5 Signs You Need to Change Jobs

No matter how old you are or what stage of your career you’re in -- whether you’re thinking about a career change at 30 or you’re considering leaving your career as a high-level executive -- it’s becoming more and more common to switch careers at some point.

So, here, we’re exploring the tell-tale signs you need a career change and how to get started.

Signs You Need a Career Change

You dread going to work.

One of the first signs that it might be time to change careers is that you dread going to work.

If you’re snoozing your alarm every morning, always showing up at the latest possible moment, and looking for reasons to call in sick, there’s a good chance you’d be happier elsewhere.

You don’t need to absolutely love your job (although that can certainly help). Instead, the point is to find work and a career that’s meaningful and gives you purpose.

Again, work isn’t always fun or enjoyable. But, that’s far different from dread. It should have ups and downs like anything, but if your work is only downsides, coming up with some career change ideas could be beneficial.

You’re unproductive, unappreciated, or inadequately challenged at work.

If you feel unproductive, unappreciated, and inadequately challenged, this is another clear sign that career change is in your future.

When you’re constantly unproductive, it could be a sign of distraction, stress, or lack of interest. Sure, there will be some days where you’re less productive than others. But overall, you should feel accomplished after a day on the job.

Feeling unappreciated and undervalued is another reason you might be looking for a new career. Toxic work environments and poor leadership can all lead to feeling unappreciated.

Plus, if you don’t see any room to grow in your career at your current job, it might be time to see yourself out. And although it can seem counterintuitive, if you’re not being challenged at work, you’re not likely to feel good in your job.

We thrive in challenging situations when they help us meet our appropriate edge. Just like we push ourselves in exercise and we challenge ourselves to learn new skills, when we’re not being challenged, we’re not growing.

Staying in your comfort zone might seem like the best thing we could do for ourselves but comfort can lead to all sorts of negative emotion. Instead, feeling challenged in our work gives us meaning. Without it, you’re probably in the wrong career.

You’re showing symptoms of stress.

As we see all the time at Physio Inq, stress manifests itself physically. So, if you’re sleeping poorly, your either overeating or undereating, you’re drinking too much, or you’re constantly under the weather or with a headache, you’re probably stressed.

Of course, stress can be caused by more than just your work environment. However, it makes sense to consider whether your career is putting you under too much stress if you’re experiencing any of these symptoms.

If you let it get too far, this stress leads to burnout -- a situation where you utterly breakdown, unable to cope. You won’t be able to focus, and you can become totally resentful of all things work and productivity.

So, if you’re feeling overwhelmed and stressed, consider whether this stress is caused by your work and what you might do to make a change.

You don’t have a healthy work/life balance.

When it comes to quality of life, work/life balance is essential. If your lifestyle includes all work (or thinking about work) and no relaxation time, hobbies, or socialising, no wonder you might be feeling awful about the state of things.

At Physio Inq, we encourage truly healthy work/life balance by encouraging our employees to take sick days when they need them, indulge in holidays to get away, and to pursue any passion projects they might want to embark on the side.

Think about your current lifestyle. Do you have time for your family and friends? Are you always rushing from one thing to the next? When do you exercise? How are your eating habits?

If you’re unable to pay enough attention to other important aspects of your life outside of your career, it’s probably time for a career change.

You’re thinking about a career change.

Last but not least, if you’re reading this article and taking yet another career change quiz, chances are you need to make a change in your work life.

If career change is on your mind enough to search out these tips, you can count it as a good sign that you’re heading in the right direction.

Sometimes, enough’s enough and whether you’re nervous about making a career change at 40 or you’re excited about the prospect of what’s beyond the horizon, starting your transition into a new line of work can be transformative in the best way.

How to Change Careers

Don’t quit your job right away.

When you decide to change careers, it can be tough to stay in your current job even one second longer. But do your best not to throw the baby out with the bathwater.

The good news is, once you make the tough decision to leave your current job, a huge weight will likely come off your shoulders. You probably won’t start loving your current situation but taking steps towards a career change can make you finally excited for the future.

So, don’t quit your job right away. You’ll be thankful for the stability and the paycheck while you look for a new job and begin your next career journey.

Save money.

Even if you’re already on top of saving money, you’ll want to put aside a little extra to keep you afloat during your career change.

You might have to upskill, meaning you’ll pay for some courses or other kinds of professional development. