When is the right time to make a career change?

abridged version published on Manila Bulletin, June 14, 2009

A career is one of the things that help us realize who we are. It is one of the ways where we can express ourselves, through the good use of our skills and talents. A career is like a roadmap ways we can show the world our skills. Once that roadmap you have chosen becomes unappealing for you, that is the best time to consider if you should make a career change.

Making a career change is not as simple as finding a new job. Career changes require you to re-align yourself towards the new career path that you want to take. Since this involves additional personal investment on your part, first consider the following:

1. What made you think of making a career change?

Take a closer look at the reason for why you feel that a career change is in order. Are you truly unhappy in your job? What about your current job are you not satisfied with? Can these be addressed by your supervisor? You may be mistaking your feelings of de-motivation in your current job, or dissatisfaction with your company procedure with the need to make a career change.

2. What are you personal goals?

A career is one of the ways for us to realize our goals. Once you have a clear idea of what your personal goals in life are, you can make a closer inspection of how far your chosen career can take you in reaching those goals.

Re-aligning your career path with your personal goals will also help you assess how interested you are in your current career. If your goal is to be the friendliest person in town, but you are working in a job whose career path will keep you boxed in doing statistics all day long, perhaps it’s time for you to consider other options.

3. Can you afford a career change?

Career changes do not happen overnight. There are many things you need to do to prepare yourself for your new career. When changing careers, do your research about the skills required for the new career you want to take, and what you need to do to be able to obtain those skills.

Other than upgrading your skills, you must also take a look at your own lifestyle. What are the things you can and cannot live without? How much do you need to survive on a monthly basis? Can my new career support this type of lifestyle? Sometimes, career changes become unsuccessful because there were unrealistic expectations of the new career. A little market research on the salary rates of your new career would not hurt. Websites such as Jobstreet.com can provide you with a general idea of the average salary rates for various jobs. You can also inquire among your friends, for a more personal account of the compensation in certain careers.

4. Who will be affected by your decision to make a career change?

When talking about careers, we are always encouraged to think of ourselves, and our own personal growth. We may forget that there are many people related to us that may be affected by this decision. If you are supporting a family of your own, or other relatives, these people will need to know that you are taking a new risk in your life, and how their own lives will be affected by this. You may be requiring your family to make a lifestyle change that is not to their liking, or you may be depriving the family of their breadwinner. Your decision to make a career change will be much smoother if you talk with the people who matter the most to you and gain their approval and support.

Changing careers is no simple matter. As can be seen by the list above, there are many things you must consider. There are some who might advise that career changes should be done before you reach thirty years old. Some may advice that career changes are only possible when you have established your own nest egg. The only one who can truly determine when the right time for a career change is is you. As captain of the ship called “your life”, you have to make the call to change careers yourself. Nobody else can decide where you want to dedicate your life to. Establish your own personal goals clearly early on as your guide in making that decision. In the end, what is important is for the ship to be able to reach its home port after fulfilling its mission.