Our career impacts so much of our lives. When we spend so much of our lives in the workplace, if we’re unhappy here then we can’t expect to be happy in general. If your career no longer feels like it fits you, here are some things to consider.
Try and move up
One of the reasons people start to feel dissatisfied in their job roles is that they become stagnant. They're no longer learning new things, their earnings are limited, and it all starts becoming very dull and samey. If the reason you dislike your job is because of this, before completely changing to something new, have you considered moving up the ranks? If there's scope for a promotion in what you do then take steps to try and achieve it. It might involve doing some additional education, training or voluntary work but could be so worth it. A higher position will often mean more money, and you'll be doing things that rechallenge you, which can help you to feel more satisfied.
How Can You Prepare Yourself?
If staying in your current job role or moving up isnt something you can or want to do, consider what you'll need to do to prepare for a career change. You could take on some training, you could go back to university full time, part-time, or study online. For example, if you were finding a new position as a urologist, you’d first get qualified in this area and work your way up. You could do some voluntary work or go to events where you're networking to meet new connections. Aim to do as much as you can before resigning from your current job; that way, you're in the best position to not only get a job straight away, but you might even be able to get one higher up. At least that way, you don't have to work from the absolute bottom, but either way, it will make you stand out to employers. Another thing to consider is whether you can afford it, because when you change your career, you will likely be moving to a much lower paid position as you will be starting from low down on the career ladder. If you know you'll be taking a pay drop in the short term, make sure your bills are organised and your finances are in order so you can ensure you can afford it.
Making a Career Change Later in Life
Stepping into the unknown with your career takes a lot of courage, especially later in life when you've been at the same job for many years. There plenty of reasons why people choose to make the switch later in life, and the good thing is, it's entirely possible to do so. While you do have to be aware of age discrimination, there are are laws in place that will hopefully prevent this from being an issue. The good thing is, changing careers later in life means you will probably move up the ladder more quickly than you did the first time around. Years of work experience in any job role all counts for something; even if it's not directly linked to the new position a lot of your skills may be transferable.
You Could Be Your Own Boss Instead
Switching to a new career is one thing, but if the route cause of your unhappiness at work is due to not having freedom to make your own choices or feeling like you’re working for someone else’s dream, have you considered becoming your own boss? Setting up your own company gives you the freedom and the potential to earn a lot of money if you have a good idea. Thanks to the accessibility of the internet, more people than ever can successfully set up companies or work from home. You could sell items or services from online or your shop, or even get into flipping properties for a profit. To keep a constant stream of income, monetising a blog or website or to work as a freelancer can bring in some money, plus it's flexible and free to set up. Having a couple of different flexible earning options as well as a main passionate interest gives you security and can help make the leap from employee to a business owner. Having some money saved as a buffer is useful too, you need to know you can pay your bills if things go through rough patches or get off to a slow start. You’ll be lucky to open your doors and start making lots of money right away, so be prepared for this.
Ask yourself why you need to change your career
Before changing your career, you first need to ask yourself why you are changing it. Answers to this question can work as motivators or provide valid reasons not to change. This is a big step you will be taking in your life, thus the need to give it more thought and considerations.
Most people will change their careers to move up the ladder in their job or shift to a better career. Others may want more work flexibility, which they lack in their current position, especially mothers who find it hard to juggle work and children. A better salary can also be a reason to change your career if you want to pay off that mortgage loan as soon as possible. Use a refinance mortgage calculator to determine changes in your mortgage plan and decide how to pay it off before shifting to another career. This way, you can avoid more stress as you will be dealing with the challenges of changing a job.
Another reason to shift a career though trivial, can be unsatisfactory leadership. Leaders can be a bit harsh when it comes to job performance. Others might offer low compensation and salary. This can be another reason to change careers if you want recognition in a company to boost your productivity.
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