Changing jobs represents a unique set of challenges, but changing a career can feel like a daunting task depending on the level of education you may have invested in or the amount of experience you have racked up.
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In spite of those challenges, however, the time does come for some when the writing is on the wall. You realize you aren't happy anymore in the career of first choice, and it is time to assess what you might be able to do to transition into another line of work. Here are what I would offer are four distinct signs that you are not only ready to change careers, but you need to change before your health or your primary relationships suffer any more.
1. You find yourself dreading Monday mornings.
Sometime on Sunday night, you begin to dread going back to “that place" and working with “those people." This is a classic symptom of job burnout and a sign that you need a change. If you experience this feeling on a regular basis…week after week for a month or more...it is time to take stock. You may need to start considering your alternatives. Life is too short for you to feel reluctant about going to work every Monday. You can only white-knuckle your way through the week so often before it starts to take a toll on your health and your family. The stress of forcing yourself to work in an environment you do not enjoy can make you sick—literally. It can also make you irritable and depressed which can ultimately impact your relationship with your spouse, your children, and your friends.
2. You feel stuck and unhappy because you don't see room for advancement or promotion.
Many people have settled for whatever work they could get while the economy was down, and as a result, too many people have been chronically under-employed for too long. If you have been in a dead end job where you can't see a space for yourself regarding a promotion or a significant advancement that includes additional responsibility and/or more pay, you may need to take stock of your alternatives as the economy slowly but surely improves. Stagnation isn't good for your psyche, and most people want to experience some growth on the job. Feeling that there is no route to more responsibility or more financial compensation can seriously impact your overall job satisfaction and may make you eager to look for alternatives now that the economy is improving.
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3. You feel that you have no control over your work or your projects.
If all of the major decisions are made for you even when you may know best how to handle a particular situation, you may be feeling stifled. You will tire of being second-guessed, perhaps by people who have less experience or education than you, and you will soon be ready to make a change. Most of us enjoy our work when we feel that we have some sense of control or efficacy in the workplace. You want and deserve to be given some freedom as you work on your assigned projects or duties, and you would appreciate being given some latitude in making day-to-day decisions. If you are being micro-managed, it may be time to make a change.
4. You feel discouraged and put down by your boss or co-workers.
Given that you spend a third of your waking hours on the job, it makes sense that you would want to work with people who show appreciation for your work. If you only get rebuffs and put downs, it can take away from all enjoyment that you might otherwise experience. One of our basic psychological needs as humans is for a feeling of belonging and feeling appreciated. These feelings cannot be experienced in an atmosphere where your superiors are determined to belittle you or make light of your efforts. If you work with superiors or co-workers who don't appreciate your contributions, it is definitely time to consider a change.
Let's face it…we are all living longer, and we are experiencing increased good health and vitality because of the improvements made in our lives as a part of modern society. As a result, it is quite possible that we will experience not only more than one job in our lifetime but that we will experience more than one full career. In my case, for example, I spent the first three decades of my professional life as a teacher and elementary school librarian. I loved that job, but the time came for me to move on and in spite of my age, I decided to try my hand at something else. Over the course of the last three years, since I turned 60, I have retooled and reinvented myself completely. I still use my education (two Master's degrees and a Ph.D.), and I still use my experience as a teacher, mentor, and trainer, but I also now get to coach, advise, and counsel those who are ready to make a change of their own in their professional lives. I am positive proof that it is never too late to make a change. If you are experiencing any one or a combination of the signs above, you may want to take a look at the possibility, at least, of changing careers and changing your life.
This post was originally published at an earlier date.Disclosure: This post is sponsored by a Work It Daily-approved expert.
Is your job search turning into a grind with no end in sight? It may be time to take a step back and reevaluate your entire approach.
In cold weather climates, the beginning of spring is a time to clean the house and get organized—a practice known as spring cleaning. Through the years, spring cleaning has taken on a larger meaning with people using the time to organize and declutter things in their lives.
For professionals on the job hunt, a little spring cleaning (metaphorically speaking) could be a great way to reinvigorate your job search. Here are a few strategies your job search spring cleaning should include.
Reevaluate Your Job Search Approach
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Make a list of the last handful of jobs you applied for and see if you can identify any positive or negative trends. Consider things like:
How did I learn about this job?
How did I apply for the job?
Did I earn an interview?
What was the ultimate result?
A lot can be learned about your job search approach just by answering these questions and identifying patterns. For example:
Negative Trends
You discovered five jobs through job boards, applied to all of them via the job boards, and never heard back from any of them.
The common pattern here is applying through job boards. This isn't to say that job boards don't serve a purpose in the job search process, but they have their limitations, and you can't run your job search entirely off of them. When you apply through a job board, there's a good chance that your materials will never get past the applicant tracking system (ATS) and never be seen by an actual person.
One simple fix is to research who the hiring manager or recruiter is that posted the position and email your materials to them directly.
The more efficient fix would be to take a proactive approach by putting together a bucket list of companies that you want to work for and start making connections on LinkedIn with people who work at those companies. You may already know some people who work there or have connections that can refer you to some individuals.
This is a great way to network your way onto a company's radar.
Positive Trends
You applied to three jobs via referral, were invited to two job interviews, and made it through multiple rounds of interviews for one of the jobs before being passed over for someone with a little more experience.
The pattern here is that getting referred to a job by a professional acquaintance is a great way to land a job interview. This indicates that you're leveraging your network well and you should continue to focus on your networking efforts.
The next step is to review the interview process and determine what went well and what needs to be improved. Sometimes the interviewer will provide feedback, and that feedback can be valuable. However, not everyone is comfortable with giving feedback.
Chances are you probably have a good idea about areas of improvement and the skills you need to gain. Put together a plan for addressing those shortfalls.
The good news in making it deep into any interview process is that it indicates that the company likes you as a potential employee (even if the timing just wasn't right) and the experience could be a roadmap to a job with that company at a later date, or another similar opportunity elsewhere.
Give Your Resume & Cover Letter Some Much-Needed Attention
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Are you continuously sending similar resumes and cover letters to each job opening with only minor adjustments? If so, your strategy needs some serious spring cleaning.
The reason why it's so important to tailor your resume is that throughout your career, you acquire numerous skills, but the job you're applying for may only be focusing on 6-8 of those skills. In that case, those skills must rise to the top of the resume with quantifiable examples of how you successfully used those skills at previous jobs.
Remember, recruiters go through hundreds of resumes. They need to be able to tell from a quick glance whether or not you're a potential candidate for the position.
While updating your resume, you could also spruce up your LinkedIn profile by highlighting the skill sets that you want to be noticed for by recruiters.
As for writing a good cover letter, the key to success is writing a disruptive cover letter. When you write a disruptive cover letter, you're basically telling a story. The story should focus on how you connect with the particular company and job position. The story could also focus on your personal journey, and how you got to where you currently are in your career.
If your resumes and cover letters aren't unique, now is the time to clean things up and get on track.
Build Your Personal Brand
Just because you're looking for work doesn't mean that you don't have anything to offer. Use previous career experiences and passions to build your personal brand.
Ask yourself, "How do I want other professionals to view me?"
Pick an area of expertise and start sharing your knowledge and experience with your professional network by pushing out content on your LinkedIn and social media accounts. Good content can include blogs, social media posts, and videos.
By sharing content about your experiences and passions, you slowly build your personal brand, and others will start to notice. The content could lead to good discussions with others in your network. It could also lead to reconnecting with connections that you haven't spoken to in years, or making new connections.
You never know when one of these connections could turn into a job lead or referral. The trick is to get on people's radars. So, when you're cleaning up your job search, be sure to build a plan for personal branding.
Maintain Healthy Habits During Your Job Search
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Your job search is important, but it's even more important to know when to pull back and focus on personal health and spending time with family and friends.
There are actually things that you can do for your own enjoyment that could help your job search in the long run, such as:
Grab coffee with a friend - It's good to engage in light conversation with friends during challenging times. And if your job search does come up, remember that most people have been through it themselves and you never know when a friend may provide you with a good idea or lead on a job.
Volunteer - Volunteering is a great way to get involved in the community and help others. In addition, if you develop a little bit of a career gap while looking for a job, you can always talk about how you filled that time volunteering, if you're asked about it during a job interview.
Continue to focus on other passions - Are you a fitness nut? Blogger? Crafter? Continue to do the things that bring you happiness. And if you're in a position to profit from your passion through a freelance job or side hustle, even better!
Spring is the perfect time to clean up and improve your job search so you can land the job you want. If you're struggling to find a job, follow the tips above to reinvigorate your job search—and watch your career blossom!
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This article was originally published at an earlier date.
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