When you were younger, the question “What do you want to be when you grow up?” was likely a familiar face. Without a complete understanding of the magnitude of this decision, you probably spouted off an answer like “astronaut” or a “ballerina.”
However, after growing older and finding yourself knee-deep in the humdrum of office lunch-and-learns, the question becomes more urgent as you start to realize that the number of career paths you can pursue is greater than you previously considered.
Whether the sound of printers and phones ringing off the hook is becoming deafening, or you’ve found yourself suffering from a classic case of professional lethargy, it may be time to switch career gears. This change of pace can take the form of a promotion or a complete industry switch—depending on the extent of your Monday-morning blues.
Regardless of your standing in a company, avoid falling victim to the sunk cost fallacy. After all, it’s entirely reasonable to consider a career change at any stage of life, and it can be a lot easier than you think. Changing professional tracks doesn’t always require going back to school for a new degree. In fact, breaking into a new industry can be as simple as capitalizing on the resources around you.
For example, if you work in the corporate world but feel a calling to become a healthcare worker, partnering with organizations like Fusion Marketplace (fusionmarketplace.com) can make that dream a reality. You can learn how to break into the healthcare industry and what opportunities exist for you in your new career. If you’re still on the fence about making a positive professional change in your life, here are six signs that you’re ready for new beginnings.
You constantly feel burned out
Chances are, your daily responsibilities at work aren’t always the most exciting. Even dream jobs come with grunt work that can quickly become tedious. It’s natural to feel burnt out at your job, especially if you haven’t taken any vacation days in a while. For some people, taking vacation days is all they need to reconnect to their passion for their job. However, if even a vacation can’t save you from feeling exhausted and drained once you clock back in, that can be a sign that it’s time to make a career change.
You dread Mondays
Almost everyone’s experienced a case of the Sunday scaries, whether you’re due to give a major presentation on Monday or facing a performance review. It isn’t normal, however, to feel an impending sense of doom every time the weekend draws to a close. If you’re constantly dreading Mondays and counting down the seconds until you can leave the office on Friday afternoons, it might be time to start looking for a new job. There are seven days in a week — you shouldn’t be living for only two of them.
You’re apathetic to your success
When you first took your job, you probably went above and beyond every day, coming up with new ideas and taking the initiative on all your tasks. Now, giving 100% of your effort to your job might feel like a monumental task or simply not worth it anymore. Whether it’s because you don’t feel valued or if you’re uninterested in your work, feeling apathetic about your work is a big sign that it’s time to move on. It’s better to go to work every day eager to succeed and advance instead of feeling indifferent.
You feel stuck
Every job description comes with a list of skills potential employees should have. When you filled out that job application, you might have had some relevant experience, but your job should be pushing you to develop your already existing skill set every day. If you feel as though you’ve plateaued in your professional growth, this will quickly lead to boredom. You’ll begin to feel stifled or trapped by your work. A good job will constantly challenge you to become a better worker and teach you new skills all the time.
You’ve been browsing for new opportunities
Maybe during your lunch breaks or a lull in your work, you find yourself opening a new tab in your browser and clicking through job postings on Glassdoor or Indeed. Maybe you’re constantly asking friends about what it’s like to work in an open-concept office or travel to a new location every week. If you’re already daydreaming about a new job, it’s time to break out and find work that genuinely interests you.
You have a nagging feeling that there’s more out there
On any given day, you might wonder what more the world has to offer you. If you’re feeling unsatisfied and pulled to pursue a different path, it would be wise to acknowledge that pull and begin doing some work to discover what’s out there. It’s up to you to decide what your life looks like, and if your career doesn’t fit in with that narrative, be brave enough to make a change.
The bottom line
It might be scary to step into a new line of work, but finding your true professional passions is well worth the risks. Doing work that you believe in with supervisors and co-workers who push you to grow can lead you to feel better fulfilled in all areas of your life.
