Time For a Career Change? These 5 Questions May Give You the Answer.

First of all, you’ll forgive my use of a Carlton Fisk quote for this blog. There were others I considered but given the Red Sox’ ascension to the ALCS, I couldn’t help myself!  To my Yankee fan connections… #sorrynotsorry :-)

Second, and more importantly, who among us hasn’t at some point considered a career change? If you never have, you’re pretty lucky to be so satisfied in your career; kudos to you! For the rest of us, it’s a thought we’ve had at least once. Or twice. Or a hundred times. Whether that career change is a different field altogether, a change to a new organization, or even simply a new role with your same organization, it’s a common consideration for most professionals.

But how do you know if that thought is fleeting due to a bad day at work vs. one to be considered seriously? For some, that might be a really easy question to answer. To others, I submit the following topics / questions on which to self-reflect:

1.    How engaged are you in your current role?  Employee engagement is the level of emotional commitment an employee has to their organization, its values and its goals. It’s about motivation and discretionary effort. Nearly 70% of US workers are disengaged at work. Where are you?

2.    How often are you excited about what you DO??  I mean really excited. Passionate about your chosen profession and the value you add to industry, the community, the intellectual sector, etc. Everyone has a bad day or week once in a while, but it’s important to like what you do more times than not.

3.    Have you achieved everything possible in your current role?  Possibly not, in which case, go for the gusto now! If you have, are there new roles within your organization to which you aspire? Maybe you’re an individual contributor aspiring to manage others. A really important thing to ask yourself: If you desire to do more, have you told anyone; like say, your manager or your internal network?

4.    Do you ask yourself “Isn’t there more than this?” about your career on a regular basis? Not a mid-life crisis basis; an ongoing itch for more. Satisfaction with one’s career is not engagement, and it is not quite the same as excitement. It’s a feeling of being fulfilled at the end of the work day.

5.    Is your current work environment a good fit? For the most part, organizations aren’t like clothes – it’s not always clear whether they “fit” you or not. That said, if you tend to be a values-driven or mission-driven individual, it’s important to ask yourself whether the culture matches your own goals and authentic self. (Bonus side-note: not-for-profit employee engagement results have increased steadily since 2014)

 You know, there are a LOT more questions you have probably come up with on your own. This list could be a Top 20! It’s a starter’s kit, though. So… after reflecting on these questions, if you believe it’s time for a change, what do you have to overcome in order to do so? That depends on the change itself, as well as individual circumstances. However, for your consideration a few potential blocks that may get in your way of action:

•  Fear – of rejection, of failure, of competence, or even of success
•  Regret – if you make the change and the grass isn’t greener, what have you done?
•  Regression – what if by making a move, your compensation potential isn’t as high? or you need to start at a more entry-level?

I suggest to you that these potential blocks don’t need to get in your way of what you think you want. While it’s no small feat to overcome these possible reactions to the thought of changing careers, or even just changing jobs, people do it every day. To delve more into whether you’re ready for a change, email me at [email protected], message me via LinkedIn or visit my Facebook business page. As always, I welcome your thoughts and comments.