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May 24, 2014
by Christie Hunter

Career Change- How to Know the Right Time for Changing Careers?

May 24, 2014 04:55 by Christie Hunter  [About the Author]

Time for a change?

One way to boost your productivity and improve the quality of your work is do what you like. If you are not comfortable with your job and despite all the facilities the nature of work is not doing for you, then it’s probably time for a career change (Smith, 2013)1. However, to change a career, it is important to have knowledge about the factors that influence career choice and know the right time for a career switch.

 

Here is a quick look at some of the factors that will help job seekers make the right decision:

Factors Influencing Career Change

Smith in her detailed research discussed a number of factors that have direct influence on career choice. Some of them are:

1. Skills

Smith highlighted the fact that it is very important for a person to analyze his/her capabilities before switching a job. The author presented the idea that most people need career changes because of lack of interest and productivity threshold, so it is very important to make sure that the other job is interesting and you are a close fit for the requirements of the job. Smith emphasized on the need of compromising with minute workplace issues, because constant career changes might impact a person’s capabilities.

2. Expectations

According to Tannahill-Moran (2013)2, just like employers have expectations from job seekers, employees also have some expectations when looking for a job. There is no denying the fact that factors like job timings, salary and facilities matter a lot, but doing a job which does not attract a person might affect his/her productivity and working capacity. Therefore, Tannahill-Moran emphasized on giving priority to the nature of job when switching the career. Moreover, doing the work that you like also allows you to enjoy peace of mind.

3. Career Scope

The research of Moran also highlighted the importance of career scope for changing a job. The author gave the example of a workplace, where there is no growth. Employees would grow tired of doing the same thing daily. Change is very important for sustaining interest. Moreover the author also mentioned in the article that growth and promotion acknowledge the hard work of a person, thus encouraging him/her to work harder. Therefore, it is very important to choose a career in which there is scope for growth.

4. Needs

Libsohn (2014)3, in a research about career change, said that the biggest factor that influences the choice of job is a person’s needs and priorities. The author explained his point by giving the example of a needy person who will go for any job that offers a good salary package and benefits. However, for a financially stable person, factors like nature of work and workplace environment matter. So, according to Libsohn, the choice of job and job seeking approach heavily depends on the priorities of a person.

5. Self Contentment

According to Libsohn, it’s also one of the most important factors that forces a person to switch his/her job. The author mentioned the fact that a person spends a big chunk of his/her time at workplace, so if he/she is not contented with the job it might adversely affect his/her personal life. Therefore, when switching careers, it is very important for the job seeker to make sure that the new job meets his/her expectations.

When is the Right Time for a Career Switch?

Cardy (2013)4 highlighted some surefire signs that indicate that it’s the right time for switching careers. Here is a quick look at some of the important and most obvious signs to make sure that the current job won’t do for you anymore and it’s the time for a change:

1. Productivity Depletion

Cardy, in the research, emphasized that every person has a threshold when it comes to productivity, beyond which he/she cannot perform. So when at work you cannot give your input and constantly fail to achieve targets, then it’s probably the time for a change.

2. Continuous Restlessness

Cardy pointed out the fact that many people cannot differentiate between early pondering and continual relentlessness. The author said that if a person is frequently thinking about changing jobs, then it means that the present job is not doing it for him/her.  

4. Growth Threshold

This is also an important indicator of career change. Cardy, in the research, mentioned that a place where there is not much room for growth cannot sustain employees. So when you think that you have reached the highest point of growth at a workplace, then start thinking about career change and a fresh beginning.

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1. Smith J. (2013). How To Start Thinking About A Career Change.

2. Tannahill-Moran D. (2013). How to Know When It’s Time to Change Your Career.

3. Libsohn R. (2014). Why it’s Easier to Get a Job When You Already Have a Job – And Why It Isn’t.

4. Cardy A. (2013). 3 Surefire Signs it's Time for a Career Change.

 

About the Author

Christie Hunter

Christie Hunter is registered clinical counselor in British Columbia and co-founder of Theravive. She is a certified management accountant. She has a masters of arts in counseling psychology from Liberty University with specialty in marriage and family and a post-graduate specialty in trauma resolution. In 2007 she started Theravive with her husband in order to help make mental health care easily attainable and nonthreatening. She has a passion for gifted children and their education. You can reach Christie at 360-350-8627 or write her at christie - at - theravive.com.


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