When is the right time for a career change?

A few days ago I had a drink with a friend, a successful professional in a big international company. At the age of 40, he became a board member, and from what I know, he is probably one of the top 10 professionals in his field, in our region. Besides all the achievements' he made and benefits he has, he is looking for a career change. Its not that he would like to change the company, but he is thinking of starting his own business. He said:

"I'm tired of these inflexible systems. I'm not running away from the work, ideally I should be focused only on work, not on politics and different internal problems that are not under my control or influence."

To certain extent, many of us want, more or less, the same thing. I don't know a person who wakes up in the morning with the idea to go to work and make his colleagues life miserable ?? or to talk behind someone's back. However, we all did such or similar things at least once in our career.

When it comes to professional engagement, we have three possible forms. Each of them has its advantages and disadvantages and for each of them, works the old saying:

"The grass is always greener on the other side"

Employment options that we have are:

• To be self-employed or freelancer;
• To create your own system;
• To be part of the system.

Being a self-employed / freelancer, ideally with online business, became a dream job for many people these days. Ideally living somewhere by the sea, or travelling around the world while working remotely, without any strong obligations. Is this possible? Of course it is ?? Actually, it is easier that becoming a senior manager in an international company. However, like the other two options, this form is not ideal.

Some of the advantages:

• More freedom in organizing your time, choosing place to live and higher mobility;
• Revenues are related to projects, and you earn more money per project;
• Work looks more like a sprint than like a marathon;
• You are your own boss.

Some of the disadvantages:

• Revenues are not constant;
• Everything is on you. You have no right to get sick leave and deadlines are always behind you;
• There is a growing need for personal branding, sales and marketing skills;
• Most of the time you work alone and for some personality types, this can be frustrating.
• You are the system and you have to perform all key business functions of the system well enough: sales, marketing, administration, logistics, expertise relayed to product or service, etc.

Who is it for?

• For individuals with specific, highly valued expertise / skills that can work remotely;
• For individuals who don't have complex life situation and many obligations.
• Often this is the good form of professional engagement for people in their 30s, as well as people closer to 60s.

Second option is to create your own system or to be a business owner.

Some of the advantages:

• You do the work you love, and you are the key influencer of your business development;
• If the business year goes well, you can pay yourself a dividend;
• From time to time, you have the opportunity to disconnect from the business, the system will continue to work without you;
• You have the opportunity to play a real life game for the rest of your life ??;
• Your development is guaranteed.

Some of the disadvantages:

• The result are mandatory and overall responsibility is yours and yours only;
• All financial obligations must be paid on a monthly basis;
• You cannot stop your development as your company will grow only as much as you are ready to grow;
• For 5 to 10 years forget about work-life balance.

Who is it for?

• Ideally for individuals who already have freelancing experience or experience in entrepreneurial company and who are ready to the risk;
• If you think of having a family, its better to start your own business before having a family;
• If you have a corporate career, it is ideal to start this adventure before you get deep into the comfort zone that corporate world often offers.

The third way of professional engagement is to be a part of a system. It seems to me, that people today least want to be part of big systems. Being part of a system, like the other two forms have their advantages and disadvantages.

Some of the advantages:

• Consistency of revenues and benefits that only system can offer;
• Opportunity to learn and apply knowledge, almost on daily basis;
• Opportunity for career development, which implies new learnings;
• Whatever the pressure is, it is less than when you are a business owner.

Some of the disadvantages:

• Some systems have too many procedures and big administration. This can be really frustrating.
• Sometimes you need lots of time and effort to change a simple thing.
• The number of vacation days are limited and you usually need to book them ahead;
• You might get tired of seeing same people on daily basis (especially if you don't fit with them) ??.

Who is this for?

• For individuals who do not like risk taking;
• For individuals who want bigger responsibility and more power;
• For individuals who would like to be intrapreneurs - to use the power of the system but to show their entrepreneurial qualities within it.

Are the transitions from one form of professional engagement to another possible? Of course it is ?? , in all directions.

I was part of the system, I was a freelancer, now I am a co-owner of the company, and every now and then I think...

What it would be like if I would be a freelancer or part of the big system again ??.