Career Change Decision

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Career change decision

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CAREER CHANGE DECISION

Do you wish to make a career change? There are a few things you should know before you endeavor in your career change journey. These are the twenty questions you should ask yourself before choosing to change your current job:

1. Have I been passed up for a promotion?

2. Do I obsessively daydream about a better job?

3. Is my job repetitive and boring?

4. Am I consistently exhausted at the end of the day?

5. Do I have little impact on the company?

6. Do I display a bad attitude about my work?

7. Am I no longer given the resources to do my job?

8. Am I being fully utilized?

9. Do I receive only "fair" evaluations?

10. Do I feel as if I have been let down in my work?

11. Am I overworked and overwhelmed?

12. Am I stressed out at work?

13. Do I live for time away from the job more than the norm?

14. Do I negatively compare my situation to others'?

15. Do the bad things outweigh the good things in my job?

16. Do I feel like time is standing still?

17. Am I becoming more cynical?

18. Do I feel as if my employer has broken promises?

19. Have I lost sight of my career goals?

20. Do I no longer feel valued?

This is by no means an exhaustive list, but answering affirmatively to too many of these questions may show that you need to make a career transition. If so, evaluate your answers to determine what is the core of your current career discontent. Do you feel you need a more challenging career? Do you need a career more in line with your own personal values or lifestyle? To understand why you are not satisfied with your current work situation is a necessary first step for a successful career transition.

Making a Career Change

Things may become scary once you have determined that you need to make a career change, as the uncertainty of “what comes next” actually comes in. But career changers must not succumb to fear. You have to plot a plan to help the career transition happen as smoothly as possible. These are a few strategy options for career changers to consider as they head for a new and hopefully better career.

• What scares most career changers is the idea that they have to change careers overnight. If that were true, most people would never make such a career transition. There are many options to ease your way into a career change. One way is to try out a new career part-time.

• If the new career you seek is in a completely different field, going back to learning is almost mandatory. Career training or career education is an easy way to prepare for a demanding new career.

• Many mid-sized and large companies have several departments covering a variety of different professions. If you want to make a career change you may start within your current corporation. Inquire about open positions in the area of your interest and approach the Human Resources staff. Many companies prefer to promote within the company’s staff so this strategy may work.

• Unless the field you wish to enter is radically different from your current profession, you probably do have the skills needed to change careers. Take an expert assessment of your current leadership, organizational, analytical, communication or planning skills to determine what qualities you bring in to the new job in your desired profession. A career advisor can help you to do that.

CAREER EDUCATION GLOSSARY

Comprehensive career education glossary. Definitions of career education and career builder terms.

Adult basic education.    Adult general education    Adult secondary education.    Adult student.     Apprenticeship.    Aptitudes.

Assessment.    Attributes.     Career.     Career branding.     Career Carnival.    Career change.    Career cluster.    Career coach.

Career counseling.    Career exploration.    Career development.    Career fair.    Career guidance.    Career-Interest Inventory.

Career mentoring.    Career objective.    Career paths.    Career planning.    Career program certificate.    Career resources.

Career Trek.    Competencies (proficiencies).    Competency-based education.     Community Education.

Continuing Workforce Education.    Co-operative career education    Cover letter.    Curriculum-Integrated program.

CV. Curriculum Vitae.    Degree Vocational Education Program.    Demand occupation.    Distance education.    Doctorate.

Dislocated worker.    Employability.    Entrepreneurial skills.    Formation.    Foundation skills.    Freelance career.    Head hunter.

Home-based careers.    Human capital.    Human performance technology.    Human resources.    Immersion courses.    Internship.

Job satisfaction.    Job shadowing.    Life coaching.    Lifelong learning.    Mentor.    Mentoring.    Moonlighting.    Motivation letter.

Non-traditional careers.    Portfolio.    Postsecondary.    Prerequisite.    Real Game.    Resume.    Sabbatical year.

School-to-career program.    Self-employment.    Self-instruction.    Skills.    Undergraduate.    Work-based learning.

Work exploration.    Work readiness.    Work study.    Workforce development education.    Youth apprenticeship.

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