Career Compass: Are You Ready for a Change?

    If you find yourself facing the prospect of a divorce, you may be thinking it’s time for a new career, or at least a new job within your existing career. You aren’t alone. Studies have shown that one of the things people most often change following a divorce is their job. But even if everyone else is doing it, how do you know if it is the right step for you? Here are five ways to recognize that now might be the time to take a look at your career path:  

1. You find yourself complaining about your job to anyone who will listen.
Think about the conversations you have had over the last few weeks with family and friends. How many times have you dominated the conversation with complaints about your job? If you’re not sure, ask. The people who care about you will let you know. It’s probably pretty obvious to them that you are not enjoying your time at work.  

2. You are dreading having to outline your long term strategy at your next review because you “know in your heart” that it does not include your current employer.
This is a dead give away. You may find yourself devising clever strategies that sound like a “win-win” for your professional growth and the company’s goals.  The only problem is they aren’t anything close to what you really want to do with your life. Even if you don’t know what you ultimately want, something tells you that it is definitely not the prospect of keeping what you already have.  

3. You feel exhausted when the sun starts setting on Sunday nights because Monday morning is on the way.
You know the feeling. You waited all week for the weekend so you could get away from the office and now it’s over -- too soon.  

4. You “interview” everyone about what they do in hopes that you will discover a better option then what you’re doing.
You should be careful if you find yourself doing this, because it might get tricky. You may randomly stumble into a new job when you get caught up in the excitement of trying anything different. However, if it doesn’t match up with what is really important to you, the buzz will wear off and you will be right back where you started.

I like to think of it as walking into a mall with the intention of buying “something” but without having any idea of what you want, how much you want to spend, or how much money you have available. There is a good chance someone will sell you something before you walk out. But, when you get home, you may find that it isn’t what you wanted. While that may be a reasonable risk to take while engaging in retail therapy, it is not the best way to find a new job. You will be a lot happier with the results if you conduct your job search by first looking at what is important to you.   

5. You’re reading this article! If this isn’t the first article, or book, you have read recently about job satisfaction, you may be ready for a career change.
If your current job really is a reflection of who you are, you wouldn’t be looking around for other options.  

So, is this the right time for a career change? All of these were clear signs to me that it was time for me to find a career I loved. I realized this life isn’t a dress rehearsal, and I wanted to spend my days here having a good time. But, I’m not you. You are the only expert on the topic of your life. You are the only person who really knows if it is time for a career change.

So, that leaves me with one question for you as the expert on your life -- are you ready?    

Matt Horan is a life coach who helps clients in the United Kingdom and the United States chart a course to the career of their dreams. He can be reached at matthoran@greatcirclecoaching.com.