No matter the job, you may encounter colleagues who are frustrated with the working conditions and want to quit. Perhaps, you share their frustration because you are not moving up the ladder fast enough at work and are considering switching careers.
However, you are in a dilemma: if you do quit your job, you stand to lose your regular income — something you may not be able to afford, especially with a family to take care of. You also dislike the idea of experiencing a tedious job search all over again, with the risk of finding yourself in the same workplace environment that you were not happy with.
Before you decide to change careers, here are a few points from career experts that you should consider:
1) Examine Yourself
A mistake you can make is to quit right off the bat. Instead, when you feel calmer and more at peace, take some time off to re-examine yourself and your current situation. Try answering some of these questions with honesty:
- What made me decide to pursue a career with this company?
- What are the things I liked about working with this company?
- When did I start becoming unhappy? Was it because of someone in the company (a boss or a co-worker)? Or am I unhappy because of my slow career advancement?
- Is there anything that I can do to improve my situation at work?
- Am I in the position to take a bold step and quit my job? Do I have mouths to feed?
- Where do I see myself a year from now if I stay with the company?
- Where do I see myself a year from now if I decide to leave the company?
2) Discover (And Rediscover) Passions
Try to remember what made you passionate about your career in the first place. Perhaps you crave opportunities to showcase your skills and talents. Maybe you like the idea of working with people who share the same interests and passion as you. Whatever it is, replicate it in your professional life to break the bonds of ennui.
You can also use this time to discover new things. Learn about the rewards and incentives that your company has to offer and what it takes to achieve them. By developing new goals, you can find the drive to improve your work performance.
3) Get To Know the Career
Do some research on the career path you are keen to pursue and determine the skills you need to acquire. Your present job may have already helped you develop the skill sets necessary in your new career path.
Consider looking within your company for new opportunities, such as a job transfer, which is likely to be less strenuous than joining a new company. Otherwise, meet people who are already in the industry you are looking to join. Ask about prospective companies with relevant job openings and what they entail.
4) Learn, Learn, Learn!
Take advantage of educational opportunities. Sign up for an academic programme or professional certification course, even before you make the career move. Working adults can consider enrolling in a part-time or short-term course, which will allow them to manage their studies and job concurrently. Find out if your company offers training, seminars, or workshops for skills development or education grants.
With proper planning and determination, a career switch could work out to be a success story!
With over 500 academic programmes for higher learning and professional certification courses for skills development, we provide opportunities for you to always stay relevant. To speak to one of our consultants, please call 8613 8989 or email us at [email protected]