Is it time for a career change or do you need some more time to think about it? Here is a complete and simple checklist to know if you are ready to change careers.
Careers are like relationships, you spend time building and investing to make it work. This journey can be very fulfilling until you realize you are with the wrong person, sorry I meant, in the wrong career. It is normal, to wake up and no longer want that career you have spent time and money studying for and working on. But just because you feel like you no longer fit in your current career, it doesn't mean you up and leave. You need strategically make plans for that career change and only jump when the time is right. Here is a simple checklist to run through and know whether it is time for a career change or if you need more time to put some things in order.
Do you know your current job and career status?
Have you taken an inventory to understand what you hate about your current job and career? What aspects are unbearable at your current job? What do you love? What are you good at? Would you be okay just changing the industry you work in or just an employer? This insight will help you recognize how best to leverage existing skills and new skills required for the career change once it presents itself. One of the ways you can have clarity of this is by journaling your work experience. Write down what you recognize as achievements in the work you do. What you enjoy and why you enjoy it and the challenges you face. All these will help you apply yourself as you start your new career.
For example; if you love interacting with people more than machines but you are working as a machine operator or mechanical engineer - that could be a good reason why you hate your current job. It could also point you to what kind of jobs are best suited for you.
What is your current emotional and mental state?
While mental health can be a cause for a career change, transitioning in the heat of emotional turmoil could be detrimental. In the face of challenges, you may take irrational decisions and repeat old mistakes. Sommelier turned Software Developer Kateryna Begantseva on Careershifters shared how difficult it was to learn so much new information as she studied for her new software developer role. Skilling as you prepare for your new career may be overwhelming. Because you feel like you are playing catch-up to people in the field who have spent years honing their skills. So the healthier you feel, the more up-to-task you will be as you prepare for the career change.
Debt or savings?
Your first career change job could be an internship, a volunteer role, or an entry-level position. This might come with little to no pay. If you are financing a loan or paying hefty bills for yourself or your dependants, it could get in the way of your career change. More so if you have to get certifications and degrees for the career change. Having some savings will help you during the period of the transition when you are hardly making any money. It's therefore important to have a financial plan as you change careers.
What are your new career prospects and skills? Have you updated your resume?
Do you have clarity about the career you want? Have you started learning the skilling yourself for the job? Have you updated your resume accordingly? If it is a yes to all questions, it is time for a career change. If you haven’t found clarity, take career tests, and read about the different careers you are considering to better understand your career interests. For skilling, you can study online to obtain the necessary skills and be ready.
For professionals in the middle of their careers (with over 10 years of work experience), The Balance Careers emphasize that a career change doesn’t have to be a total overhaul. You can use your existing networks to pivot your career. You can also look within your company for prospects once you are certain of what you want to do.
Are you networking in your career interest?
Networking is a good practice to accelerate your career development. For a career change, it might help open doors to even better opportunities. It is also a good way to observe what the future could look like in your new career. If you are open to networking opportunities, check here for three people you should network with in time for a career change.
LinkedIn, work events, and online webinars are good places to start with building networks. If you work in a large organization, visiting the department of your career interest is also a good start.
Conclusion
Here is what fifty people who changed careers told Forbes; there are no shortcuts, each journey is unique, you will be imperfect, there will be fulfilling and frustrating moments, and you have to be comfortable exploring with no expectations.
As someone who has been navigating a career change for 3 years now, I concur with most of what these people had to say. There is no perfect time for a career change. Some days you will feel like you are moving forward; other times, you will feel stagnated. Be okay with the high points and low moments. It is scary because it is a new path. Keep building consistency in doing the things that help you grow your new career. It gets easier, your skillset gets better and you do feel the happiest you have ever been.
