Transform your work life
Transform your work life before another year slips by
If you are sick of your current job, stuck in a rut or wondering whether you need a bigger career change, this guide helps you assess the signs, handle fear and decide your next move carefully.
Job change or career change?
Not every work-life problem needs the same solution
You may be looking for career change guidance but not know where to start. Or you may simply be sick of your current job. There are plenty of exciting opportunities, but fear of change can hold you back.
The first step is to decide what actually needs to change: your role, employer, sector, profession, income, commute, confidence or working pattern.
Your next move may be
- 1A better jobSame profession, stronger environment or progression.
- 2A sideways moveSame skills, new sector, culture or working pattern.
- 3A promotion routeMore responsibility, pay or recognition.
- 4A career changeA more significant shift into work that fits better.
Warning signs
You may know it is time for change when the same signs keep repeating
If you are stuck in a job rut, want to change profession or have been made redundant, it may be time to take stock and build on your existing skills. The key is to review the evidence before you rush into the next thing.
You no longer want to tell people what you do, you feel tired and bored, or work feels like a daily effort.
You cannot see your next move, have stopped learning or feel you are waiting for someone else to leave.
Other people doing similar work seem to earn more, enjoy more satisfaction or have better prospects.
Change readiness
How open are you to a career or job change?
Do you see change as an opportunity to improve your career, or does it make you feel frightened, resistant or vulnerable? Most people feel a mixture of hope and fear.
It is easier to cope with career change when you have chosen it yourself. When change arrives through redundancy, relocation or restructuring, it can feel much harder. Even then, it helps to treat the moment as a chance to reassess your direction.
Ask yourself
- What am I hoping will improve?
- What am I frightened of losing?
- What have I outgrown in my current role?
- What would I like to learn or use more?
- What would I regret not exploring?
Adapting
The best way to manage work change is to anticipate it
The work world keeps changing. Technological advances, short-term contracts, freelance work and shifting industries mean that a job for life is no longer the normal assumption.
Adaptability matters. Keep your skills up to date, review the market and build a portfolio of experience that can work across different jobs or sectors. People often wait until a crisis to plan their career, but a crisis can make clear thinking much harder.
Watch trends
Notice how technology, employers and industries are changing around you.
Review skills
Assess how your current skills fit the market and where gaps are appearing.
Update evidence
Keep your CV and LinkedIn ready before you urgently need them.
Plan calmly
Make decisions before fear forces a short-term fix.
Do not leave only because you are frustrated, and do not stay only because you are frightened.
The strongest move comes from comparing the real reasons to stay with the real reasons to leave.
Stay or leave
List the pros and cons before making your move
Only make a move when you are ready to do so. If your job is interesting, pays well and offers training or progression, it may be worth improving your situation rather than leaving quickly.
But if your work is boring, the company is changing, progression is blocked or your confidence is shrinking, staying too long can also carry a cost. Write down the reasons for staying and leaving, then look for the pattern.
Do your homework
Focus your mind on what you really want job-wise
Which parts of your job do you want to carry on doing? Which parts do you want to let go of? Do you want more money, a promotion, a sideways move, a better boss, more flexibility or a completely new direction?
Set aside time for self-appraisal. List what you value about work, your core skills, personal strengths and ambitions. Try to talk to people in the profession or job you want. Concentrate on your action plan, not only on what has gone wrong in the past.
Questions
FAQs about transforming your work life
How do I know if I am ready to change job?
You may be ready to change job if you feel bored, underpaid, underused, unable to progress, unhappy with the commute or culture, or no longer proud to talk about the work you do.
Should I change job or change career?
Start by deciding whether the problem is the role, employer, sector or profession. If the work still interests you, a job or sector move may be enough. If the work itself no longer fits, a career change may be needed.
How can I adapt to career change?
Adapt by reviewing your skills regularly, watching market trends, keeping your CV and LinkedIn current, learning new skills and planning before a crisis forces a short-term decision.
What should I do before leaving my job?
List reasons for staying and leaving, assess your finances, research the market, update your CV, speak to people in target roles and create an action plan before resigning.
Personal support
Get advice before you make your next career move
If you are thinking of changing job, changing career or improving your working life, we can help you make sense of your options and build a practical action plan.
