Five signs it’s time for a career change

Image of woman looking discontent

Did you know the average Australian changes jobs 12 times throughout their career? The concept of a job for life is well and truly a thing of the past. This is good news for us. After all, change equals growth and it’s what keeps us motivated, fresh and, importantly, fulfilled. If you’re wondering whether your current career path is the right one for you, read on and see if you can relate to any of these signs that it might be time to embrace a change for the better.

1. Boredom

Does every day feel the same as any other? Do you feel you’ve stopped learning and it’s all a bit mindless? There’s a fine line between sitting in a nice comfort zone and getting stuck in a rut. If you’re clock-watching and yawning your way through each day, it’s a sure sign you should be shifting to something more stimulating.

2. Dissatisfaction

Do you feel that you’re getting what you want out of your working life? Are your skills and talents being used to their max or are you just doing the job cause it’s convenient or the pay is good? If you feel you’re wasting your potential and even the salary or conditions aren’t enough to motivate you, it looks like a change is in order.

3. Apathy

When was the last time you felt excited about something work-related? Do you feel motivated when you take on a new project or achieve a goal, or do you just find it hard to really feel anything at all when it comes to your job? Of course, we can’t be expected to be enthusiastic about every aspect of what we do all the time but if you’re feeling that you simply don’t care anymore it’s probably time to consider a move.

4. Dread

It’s OK to *occasionally* feel dread about work. Perhaps there’s a particular project or person that’s proving challenging – that’s normal. What’s not normal is that sense of dread creeping in and spoiling your evenings and weekends over a period of time. In that case, something’s got to give and if you can’t make the change in your current role, a leap to pastures new may be in order.

5. Fantasy

Ever find yourself dreaming about the perfect job? Perhaps you peruse LinkedIn ads while procrastinating at your desk? Maybe you feel it’s too late to reach the career you dreamed of as a child? Well, it’s never too late to do something new, so go ahead and dare to dream. Imagine yourself in the perfect role and indulge what that would look like for all areas of your life. Then… make it a reality.

So, where to from here?

If all this is sounding rather familiar, we’ve established it’s time for a change. Take some time to yourself to explore in-depth how you’d like that change to look. Then you can map out a plan to get there by breaking down your long-term aim into smaller, manageable goals. Skills gaps can be filled through work experience or study, for example. If your dream career is in human behaviour, our experienced course advisers will be a valuable asset to you in this process. Give yourself timelines and stay strong and focussed, with the exciting end goal firmly in sight.

Remember, we can’t become who we need to be by remaining who we are.

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