Do you feel that you are dragging yourself to work every morning? Do you constantly check on the time for your next break at work? Does the only thing that excites your day is for you to go home and leave your office? Are you planning to make a career change?
If you are unmotivated to do your work, maybe it is time for you to find a new career. But before you submit your resignation and take chances finding another career for you, you should think carefully if you are making the right decision. There are things that you should consider before changing a career.
How will the career change impact your finances?
Think about what will happen to your finances when you switch fields. Would this put your children’s education at risk? Are you going to earn less, or are you going to earn more? Can you afford to make a career change?
If you are happy with what is going to happen to your financial future, maybe because you will earn more on your new job, or your side business is stable enough that you can quit your job without hesitation, then having a career change is a good idea. If it is not, then you better start planning for your finances before you quit your current job.
There is one thing you can do right now to become prepared for whatever will happen, and that is to save. First, you need to be prepared by saving money for your safety net. This safety net is your fund that will cover all of your living expenses for six months if you have not yet found a job yet.
Will this career change affect your personal life?
Will you be working in a different location? Will the new position take much of your time? If you are married, have a family of your own, or are single who has other responsibilities outside work, then you need to think about the changes that might happen to your personal life when you change your career.
Do you have what it takes?
Are you okay demoting from your current position? Do have the skills, ability, or accreditation needed for the job? If you are changing a career, most likely you won’t be able to take your current level position with you. Thus, you need to start from the bottom of the ladder again. You should also take into consideration your career growth in your new industry the moment you stepped in. Since you will probably start again, it might take time for you to get to the top of your career.
It is also useful if you focus on your transferable skills to help you on your career change. Transferable skills are the skills relevant to any areas of life and any job positions. These skills are developed throughout your life such as: leadership, communication, listening, analytical, creativity, critical thinking, and technical.
Will you be happier in your new career?
Some people dive into a new career for the sake of finding an instant career replacement. You need to assess first if the reason why you want to change your career is because you want to find your passion, or the career that you are looking for is your dream job and not just because you want to get away to your current job that is causing you to feel miserable. Again, you might only end up in a job that you are not passionate about and may just cause you more unhappiness.
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