Are you considering changing your career?

Here are 4 things to consider before making the move 

By: The De Lacy Executive Recruitment Team

There are many reasons as to why you may be considering changing your career - perhaps it is the company culture, wage, location, your role is not a good fit, or you are looking for a new experience.

Whatever the reason, it is crucial to take some time to reflect on this big decision. Do not take this decision lightly, after all, the average employee in the UK will spend over 84,000 hours at work in their lifetime with an additional 4,500 hours of overtime (AccountancyAge.com).

A career-changing move like this will likely impact your life socially and financially, so we have compiled a list of things to consider before making the big change.

Evaluate Your Reasoning

It is important to determine the root cause of why you are contemplating a career change. Take time to evaluate your reasoning - it could be the specific role you are in, the company culture, or your boss, or even events in your personal life that are making your job less enjoyable.

If you have narrowed down the reasoning and it has to do with a bad boss or a toxic work environment, determine if you would like to switch careers entirely, or move to another organization under the same role.

If you do not enjoy the requirements of your job or you are leaving your role for personal reasons, perhaps it is affecting your mental health for example, it is crucial to evaluate what part(s) of the job you dislike so that when you make a career change, you will have a better understanding of what you should avoid and what career(s) might fit you best.

If you are not sure about a specific career, do some research and reach out to industry members to get an inside look at what the job entails. You do not want to spend all this time and effort changing careers only to find out you are back in the same situation as before.

Education

If you are considering changing your career entirely and moving into a different field, it may mean that you require additional education or credentials.

The two biggest factors to think about here are time and finances.

Do you have the time and energy it takes to further your education?

Are you in a financial position to invest in your education?

If you said yes to the above questions, it is time to start researching new career possibilities!

Potential of Earning Less Income

Are you prepared to earn less income?

When changing roles or completely changing careers, it is important to consider that you may take a pay cut.

This is especially true if you have been in your current position for several years and have gained experience and are now transitioning to a new field where you may start with a less senior role.

You are the only one who can answer this question - some individuals are willing to receive less pay if the role makes them happier, while others are not willing to, or cannot afford to, accept less income.

Challenges You May Face

A career change is a big move, and it comes with its own set of challenges and obstacles. If you have read through the above considerations and are still contemplating changing careers, it is now time to do some research to prepare for potential barriers to entry:

• Is the industry growing?
• Is there demand for this new career?
• Do you have the skills to be successful in this new career?
• Can you develop a new skill set?
• Can you compete with new graduates? (Determine whether you need to further your education)

As always, if you have any questions about changing careers, reach out to us at De Lacy Executive Recruitment.