5 Signs You Might Need a Career Change

Changing careers can be an extremely stressful choice. It is a major decision and shouldn’t be taken lightly. For these reasons, many people are reticent to take the plunge back into the job market. But despite all the anxiety that surrounds the process, switching your career can be one of the greatest joys of your life. To help you gather the nerve, here is a list of 5 tell-tale signs that a career change might be right for you:

1. You’re no longer learning

Ask yourself every now and then: What have I learned from my career? If your answer is consistently bleak, then you may want to begin thinking about switching jobs. Being a lifelong learner is an invaluable part of professionalism. Those who plateau and gain no new knowledge from their day-to-day routine will inevitably fall into a rut and begin to resent their job. Learning need not be measured by the number of new facts you learn or information you consume. A new experience is as much a piece of knowledge as a technical skill. Even those with a comprehensive understanding of their field can learn new things. But if you feel that you continually fail to learn or experience new things in your current career, it may be time to move on.

2. There is no “next step” in sight

Climbing the ladder is a powerful motivator. Every professional aspires upward when they first join the work force. Some are urged on by the money, some by the power, and others simply by the sense of accomplishment. Whatever the reason, the “next step” is something tangible that you can work to attain. Without the possibility of a next step, however, the drive to work and succeed is likely to decelerate. Many business professionals meet a glass ceiling when they aspire towards positions that require a master‘s degree. While switching jobs can offer a change of scene, the true “next step” is to pursue that graduate degree and break through the glass ceiling. However, if you already have the requisite degree and there is still no apparent next step up, you should begin looking for a new path.

3. You don’t like telling people what you do

One of the most popular icebreaker questions out there is what do you do? When you meet a new person, one of the first things they want to know about is the work you do. A person who is happy with their job will be able to talk openly and passionately about it. If you have grown weary of telling people what you do, this may be a sign that you need to look for a new answer to the question. In your search for a new career, envision whether you would be excited to tell people about what you do in your new position. Once you find that job, talking about it will come easily and you’ll know switching careers was the right choice.

4. You don’t like your coworkers

You can’t choose your parents or your siblings, but if you are totally unhappy in your career because of the people you work with, you can make a change. Most people are in the workforce for around half their lives. Around 1/3 of that time is spent in the office itself. There is no use being miserable for such a significant portion of your life because of the people you work with. If your coworkers get in the way of enjoying your profession, you may want to start searching for work that you will love and an environment that complements your personality. Changing divisions in your current company may be all it will take to find the environment that works for you.

5. You count down the minutes until 5:00 P.M.

This is the truest sign that a new career is what you need. If you spend your days staring at the clock, waiting until you can leave the workplace behind, then you should begin thinking about a change. You may think that doing what you love is a fantasy, but it may actually be possible. All in all, your career is an extremely important part of your life, and you should never waste what could be a truly rewarding and invigorating experience. Stop counting down and begin shaping up — because it could be time for you to change your career.