Are you considering a career switch? It's time to discover your true calling and turn it into a career.
Autumn leaves are starting to fall, a sense of 'back to school' is in the air, and squeaky new shoes stomp the street as the cool wind blows. This time of year is full with promise, with new beginnings, fresh starts, and job shifts.
Even though summer is finished, you can sense that something fresh is about to begin.
And where are you right now?
Yes, you're still working at the same place. Every day, you go back and forth to the same workplace, the office that has made you unhappy for the past year and shows no signs of improving. The boss who has passed you up for advancement on two occasions. Your coworkers, who may very well be robots dressed as humans. Long hours, a pittance of a salary, and meetings that make you want to commit yourself. Your time has been wasted, your gifts have been forgotten, and the potential you had as a graduate has been poisoned and tainted by unpleasant managers who have drained the life out of you.
Is it time to make a switch? Is it time for a new job or a new direction in your life? The question, my friend, is this:
You must choose if you despise the location, the job, or where you are in your life. Could you be content performing your work but in a different location? Or will you constantly feel sad, underappreciated, and overworked in this job? If this is the case, you should consider changing careers right now.
But first, what indications should you be on the lookout for? If you read through our list of 10 symptoms that it's time for a job shift, you'll quickly recognize which ones apply to you. We're also not going to leave you hanging. Skip to the bottom of the page for our suggestions on how to get out of there as soon as possible and back to doing the things you enjoy.
Are you unsure if it's time to change careers? Take a look at our list of ten signals that it's time to reconsider. If any of these seem similar, determine your passions, retrain, and make the necessary changes.
1. Your body is alerting you that it's time to stop!
Do you suffer from "Sunday-night dread"? If you do, you should quit your work. It's no accident that these anxiety attacks only happen on Sunday nights; your body is warning you that it knows what's about to happen on Monday and it's not happy about it. Headaches, muscular strain, and migraines are all symptoms that you're working in the incorrect field.
Checklist:
Are you constantly exhausted?
Having trouble focusing?
Do your limbs hurt?
2. You've lost touch with your interests.
You've lost touch with why you began your profession in the first place. Maybe the creativity that drew you in the first place is no longer a part of your profession, and you spend more time monitoring accounts or attending meetings than generating anything worthwhile. When considering a career change, it's helpful to go back to the core reasons why you began out in that field - are those values still what you'd seek for in a job, or have they changed as you've grown older and more experienced?
Checklist:
You miss doing the thing that first drew you into the industry.
You don't recognize the person you've become in this work because it's so different from the person you were when you first started out. You don't recognize the person you've become in this job because it's so different from the person you were when you first started out.
3. You aspire to work in a different field.
If you're sitting at your desk, twisting your hair around your finger, Googling jobs, bookmarking fascinating firms in your browser, and daydreaming about working from your bed or a friend's co-working space, it's time to leave your job and pursue a profession that you're passionate about. "Hope that is postponed makes the heart ill." Listen to your heart and make job adjustments that will make you happy.
Checklist:
You keep a job search website open in your browser at all times.
To avoid thinking about your own employment, you frequently read about the lives and occupations of individuals you like.
You despise telling people what you do at parties and wish you could say something else instead.
4. Your employment has a negative influence on your self-confidence.
If you're starting to doubt yourself and the work you're doing, something drastic has to happen in your workplace. No matter how much money or privileges you get, staying in a job or vocation that makes you feel horrible about yourself as a person is never going to be worth it. No reward is worth putting yourself down for. This can have a long-term negative influence on your mental well-being and make even the simplest tasks seem hard. A fulfilling profession should improve your self-esteem and confidence, not the other way around.
Checklist:
Are you unsure about your choices?
Do you have the impression that your recommendations aren't being considered?
Is there no room for advancement or growth?
5. You've lost interest in change.
You may be doing a good job, but you lack the motivation to present fresh ideas to your employer or initiate organizational innovation. Maybe your ideas have been neglected or flatly rejected in the past. Maybe you work for a firm that would rather you just perform your job than recommend changes to the product or culture. It's tough to keep motivated when your boss manages you like way. If you're bursting at the seams with brilliant ideas, it's time to find a place that values and welcomes them. Work for yourself if that is what you want to do.
Checklist:
You've lost interest in the firm where you work and aren't seeking for prospects for progress or promotion.
You're storing all of your brilliant ideas for when you have a job you love with another firm / or when you start your own.
6. You're solely interested in the money.
Someone once sang: "Can't buy me love." When your heart isn't in your job, it's the same thing. It's crucial to have enough money to survive on and be pleased, but making a lot of money in a job that makes you unhappy isn't worth it. All of that money pales in comparison to having a job where you feel like you're pursuing your passion and bringing personal and professional fulfillment. Material possessions can never compensate for disliking your work, because you'll still be walking to the same office every day in those gorgeous, designer shoes.
Checklist:
You promise yourself that you'll only remain until the January bonus comes around.
You treat yourself to lovely things to compensate for the misery of working at a job you despise.
You're envious of your pals who have lower-paying jobs yet are happy in their careers.
7. You're exhausted and bored all of the time.
Nobody expects to be enthralled at work every day. We all have days when we don't have the energy or passion to perform at our best. However, this should not be done on a regular basis. We may dislike one particular duty, but when our whole job/organization/career becomes monotonous, it's time to make a change. Depleted energy levels might also indicate that something isn't quite right and that your job factors need to be adjusted.
Checklist:
You find it difficult to get out of bed in the morning to go to work.
You're exhausted all day, can't remain awake in meetings, don't have anything to give, and can't pretend to be enthusiastic.
