Signs it may be time to change careers

Being unhappy at work does not always mean you need a new career. Some patterns, though, deserve a closer look.

Persistent signs (lasting more than six months):

  • You keep feeling that your work is a poor fit.
  • Neither pay nor opportunities to grow in your field motivate you.
  • You envy people in another profession for the work itself, not their status.
  • Your values have changed, but your work has not.

Situations that may not call for a major decision:

  • A conflict with one manager.
  • One project that went badly.
  • A seasonal dip in motivation.
  • Tiredness after a period of overwork.

Career anchors as a decision aid

Edgar Schein's career anchors model can help you name what matters most at work. Sometimes a different workplace or work format is enough; you may not need to change professions.

  • If autonomy matters a lot and your workplace is highly structured, another work format may suit you better.
  • If you value challenge but your tasks have become routine, you may need more complex work.

Life Design at Stanford

1. Keep an energy log

Note which tasks give you energy and which ones take it away.

2. Imagine three lives

  • Life A: You continue on your current path.
  • Life B: Life A is no longer possible.
  • Life C: Money and other people's opinions do not guide your choice.

3. Try the work before you commit

  • Talk with five to ten people in the field.
  • Try a typical task as a hobby or side project.
  • Take a short course and see whether the subject holds your interest.

4. Make the transition in stages

  • Stage 1: Explore.
  • Stage 2: Try it in practice.
  • Stage 3: Make the move.

Planned happenstance

John Krumboltz argued that chance plays a part in many career opportunities, and that we can stay open to them by building a few habits:

  1. Curiosity
  2. Persistence
  3. Flexibility
  4. Optimism
  5. Willingness to take a risk

Try one thing each month that takes you beyond your usual routine.

Patterns in career changes

  • A career change can take two to five years.
  • People often try out a new professional identity before making a formal move.
  • Transitions can draw on experience from an earlier career.
  • The path is rarely linear; it usually involves a series of experiments.

Sources

  • Burnett, B., & Evans, D. (2016). Designing Your Life.
  • Ibarra, H. (2003). Working Identity: Unconventional Strategies for Reinventing Your Career.
  • Krumboltz, J.D. (2009). The happenstance learning theory.
  • Schein, E.H. (1990). Career Anchors: Discovering Your Real Values.