New Career Ahead

When is the right time for a career change? Lockdown has certainly given many people the time they might not ordinarily have to think about where they are in their lives and whether their careers are making them happy. The prospect of a career change, particularly in an economy riddled with uncertainty, is never a decision that should be taken lightly, though.

However, moving on may be the most rewarding thing you can do for yourself. I changed my career COMPLETELY – moved to a different state and into an industry I knew nothing about – in my mid-forties. And it was the best decision I’ve ever made.

There are many reasons why people seek a career change. Here are a few for you to consider. 

Only in it for the money. Making a lot of money but hating every second of your job (or worse, feeling indifferent to it) is just not worth it. Money doesn’t buy happiness, remember? A career change could give you the chance to land a job that brings both personal and professional satisfaction and still pays the bills. If you get the “Sunday night dreads” or feel the need to constantly compensate for the pain of your working life by buying things, or self-medicating with food, drugs or alcohol, it’s probably time to pivot.

When you’ve learned everything you can. Some wisdom says it’s time to think about a new job or change in career entirely when there’s nothing more for you to learn. Some jobs have long learning curves and provide meaningful experiences for years. Others simply don’t. Every aspect of your job should not be mind-numbingly dull. If you don’t feel quite ready to take the leap to a new job, a good step would be asking to work on a project or task that excites you. If you’ve learned everything you can from your current career and want to learn more, it’s time to move along! 

Your job is impacting your self-esteem. A fulfilling career should provide a boost to your confidence and self-esteem, not make you doubt yourself or the work you do. Enduring a toxic workplace culture or a career you no longer enjoy can grind you down and impact your long-term physical and mental health. If that’s how you feel, then it’s time to get out.

Less stress. High stress jobs – healthcare, public service, law enforcement or public safety – have high burnout rates. But any job can be stressful given the right circumstances. So if seeking a less stressful life is the goal, leaving the high pressure career is vital. 

More flexible hours. These days, many jobs can be done from home as easily as in an office. If you need more flexible hours to care for family, go back to school, or deal with other circumstances, and your current workplace won’t accommodate you, don’t feel bad about finding another position that will give you the flexibility you need.

Dreading work every day? It is unrealistic to think you’ll wake up every day excited and eager to get to work. We all have days that seem harder than others to get out of bed and be motivated for work. However, if you dread going in to work every day, you probably need to start looking for a new job. The rule of thumb is that you’re unhappy or miserable for more than 90 days in a row, it’s probably time to leave.

Being the boss. If your dream is to run your own business or turn a hobby into a career, there might never be a better time than now to do so. That holds true for whenever “now” is! Because there’s never a more perfect time than when you decide to make it happen.

So whatever the motivation, if you’ve identified with one, several or all of these telltale signs, start the process of moving out of your current position and into a new one. Just sayin’.

Published: New Mexico Apartment News Magazine – November/December 2021