There are myriad reasons for career adjustments, and we鈥檒l go deeper on that in a
bit. Job satisfaction is so important that we鈥檙e going to cut to the chase. Actually,
we鈥檙e starting with the capture, so to speak. At your workday鈥檚 end, there are 2 ways to tell it鈥檚 time for a career change: You are unhappy at work, and it has nothing to do with where you work or those you
work for or with.
Do You Have a Job or a Career?
So, have you fallen out of love with ? If you鈥檙e on a path that started with a choice of college majors or with the rise of passion inspired by a pursuit that became a career choice, you have a career. You simply have a job if it鈥檚 the best work you could find given your skill set, experience, and location.
If it鈥檚 just a job and you hate it, then simply move on. If you hate what you do in
the job where you pursue your chosen career, your challenge is greater than for those
who merely need to find another place to get a paycheck. You need to adjust your career
path.
Know the Signs of Career Derailment and How to Get on Track
Forbes posts a lot of articles by career counselors/coaches, including work by members of
the Forbes Coaches Council, which bills itself as 鈥渁n invitation-only organization
for successful business and career coaches.鈥� We鈥檝e picked some of the highlights:
Obvious Signs That It鈥檚 Time for a Job Change
The Forbes Coaches Council identifies . Here are the first six of those 12 reasons:
- Are you learning, advancing your employer鈥檚 agenda, and having fun? Leila Bulling Towne of The Bulling Towne Group says that a no on any of those points is a warning sign. Your 鈥渂rain and heart are telling you that now is the opportune time to stop and think about why,鈥� and how to get back to yes again.
- Do you feel valued? Melinda Fouts, author of 鈥淪uccess Starts with You,鈥� says feeling undervalued means you鈥檙e at risk of having your work seem less fulfilling. 鈥淵ou might want to consider moving on.鈥�
- Are you still contributing? If the arc of your contributions to the workplace is trending downward, 鈥渋t鈥檚 time to transition,鈥� says coach Maureen Cunningham of Up Until Now Inc.
- Are negative feelings becoming the norm? 鈥淕et clear on your next move鈥� and get moving, says business and life coach Gina Gomez.
- Is the allure of another career growing stronger, to the point of regret about a path not yet taken? 鈥淚f there鈥檚 something out there you鈥檒l regret never exploring, it鈥檚 time to think about it,鈥� says Jessica Sweet of Wishingwell Coaching.
- Are you literally sick of your job? John M. O鈥機onnor of Career Pro Inc. says, 鈥淚 coach executives in career shifts and changes, and it is shocking how often after they transition to a better opportunity that their physical and mental health improve.鈥�
Of course, once you decide to make a career change, it helps to know how.
How to Make a Career Change
Changing careers can be a daunting journey. Here are :
- If you鈥檝e chosen another career direction, itemize your job skills and talents, from inchoate to perfected, from social skills to personality attributes, and prepare to hit the job interview circuit ready to sell who you are to prospective employers.
- Identify your internal and external resources. The skills and talents you inventory during step one are your internal resources. Your personal and business networks count as external resources.
- Develop what Forbes Coaches Council member Dris Mhammedi calls a growth mindset. In essence, 鈥渂e confident in your skills, and allow yourself to learn from your mistakes.鈥�
- Once you鈥檝e taken the first three steps, make a plan and execute it.
There鈥檚 Proof You Can Survive the Change
Forbes contributor Joseph Liu gathered good advice for career jumpers from . He opens with Stephen Satterfield, a restaurant manager who founded the food magazine Whetstone. Satterfield warns, 鈥淧repare yourself to run a marathon rather than a sprint.鈥�
Basically, there are few shortcuts to career success.
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CTPE prides itself on courses and programs that are designed with working professionals in mind, including those planning career-altering transitions.