5 Signs That Indicate You’re Ready for a Career Transition
Knowing when you’re ready for a career transition can be difficult, especially if you have been comfortable in your position and job for a long time. However, this doesn’t mean that you should turn a blind eye to the many opportunities around you.
As a professional, you have to keep in mind that there is always room for progress and opportunities to climb the career ladder. You have the skills, talent, and experience that can help you achieve more and find personal fulfilment.
Because of this, you have to know at which point in your life you should make a change to experience a boost in your career.
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How to Know if You’re Ready for a Career Transition
But how do you know when it’s time to make the career transition? Providers of career coaching services in Dubai share below the common signs that indicate you are ready for a big change in your profession:
1. You are bored with your current job
The most noticeable sign that you need a career shift is you always get easily overwhelmed by a feeling of boredom when you are at work.
If you keep checking the time every few minutes or so, it means that you are already bored with your job. And when you don’t feel engaged with and challenged by your work, you can consider this a sign that you have already outgrown your position.
This feeling of boredom can even be intensified if your company is not investing time and money in your professional development. The lack of training and learning opportunities can cause your skills to stagnate and give you no room to grow.
If you’re bored all the time you are at work, before jumping ship, reflect on the reasons behind this feeling. Write them down and think about what you can do to address them.
If you think that working on a new project or taking on another responsibility can help you get out of your rut, talk with your manager and see if this is possible.
However, if you are told right away that you can’t take on other projects or roles or you have to wait a bit before you can see any changes, you will do well to start thinking about alternative career paths that might be worth exploring.
2. You are not learning anything new
The lack of learning opportunities in your workplace is one of the usual causes of boredom. However, it can also affect other areas of your professional and personal life.
If you are not learning any new skills and gaining additional qualifications, you will end up having an unimpressive resume. This can make it difficult for you to get a new job in the future, should the situation arise.
Moreover, the lack of new skills, qualifications, and experiences can affect your confidence and trust in your ability to move up in the career ladder.
If you have not learned anything new recently and you don’t expect anything to change, you shouldn’t let this go any further. It would be best to start looking at your other options now.
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3. You no longer feel a sense of fulfilment
Feeling bored in your workplace can be frustrating. However, when you start thinking that going to the office every day is pointless and meaningless, you may become more annoyed and lose the motivation to even show up for work.
Achieving a sense of fulfilment is crucial regardless of where you are in your career. When you feel that you are contributing something to your company, you boost your self-esteem.
Moreover, the feeling that you did something valuable for the company or helpful to your customers will give you an incomparable sense of usefulness and accomplishment.
If you feel your current job is meaningless and has nothing to offer in you in terms of fulfilment, now would be a good time to think of a new one that you will find more gratifying and inspiring.
If you have always wanted to help people or protect endangered animals, consider shifting to public service or working in a non-profit organization.
4. You are thinking of what it’s like to have another job
It is normal to be interested in what your friends or acquaintances do in their job. However, if you start feeling envious of their careers, you may want to start thinking about making a career change.
Additionally, if you find yourself browsing through the different job openings on LinkedIn regularly, instead of simply reading them, check your profile and resume and see if you qualify for those positions.
When you keep imagining what it’s like to have another job and you’re more than interested in what your friends do, you have to be prepared for the possibility that switching careers is the next best step to take.
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5. You are starting to develop some health issues
Lastly, the most worrisome sign that you should switch jobs soon is the start of certain health issues.
If you dread and feel anxious about going to work every day, the constant stress you are experiencing will manifest through headaches, migraines, and muscle pains. All of these will affect your performance and productivity.
Moreover, constant stress and your inability to deal with it can cause other health issues, which include hypertension and obesity.
If you value your health and want to feel happy in your work, you may have no choice but to switch careers. A change in scenery, which means moving to another country, may even be a better option.
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How to Prepare for Career Move
Once you have decided to heed these signs, increase your chances of experiencing a smooth and successful transition by following these tips:
Create a list of jobs to explore and study each one carefully
Narrow down your options to occupations that do not require any advanced degrees that you don’t have since this entails waiting a couple of years before you can apply for such positions.
Determine the skills you need to work on
While going over your options, take note of competencies you have to master. Find ways to learn or improve them, which can include taking up a short online course.
Create a plan
When making a career switch, you need to be prepared for the consequences of doing so. This includes having sufficient savings to see you through until you get your first paycheck and having a timetable to follow in terms of applying for a new job and resigning from your current company.
Build your confidence
No matter how eager you are to leave your current job, you may still have doubts about facing new challenges. While preparing for your career move, work on improving your self-esteem and optimism for meeting the hurdles ahead.
If you are still unsure about making a life-changing decision, you can always consult a career coach. With a specialist’s help, you will know if you are ready for a change. You will also get assistance with making a plan and seeing it through.
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