Three Questions to Ask Yourself Before Switching to a Whole New Career

Switching Careers

Switching careers can feel a lot like jumping off a cliff. On one hand, your current career – your comfort zone – offers familiarity and safety. On the other hand, you may have hit a brick wall in terms of growth, and feel that a change is just what you need.

Changing careers is a major life decision, so much so that many employment agencies strongly recommend that you think hard about it before making the change. Below are three questions you can ask yourself to help you decide if you truly need to switch careers.

  1. What Am I Doing It For?

It’s important to take a step back and think about whether or not you’re making a career change for the right reasons. Perhaps you’re just bored with your current position and believe there’s something better for you out there. It’s a good idea to sit down and think of the advantages and disadvantages of changing careers; doing so will help put things into perspective, and you may find that the cons outweigh the pros. It might be that all you need is a new challenge or goal in your current career to revive your enthusiasm.

  1. Is Now the Right Time to Take on Risk?

Think of the goals you set on the first day you took on your current role. Have you achieved them all? If you have and feel that your career has stalled, it may be time to take a new direction. If not, stay and try to reach what you set out to accomplish on day one.

It’s also important to anticipate what kind of effect switching careers will have on your personal life. If you’re stable both emotionally and financially, then this could be an ideal time to make the change; otherwise you may be putting your finances and emotional well-being at risk.

  1. Do I Have the Skills and Qualifications to Find Work Elsewhere?

Yet another important factor to consider is whether you have the skills and experience to forge a new career path. If you’re eyeing a position in a new field, do your homework on the skills and qualifications needed to get hired there. You can also make connections with professionals currently working in your chosen field; they can give you a realistic idea of what to expect in terms of skills and experience.

Make the task of finding a new career easier and safer by working with Star Staffing! We can help you find a position in your chosen field, or provide consultations with recruiters. Visit our contact page to get in touch with one of our job search agents.