Should You Change Your Career?

By Randi Morse

They say that the grass always looks greener on the other side, and in no situation is this more true than careers. When we grow up we often have a very specific idea of what we want to do as an adult. Many times life changes that idea and we wind up doing something that we may not necessarily love. Almost all of us face a situation where we're given an opportunity, or have created an opportunity, that would require us to take a huge chance by changing our career path. How do you know if you're making the right choice? Are there any signs you can look for to ensure that you've made the right decision?

Seizing the Moment

Let's say you've worked in your current job for 20 years. You're comfortable there and you have no serious issues with your co-workers or your superiors. Then an opportunity arises that is very intriguing to you. Maybe it's a new position that brings a higher income, or maybe it's a different position entirely, doing something that you've always wanted to do. Your friends and family may tell you to "seize the moment" and remark that you're foolish if you don't. What they don't understand is that it can be frightening to think about making a move out of a career or position that you are comfortable with.

Pros and Cons

One way to figure out if you should make a move or not is to go old-fashioned and to write down a pros and cons list. Writing this list down is a much better way to help you decide rather than just reciting the reasons in your head. When you write down a list of pros and cons you are getting a visual representation of the reasons why you should, or should not, make a change. This can often make it much easier to judge the situation.

Repercussions

Will there be any repercussions if you make this change? Will they affect just you or will they affect loved ones who rely on you. What if you take the chance and decide that it's not all that you wanted it to be. Will there be any backlash from leaving the career? These are all things that you need to think about before you make that jump into a new career path.

If you do decide to change your career, make sure you have the support of friends and family behind you. This will not only help make the transition easier, it will give you the boost you need during the learning period for your new job.

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