With each passing day, the hands of the clock appear to slow down. Do you think you'd quit your work right now if you had the opportunity?
8. Your friends have lost track of you.
When close friends or family notice a significant change in your attitude or behavior, such as the fact that you're often anxious, dissatisfied, or whining, it's a clue that your profession isn't working out for you. They remember you when you were enthusiastic, creative, and encouraged to accomplish, but they don't recognize the person who arrives late for a beer after work with bags under their eyes and tales of a horror employer. It's time to take stock and start thinking about the person they used to know and how you can get back to being that person if the people closest to you can see that your job is taking its toll on you and not making you happy. If that means quitting your work, do so.
Checklist:
You have less time for your family and friends, and when you do have time for them, you are worried and sad.
You no longer have the time or energy to accomplish the activities that used to bring you joy.
9. You're envious of your friends' careers.
Jealousy for your friends' or family's employment, careers, or work cultures might be a crucial directional indicator that you desire to be doing something different, somewhere else. Rather of rejecting jealousy as a negative emotion, attempt to figure out why you're feeling that way. Is it the challenging work role or the inspiring business culture that makes you envious? Is it because of their role's flexibility or because of their creativity? Try to be as honest with yourself as possible while thinking about it: it might be a really practical method of determining exactly where you want to go with your career.
Checklist:
You're always gushing about how great your friends' careers sound.
You wish you could work with the same inventiveness and flexibility as your buddies.
10. If you could, you'd leave.
Consider this: if you could quit your work right now (and yet be financially comfortable), would you? If you answered yes, you must begin planning how you will do this. Find your area of expertise. Get pumped up about a new job. Begin to consider how you may create a job or business that is in line with your interests.
Checklist:
The only thing that keeps you in your work is money.
You're already putting money down for the day you'll be able to depart.
What steps should you take to make that career change?
Now that we've recognized the telltale symptoms of a bad job decision, it's time to figure out how to move out of it and into something that matches your interests. If you follow these steps, you'll soon be saying goodbye to that dreaded employer and hello to a brand-new job that reminds you of the person we all used to know and love.
1. Decide where you'd like to travel next.
You undoubtedly have a lot of ideas about what you want to accomplish next, but now is the time to narrow them down and make a choice. What exactly do you want to do? Consider your existing advantages and disadvantages. What do you enjoy about your work and what do you despise about it? What is your life's calling? What brings you joy? Do you want to work for someone else again or start your own business? Is freelancing or perhaps creating your own business an option? After you've answered these questions, you should have a solid notion of which way you should travel.
Have you considered being self-employed? Why not, if not?
2. Expand your network.
While keeping your day job, start creating a support network. You may be eager to go as soon as possible, but trust me when I say that sending in your resignation letter too soon might be your worst mistake. If you're considering turning freelance, your coworkers, employer, and clients are the most important linkages to your future career, and they might be the key to future positions with other firms. In any case, you don't want to irritate them or burn any bridges, no matter how tempting it may seem.
3. Develop new skills.
Do you have the proper skill set to go ahead and make a profession out of what you want to accomplish now that you have a clear notion of what you want to do? For instance, suppose you've decided to work as a freelance web developer. Do you know how to code? Do you need to brush up on your abilities before starting a new job? Perhaps you should first take a web development course and establish a portfolio before pursuing it as a full-time career. There are several online and offline courses available. And because technology is so popular right now, you won't be short of job options very soon.
4. Consider freelancing
Have you considered being self-employed? Why not, if not? If you're unhappy with your present job and don't feel like your ideas are being heard, why not make a change and put yourself in charge? Working for yourself may be intimidating – and it's no small choice – but more and more individuals are recognizing that having a profession that integrates what they like doing most in life allows them to achieve the work/life balance they've always desired.
You can have a job that is different every day, meet new people, have new challenges, earn a decent wage, and feel the job satisfaction that has eluded you for so long if you have the right skills, contacts, and experience. What's more, you know what the finest part is. You earned it all: as a freelancer, you are solely responsible for your own success. That's a sensation you can't get enough of.
5. Create your own unique brand.
Your personal brand is what makes you stand out from the crowd. You are marketing your brand as a job seeker or potential freelancer, and your brand is YOU. This step is pretty simple, yet many people overlook it: Use social media sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter to connect with other experts in your sector and ask for help or advice. It will only help you if a potential employer sees you engaged in your field of expertise online.
If you're a web developer, make sure your GitHub (not Git) account is current and full of projects that demonstrate your abilities (and that it isn't locked so that others can see what you're working on). Since a web developer, StackOverFlow is also a valuable resource for asking and answering questions, as it demonstrates your interest in the area and enthusiasm for your work.
Make sure your LinkedIn profile photo is current and professional, and your job experience is up to date. Fill in as much information as possible. Before they look at your CV, potential employers will Google you, so make sure what's online is just as good as what's in that PDF file.
Make a name for yourself as an expert in your subject. Do it right now! Not when you're about to leave your job in three months. It will take that long to plan your move from your previous employment to your new career, or to establish yourself as a freelancer. Consider your online presence as an extension of your company and a free marketing for what you do.
6. Look for a mentor.
We've discussed this previously, but finding a mentor in your area may be a tremendous resource and source of support when considering a career change. It's especially important if you're thinking about starting your own business. Why should you learn from your own errors when you may learn from the faults of others? Begin by asking them a lot of questions and paying attention to what they say; don't assume you already know everything. They may not have worked in digital when they first started out, but the foundations of work and entrepreneurship haven't changed much.
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