How to Know When it’s Time for a Career Switch
Sometimes you can be 100% sure and confident in a decision to leave a company. You may know for sure it’s not a good fit, or you received a better job opportunity. However, sometimes it’s not that clear, and making this decision is far from easy. The decision to leave a job, especially when you don’t have a new job lined up, can be scary and a difficult decision to make. So how can you know if it’s time to go? Here are a few surefire signs it’s time for a career change:
1. You Constantly Feel Apathetic and Bored
No one expects to be fascinated and energized at work all day every day. Everyone has those moments where they lack energy and enthusiasm towards a task, but this shouldn’t be how you feel every day or towards everything you do. As time goes on, if you feel increasingly disconnected from your work and are mentally checked out to the point where you see yourself underperforming or missing deadlines, it may be time to reevaluate your position. If you wake up in the morning dreading to go into the office every day, it’s time to find something that will reignite your passion.
2. You Feel Disconnected from Your Passions/Personal Interests
If you feel disconnected from the original reason you started out in your job, it may help to think back to all the fundamental reasons of why you started out in that career in the first place. Are these values and passions still of interest to you? It’s normal for certain personal interests or values to change or alter overtime with the more you experience, and it could be time to find a new job that aligns with them.
3. You Don’t Feel Like You’re Making an Impact
If you feel undervalued or that your time and talents are being wasted, it’s time to find a new role that plays to your strengths. A job that gives you the opportunity to develop new skills and allows you to make meaningful contributions. A career should always enhance your current talents and self-esteem, not diminish them.
4. You Day Dream About a New Career
Maybe you spend your breaks relishing the thought of delivering your two-weeks’ notice, or find yourself browsing job boards. If you’re spending most of your time sitting at your desk wistfully wondering what it might be like to work somewhere else, or are jealous a friend’s “perfect” career or company, then this is a tell-tale sign it’s probably time to get into a career that is of greater interest to you.
5. You Would Leave If You Could
Putting any financial concerns or relationship ties aside, ask yourself the question “if you could leave your job right now, would you?” If the answer is yes then it’s time to start working out how to do so. Explore new career options aligned with your passions, find your niche, and get excited about a new start!
If you find yourself experiencing some of these surefire signs, don’t be afraid to start looking into new options. Changing careers can definitely be scary, but chances are if you’re reading and resonating with this article, then you already know what you need to do. Listen to your gut, you owe it to yourself to find a job that will make you happy. After all, you never know what amazing opportunities may be out there waiting for you.
