Career Change

A new career or a new job ?
Wanting a new career is not simply a matter of deciding that you don’t like what you are doing now. Anyone contemplating a career change needs to think very carefully about exactly what they want from work.
Dr Colin Gill says - “Knowing just how much you love or loathe your career is not actually as simple as it might appear. Many people make the mistake of thinking that because they dislike a particular job, they should make a major change in the type of work they actually do. Even if you really hate one particular aspect of your job, there are often other things that you like and which keep you going. The key about making any career change is to identify what really turns you off at work and what it is you would really love to do in your job. It’s also essential that you’re honest with yourself about what you want from your career and what you can bring to your work.”
Colin recommends that you ask yourself some pretty searching questions before making the decision to change your job or your career. Scroll down for the questions and some advice from Colin.
  Do you really dread going into work ?
 
  1. Just how much do you dislike your job ?
  2. Would you give anything to do another job or are you just suffering from Monday morning blues ?
  3. Do you dread going into work every day or just some days ?
  4. Would you be prepared to give up many of the best things about your lifestyle outside work if you could change your job ?
  “If you don’t really dread going to work everyday and wouldn’t be prepared to make some serious sacrifices to change your job then maybe you shouldn’t be considering a radical career change. Then again, if you really do dread work, you need to understand why …”
  Why do you loathe your job ?
 
  1. Do you actually dislike the environment or the people you work
    with ?
  2. Do you find that your job doesn’t challenge you enough ?
  3. Does work constantly stress you ?
  4. Do you hate every aspect of your job or are there some things that you actually enjoy ?
  “You need to be clear about what it is you dislike and what, if anything, you do like. If it’s where you work, then maybe a similar job somewhere else is the answer. Maybe you need to be stretched more, and continuing in the same career at more senior level might be right for you. Alternatively, you may find it hard to cope with some of the demands in your current job and you might need to increase your skills, negotiate a different package or downshift to something you find more comfortable. If you think a career change is the answer, then you should be clear about what you want from work …”
  What would you want from a new career ?
 
  1. What would be your ideal day at work ?
  2. Are you clear about what you want from your job ?
  3. Where would you want to strike the work/life balance ?
  “If you’re contemplating a career change it’s essential to know what you really want and aim for it … but you also need to be realistic about what’s possible and accept that even your ideal job might have some downsides. Once you’re sure about what you want, you need to assess which careers might be best for you …”
  Which career ?
 
  1. What kind of job would best fit your requirements ?
  2. Does your ideal job exist; if not, where would you be prepared to make compromises ?
  3. Have you thoroughly investigated the various careers you think you might like ?
  “You really need to be sure that the new career path you want to follow is going to be the right one. Don’t just rely on what friends have told you or what you think you might like – the grass always seems greener but you need to check it for yourself. Just like the Apply Immediately contributors it’s always worth speaking to people who actually work in the kind of job you want and, if possible, using some holiday time to get some real experience. If you think you have found the new career for you, the last and most important questions are …”
  Have you got what it takes ?
 
  1. How far are you prepared to take a risk ?
  2. Are you prepared to start at the bottom again ?
  3. Are you willing to move somewhere else to get the job of your dreams?
  4. Will you need to retrain or get additional qualifications ?
  “The Apply Immediately contributors all found that trying to change career is not an easy option and, like them, you may well find it useful to seek some specialist help and advice. Be clear about what changing your career will actually mean for you and those closest to you. But the main thing is that once your mind’s made up then go for it and don’t give up.”
  If you would like to find out what type of career might suit you please follow this link to complete our free online personality assessment .
 

 

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