Five Things to Consider Before Changing Your Career 

Are you thinking about changing your career? Are you unhappy or stressed with your current job but afraid of making the wrong decision? Or you’re reluctant going to work in the morning or you watch the minutes tick by all day? If you don’t love what you are doing anymore, it might be a sign for a career change. However, you should not throw caution to the wind and quit your career just like that, you should think carefully and make the right decision.

Related: How to Quit a Job You Hate In 3 Easy Steps

Here Are 5 Things You Should Consider Before Changing Your Career

1. Why do you wish to change your career?

You cannot just dump a career after you have put in a lot of time and energy, there must be a convincing reason. If you cannot pin point a particular reason and you still derive job satisfaction in your current field, then you should reconsider your decision to change career.

You need to also ask yourself if your desire to change career is due to want of more money and if you are going to make more or less money in your new career. Would you be happier if you are transferred to another company or is it the career itself you are not satisfied with? Do you hate your current employer or the career itself? The answer to these questions will help you make up your mind about changing your career.

2. Career alternatives and job availability

You should consider looking for career alternatives which are closely linked to or resemble your current career. These alternative options should be in line with your passion and core values. You can share your alternatives with your friends or family to help make a good choice. Also make sure you have the right skills needed in your new career.

You can explore alternative careers by taking an internship in your new career. You cannot afford to test the depth of a river with both feet. Experimenting your new career will help you find out if you really love this career or you should remain in your current career.

Also before changing your current career, you should look out for suitable alternative careers with vast job options. Your new career should be worth the effort and should have more jobs available for you to make a living or at least match your current career in terms of job availability.

Read Also: Get your dream job faster than you imagined

3. Contact experienced people in your new career

As a fresher in your new career, you need to make contacts with people who are already in the field. You can contact old friends who are in your new career to help you make a decision to join them or not. They will tell you what you require to join in terms of skills, certifications and other requirements. You will find out if you need another degree or qualification, how long it will take and how much it will cost. They will tell you about your growth potential as well and from there, you will decide if it is what suits you or not.

4. How would this change affect me and my family?

You need to think really deep here. If you are in a committed relationship or you have a family, you need to get them involved in your decision making process. This is because this change will surely affect them. You should ask yourself how this change will affect your finances, retirement date and family. Will you be making more or less money in your new career and is it going to help you sort out bills better? How will your family cope till you are back on your feet and how do you hope to handle your current financial obligations while you adjust to your new career? Although money is not everything in a career choice but these questions need answers. There has to be a balance between the risk and reward. You have to look beyond yourself and consider how your new career will affect family time and lifestyle. If you will need a location change and if your partner’s job will be affected. All these will help you make up your mind if you need to change your career.

5. Contact a Career Coach

A career coach can give you expert advice on what to do next. Your coach may ask you some of the questions asked above in order to give you a proper advice. Feel very free with to take my free 30 minutes 1-on-1 consultation to have a holistic discussion about changing your career. You need to consider all these and double check if you really need that change. Or you are just having a brief bad time because temporary loss of passion happens to a lot of people. Many people switch careers everyday but it has to be worth the risk so that your bold decision pans out well.