or if it’s a smaller element of the role, such as the working environment or style.
If the issue is a small component of the role, such as flexitime, there may be the option to incorporate it into your current job. If this isn’t possible, it may be time to find a new career that embraces them.
4 – Salary is no longer a priority
Everyone has their priorities when it comes to work. For some, it is salary; for others, it’s enjoyment of the role.
If your main motivator is money, it can be difficult to change job or career out of fear of losing out on a significant pay cheque. But if you don’t enjoy how you’re making that wage, a change may be in order.
What you should do: Take some time to consider what your priorities are. Review your role, the industry, your employer and the company culture to see what’s causing you to rethink your motivations.
If it’s the employer that’s bothering you, a career shift may not be the answer; just a change of scenery. However, if you find that the industry and the core components of your role are the issues, a fresh start could improve your wellbeing.
5 – You dream of a different career
If you’re spending spare moments Googling jobs, stalking companies on Instagram or daydreaming about the roles you’d like to pursue in an “ideal world”, it’s time to listen to your heart and think about changing your vocation.
What you should do: Make a list of the career options that you would like to follow, and look at employer websites and job specs to see what it takes to enter the industry. Cross-reference these requirements with your skills, experience and qualifications to identify where you match up and where your shortfalls are. This should put you in good stead to plan the next steps of your career change.
About the author
Laura Slingo is content executive for the UK’s leading independent job board, CV-Library. For more expert advice on job searches, careers and the workplace, visit its Career Advice pages.
