If you have found yourself doubting your happiness in your current position and the work that you do, then something needs to change in your work environment. Staying in a job or career that makes you feel bad about yourself as a person will never be worth it, no matter what the pay or perks may be. It is important to put yourself and your happiness before and above anything. Don’t let your age stop you from changing your pathway, it is never too late. Please keep in mind that with the recent COVID-19 stress of unemployment, make sure you have something to fall back on when resigning from your current position.
It is estimated that the average person will change careers between five and seven times throughout their working life, don’t worry you are not alone. Your decision should be made to align with what makes you truly happy. Often, we spend more time at work than we do at home and therefore our work environment and job position have a huge impact on our lives. Finding a new career pathway can lead to greater fulfillment in your career and your personal life. Working for a company that challenges you and brings the best out and you will help you to feel confident about yourself. Your current industry might be quite small, leaving you with minimal room for growth. For example, air compressor services. Expanding to a career such as a manufacturer or a construction worker may be broader field and may mean more room for opportunity.
Here are three common reasons people switch careers.
Income
Salary and money are a common reason why [eople decide to move away from a career. If an individual is struggling financially, they may realize that staying in the industry they are in won’t bring them the remuneration they need. However, this can often be seen as a mistake made by those who drive their decisions based on money. People very easily forget that money alone will never result in long-term job satisfaction. The best way to increase your income is to do the job that you love and perform well in it and to work your way up. If you have been working at your company for a while, you may also consider speaking to your managers about a pay rise if you believe your pay is not a true reflection of how hard you work. If you feel you are underpaid, this can also lead to a decrease in motivation levels, further impacting productivity and workplace satisfaction.
Growth
You may be content with your job, work colleagues, and company, however, it is highly likely that after several years you have become bored and find things repetitive. If you are the kind of person that needs to be pushed and also explore new things, a new career pathway might be your ticket. This encourages you to gain new knowledge and skills, keeping the brain active and exposed to new challenges. If your current position doesn’t allow for growth and advancement within the company, it only makes sense for you to look elsewhere. If leading teams is something you endeavour, make sure to apply for a managerial position. Something else which may contribute to a career that you are unable to grow in might is that the industry is in a downturn. We live in a world where each year, multiple jobs become extinct due to changes in technology, demand, and so on. This is one situation where a career change is forced upon you rather than chosen by you. One example of this could be a position whereby your role is to mix timber oil, however, machinery has now taken over and you are no longer required.
Your passion lies elsewhere
Often straight out of school, we are forced to decide on a career choice at a very young age. It is extremely common to start a course or degree and never finish it due to a change in passion. Similarly, this can also occur in one career pathway. When we are younger and we dream of a job that our school career counsellor or parents don’t support, we are forced to push it aside. As you get deeper into your current career, you may realize that you are not happy and that life is too short to settle for a job you don’t enjoy. As they say, ‘it is never too late’. Due to such advancements in technology, it has become easier for you to research your new career or gain some information about what is expected of you, online. Your passion may be to start your own business, people are lured by the attraction of having more control over their destiny and the possibility of unlimited earnings. You may also have all the knowledge and skills needed to be a business owner through many different career choices you have invested yourself in throughout your life. For example, you may have worked a long time for a decking business, to later start up your own decking oil company. Often these are important stepping stones to get you to where you need to be. Another example could be working for a manufacturer and later coming out with your own water chiller.
Regardless of the reason you are unsatisfied with your current career, whether that be because you have burnt out or are simply bored, don’t feel like you have to stay. It is totally possible to switch career pathways no matter how many years you’ve been in the workforce. However, the recent spike in unemployment has made it particularly difficult to seek jobs. Be sure that you have given considerable thought to the decision of changing your career pathway before you are potentially left with no work. Ensuring that you have an opportunity lined up will avoid the chance of being left unemployed once resigning from your current position. Though COVID-19 should not be the reason you stay in a role that makes you unhappy, a good start would be to apply for some positions you are interested in. This will give you an indication of what is available at the moment, as well as the demand for the pathway you want to peruse. If you have a close relationship with your current employer, you may also consider discussing how you are feeling, and they may be able to assist you through connections and networking. They may be able to invite you to some leadership development programs that will look great on your resume.
You only live one life and as cliché, as it sounds, you only get one opportunity to explore your passions. It is never too late to do what you love and to get where you want to be in your career. Whether this is entrepreneurship or trying something completely different, there are always ways to begin a new journey.
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