Image Courtesy: Michele McDonough
A lack of upward mobility. A sense of impending doom. A deep hatred for your field. There are many good reasons to make a career change. And few choices can have quite as much positive impact on both your salary and your overall quality of life.
Such positive impacts, however, only occur if a career change is made for the right reasons. And not everybody who makes a career change does so for the right reasons.
Should you be considering making such a change, it’s therefore important to ask yourself why you are doing so. If your answer is any of the following, you’re in for a rough ride.
1. Because You Hate Your Job
At first glance, changing careers because you hate your job makes sense. Who wants to do something that makes them miserable? But before you make a career change for this reason, you need to ask yourself one very important question. Do you hate your career or your job?
In other words, could you solve your problems a lot faster by simply looking for work at a different company. Changing company is significantly easier than changing careers and for many, a change of company is all they really need.
2. Because Your Friend Loves his Job
Regardless of their appearance, far away hills aren’t always greener. Just because your friend is making a killing in his field doesn’t mean that you will find the same success should you join him.
Never make career decisions based upon the performance of others. Think long and hard before trying to replicate anyone else’s career success. Ask yourself why they are successful and be honest with yourself about whether or not you have the same skills.
3. Because Your Parents Want More for You
Parents tend to get pretty opinionated when it comes to what their children do for a living. Partners and friends are not exactly known for being impartial either. Never listen to anyone but yourself when it comes to what you do for a living.
If you make a career change and you subsequently regret that decision, you are the one who is going to have to deal with the consequences. Do what you want to do, not what your parents, partner or friends want you to do.
4. Because You Want More Money
Making a career change for nothing other than fiscal gain is rarely a smart decision. There’s nothing wrong with wanting more money but don’t be fooled into thinking that it’s the only factor.
Think about job satisfaction, quality of life, the number of hours in a work week. These factors are just as important as salary. If you like what you do now, don’t give it up for an extra few grand a year. Before making a change, look at the big picture.
5. Because You Believe in Miracles
Finally, the promise of a new career brings with it many possibilities and it can therefore sound very attractive to those who have been hurt by the realities of their existing one. But before you jump ship in favor of better everything, make sure that you are chasing facts, and not dreams.
If you think that you can make more money, prove it. If you think that you have the necessary qualifications, prove that too. There is nothing wrong with having unrealistic dreams. The problems start when you start basing your decisions on them. Don’t quit one job until you’re sure that you can land another.
Peter Johnson is a well known Career Counselor who often helps students find marketing jobs in london. To know more, do read his blogs.
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