What to ask yourself before changing career paths

In these uncertain times, change is knocking at our door, and it’s the perfect occasion to take time to reflect on what we really want professionally (and personally, but that’s a whole other subject). 

For many, the pandemic shone a light on their career and what really matters to them. You might be questioning yourself, too. If you’re considering the idea of switching career paths, here are a few questions that might help you make this decision.

Why are you thinking about leaving?

Which factors have brought you to consider changing careers? Try to identify what isn’t working, or what should change in order for your position fit into your ideal career.

• Are the tasks and responsibilities assigned to you repetitive? Tiring? Too hard? Too easy? Is it the whole thing or just a part of it?

• Is your work environment optimized? Are you comfortable? Would you prefer a different environment - more or less open? Are you able to focus properly?

• Are your professional relationships with your colleagues healthy? Do you trust them? Are you comfortable in their company? Do you feel that your ideas and opinions are welcomed and encouraged?

• Is your relationship with your boss adequate and balanced? Do you feel that your work and presence are appreciated?

• Do you care about the company’s mission and objectives? Are the business’ projects and values important to you?

It is entirely possible that more than one of those questions may apply to your situation. It’s also possible that none of them catch your eye, because there are other possibilities: maybe you simply don’t care about this line of work anymore, or you’ve always dreamed of doing something else.

It’s important to have a clear idea of what motivates this reflection. It will help you tremendously in making your decision.

• Does the problem stem from the field itself or just your current job? If it’s the field, it might indeed be time for you to try something different. If it’s just your current job, consider other options: finding a different position within the company, or even talking to your boss about what changes could be made for your job to meet your needs.

Go back to the previous questions. If your reasoning is based on a modifiable aspect of your job - your work environment, for example - consider the solutions available to you to fix the problem directly.

Think about it: if you leave without addressing the issue, how do you know you won’t encounter the same problem in your next job? And what happens if they hire someone to replace you and that person has to face the same issues?

What are your other solutions?

Another important aspect to consider isn’t just the root of the problem, but also its limits (in a good way!).

We are going through uncertain times, but they are temporary (at least, we hope so!). If your desire to leave your job stems from COVID-related circumstances, take some time to think before making a decision. These circumstances aren’t permanent. They’re not set in stone, either. It’s time for change, and change within your current job might be just as beneficial, if not more, than a radical career change. 

In any case… we wish you the best of luck in what’s to come!