It is generally assumed that when one chooses a career, he or she would stay in that field of work forever. But the reality is, that over time, a career change sometimes becomes inevitable.
Tay Kok Choon, country manager of JobStreet Singapore, said life-changing events often result in a career change. For instance, employees who are newly-weds may no longer want to travel as often as they did before marriage.
The economic environment, too, can motivate one to look for a new career.
Tay explained: "Some industries may outlive their competitiveness in a country and need to shift their operations to another country."
In such situations, said Norman Miranda, principal consultant at executive search company Resource Dynamics, employees working in a sunset industry might try to change to a more promising or stable sector.
- Explore a range of career alternatives.
- Set yourself a goal.
- Seek opinions. Talk to as many people as possible in the industry or role that you want to change to and get a clear understanding of the pros and cons.
- Carry out a psychometric test to see if you are suitable for the role. Seriously assess your values, skills, personality and interests. Ask yourself: is it the job that you dislike or the people? If it is the latter, there is always room for improvement and negotiation.
- Carry out a thorough financial assessment, preferably with a financial consultant, to determine if you are financially able to handle the risk of switching careers.
- Be mentally prepared for drastic changes to your work environment. For example, you may need to be more hands-on or make do with less operational support, especially if you are moving to a smaller company. Alternatively, if you're moving to larger organization, be prepared to have to deal with more organizational issues and meetings.
- Get physically and mentally fit. Career change can be tough especially in the initial stage. A sound mind and body can help you cope.
- Train and study for the new career.
- Do say goodbye, to associates in the company and industry you're leaving, but don't burn bridges.
Miranda also noted that the push could come from within, for example, when employees decide to pursue other passions.
"They might decide to embark on what they always wanted to do but never got the chance because of personal and family commitments," he said.
Stress is another factor, and can drive people to look for jobs or work environments that are less demanding.
According to Tay, jobs should constantly provide some form of "excitement". "It is good to have some sparkle at work that is uplifting and exciting. If a career fails to provide that element, it is time for a change," he said.
Miranda said a career change could also provide a better work-life balance when it provides workers greater control over their time.
Bad career move
However, he cautioned against reacting to "push" factors "[for instance], where you're so miserable in your current role that you just want to get out". This, he said, was a bad reason for a career change.
Miranda also advised workers against "change for the sake of change".
In addition, the sole desire for immediate financial rewards would be bad reason to switch fields. Tay said: "It is not good to have a career move entirely motivated by money alone."
People making a career change could lose out in other areas, too.
Miranda said: "[They risk giving up] their track record in the industry, their relevant contacts and the value of their past experience that may be specific to what they were doing."
He added that financial stability could also be compromised.
Tay noted: "For people who constantly change their careers, they may lose out on gathering valuable work experience. They need to stay on a job for at least two to three years before making a move to the next opportunity."
"Although seniority is less crucial in today's context, the ability to work in teams has become more important. Constant job changes do not provide that opportunity to grow with a team and gain acceptance," he said.
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