Executive Career Change: Are You Ready?

Take this career change quiz…

Chances are you are reading an article such as this because your career isn’t fulfilling to you anymore. Maybe you have not been in a position where you have felt you were able to risk making a career move until now. Maybe you are finally feeling that it is time to make a career change.

Ready for a career change?

It could be that your present job isn’t tapping into your true potential. How do you know when it is the right time to make a move, take a risk, and possibly advance in your career? This quiz was will help you evaluate what is behind your drive to succeed and whether or not you need to make changes. It will also help you determine how prepared you are for such a move. Take some time and think about each question and summary thoroughly this will serve as a helpful tool in deciding if it may be time to re-route your course.

1) Does the work that you do on a day to day basis make you feel happy, content and fulfilled? Yes/No

*If what you are doing repetitively, on a daily basis doesn’t interest or fulfill you, and you are constantly looking at the clock, it may be time to re-evaluate.

2) Do you honestly hate your job? Yes/No

If yes, are you thinking about a new job in the same field? Yes/No

*If you can’t even remember why you choose your current field in the first place, and your field doesn’t provide opportunities to explore new directions and grow, it may be time to do some future planning.

3) Are there many jobs available in your field?

You need to be very realistic about this. Put in some time researching proven statistics. When you think about your 5 year or long-term life plan, does your current career path match up with where you want to go?

4) If after thinking hard over a length of time you decide you want to stay in the same career, will you need to enhance or modernize your skills? Do you need or want to earn more than is possible if you stay in this career field?

Looking at the future, do you see technology or another future development changing your position dramatically or even rendering it obsolete? Do you know in your heart that you truly need to change to a new field, but you resist change due to fear or even lack of the proper experience? Don’t get in your way or sell yourself short. You may be more capable than you are letting yourself believe..

5) Does your current position allow you to make the most of your skills, training,
talents and abilities?

Do you often feel frustrated or that the work you are doing is unnatural to you? You must feel utilized properly or you are always floating, never locked in. Education is expensive and time consuming; it should be put to good use and properly compensated for. Don’t settle for less than that.

6) Do you get excited about new projects or work to be performed?

Do you still find yourself interested in what jobs are being performed in your office? What about company planning and strategies? It is intriguing and challenging? Do you want it to be? Don’t hightail it out of there to quickly if you are satisfied in this area. If there are still things are work that you feel excited about, that’s a good sign. Maybe you just need a minor change, not a complete make-over. Possibly some different responsibilities or added projects would do the trick. Have you asked for what you really, truly want? Think it over…

7) How is the level of stress at your job?

Is it more likely to keep you invigorated or are you pulling your hair out and getting a stomach ache on the way to work? Life is short and we all know that stress takes a horrible toll on us. Make sure that your job isn’t detrimental to your health.

8) Is your current career a good fit for your lifestyle now as well as the changes that will come in your life with family, etc.?

This requires you to take a serious look at your position in the long term. Does it work well for you now, but when you have kids or a family it will have to be changed anyway? Think about the future that you want for yourself and make sure you are not only thinking about the “NOW”.

9) Do you have a plan as discussed in the question above? Do you have set plans and goals or are you just coasting through life?

You may not even be sure what your next move would be, or where to begin. Let’s be honest, change can be very difficult. Don’t forget, however, it can also be extremely empowering. Taking control of your life feels amazing! Just make sure that you truly think through each step, don’t do anything spontaneously, as exciting as that may seem! Be prepared with contacts, leads, plans and savings. You will need them.

10) Is your restlessness due to your dreams of pursuing a lifelong passion?

At times we all get caught up in thinking about what really matters, what is the most important to us and what really should be the most important to us. Such as: the purpose of life, if you will. Ask yourself, if I didn’t need the money could I walk away from this profession and never look back? If the answer is yes and if you have been feeling lost, give these feelings the attention they deserve. No one wants to look back at their life with regrets. But as you ponder life, be realistic.

The grass is not always greener.. but it could be.. only you can decide.

By Five Strengths Contributor Brandy Higginson
Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici at FreeDigitalPhotos.net