8 reasons why you may be ready for a new direction
By Career Advice,

Sometimes the need for a career change pops up at very short notice and rather surprises us. Sometimes our need for a career change lingers for a long time, rumbling away and causing us anxiety because we’re not doing anything about it. Let’s take a look at the reasons why it may help us to change career.

  • It’s Time
    You’ve been doing the same thing for a long time. You’ve been working in the same organisation and you’ve got an itch that will only be satisfied by the prospect of doing something different.
  • Underappreciation
    There is nothing worse in our professional life than being underappreciated. Underappreciation is not just about your boss not praising you enough; it’s about how people are treating you and the economic return you’re getting for your labour.
  • Treading Water
    It may be not only your employer that is taking you for granted but worse – you’re taking yourself for granted. At some point we wake up and think, “Is this all there is?” That may well be the point at which to start considering a change.
  • Job Satisfaction
    It is all very well spending a huge number of hours every year going to work but at some point we may have to admit that our workplace is actually not what we wanted it to be. The work we’ve been doing has not been fulfilling what we believe to be our purpose in life.
  • Your Boss
    As a result of constant change in organisations it is probable that if you stay in your job for a period you’ll end up working for a number of different bosses. How often have you been delighted to come and work for a new boss with a view into the company? If we are lucky we’ll have a really good relationship with our new boss. However, it may not be the case. This new boss did not hire us. They inherited us and that quite often creates tension.
  • Finance
    Another element of work is how much we’re being paid. In addition to the monthly pay check we may have stock options or a range of other benefits. If we do not have the compensation package we believe is appropriate for us, we may seek to change careers.

    When we reach that point in our life, it becomes a really important issue for us. We must be able to feel fulfilled by a sense of purpose in our work.

  • Lack of Promotion Opportunities
    We think we’re good. We believe we’re getting better each day. We have a sense of our own worth and self-esteem. However, we’re not progressing up the ranks in our organisation as fast as we’d like.
  • New Challenges
    We’ve been in the same segment of a sector for a long time and can see how our work style might suit another sector in the economy that we can transfer our skills and experience to. That sector can lead to a fresh and exciting opportunity for us.
About the Author

Simon North is the Founder of Position Ignition and the Career Ignition Club. Position Ignition is one of the UK’s leading career development and career planning companies. The Career Ignition Club offers a range of career support tools, advice and e-learning materials for its members. Follow Simon North and his team on twitter @PosIgnition and get more advice from him on their Career Advice Blog.