Is It Time for a Career Change?

Amanda enjoyed the challenge of corporate finance, but in the five years since she started with the

Image by Kirsty Andrews via Flickr

company, she had inherited the roles of two other staff members.  As staff members retired or resigned the company cut costs and eliminated the jobs but not the responsibilities.  Amanda though of herself as a team player but was beginning to feel that she was the entire team.  She was at the top of her salary range and was not close to being compensated for what she was truly doing.  She sat in her home office Sunday night working to keep up the pace, as yet another weekend passed her by.

Ron had worked at the same company for ten years.  His job was low stress; in fact he could do it in his sleep.  Each week was the same, lots of meetings and little productivity.  The organization had remained surprisingly the same.  Ron was ashamed to admit to his friends and family that his easygoing job was well, too easygoing.  Ron loved to be challenged, it energized him.  He was bored and feared that if he did not do something he would lose his opportunity to progress in the market.

If either of these scenarios ring true for you, it may be time to consider a job change.  People stay in less than ideal job situations for a number of reasons – they believe that the job market is tight; they don’t believe they can command the same salary in another position, or they just fail to recognize that they have lost that loving feeling.  It’s never a good idea to accept mediocrity and unhappiness in any aspect of your life.  There are 168 hours in any given week, you may spend 72 hours of that sleeping, leaving you 96 hours to work, eat, and spend time with family.  Do you want to waste any of those precious hours going to a place that makes you unhappy?

Now is the perfect time to begin thinking about what you want from your career in 2012. Take time to write down what you do and do not like about your job. Research new companies and markets.  Write your resume. The key is to recognize what you want and make a plan to get there.

Are you considering a job change? What obstacles are standing in your way?