Change career or stay put?

by: Cherry

To change career or not to change career ? that is the question many of us wrestle with and not an easy one to answer. I guess any response will always begin with ‘it depends…’

I guess you need to weigh up how bad the situation is that you now find yourself in on the one hand with the prospects of you being able to make a difference to the situation through your own efforts on the other.

What exactly is it that you are finding challenging and frustrating at the moment? Is it connected with your lack of skills and experience in the field, or is it more to do with the colleagues and clients you are dealing with or the general culture of the organisation you are working for?

If you feel there is scope for you to get more out of the job as you learn more and take on more responsibility and that the opportunities are there for you to do this, then maybe there is some mileage in staying.

Can you ever be truly certain that a career ? your present one or a future dream ? is right for you? Probably never 100% because that would imply that both you and a career area are fixed entities. In reality, you will change and develop and may well outgrow a job that was a good fit for you at 25, but that feels boring and uninspiring to you at 35.

Jobs themselves are in constant flux these days too. This can be a good thing if it prevents you from getting stuck in the same routine as new responsibilities are added to your role. On the other hand, after a year or so you might find the job you are doing bears little resemblance to the role you originally applied for ? and that it has moved in the opposite direction from you.

Bottom line? The fit between you and your job is likely to be shifting all the time. You need to stay in the driving seat and make sure that you are constantly checking whether the job you have is allowing you to use your natural skills and strengths and is also in line with your own deeply held values. If not, then it is probably time to consider a move.

Whatever happens, you do not want to reach the end of your working life thinking ‘if only…’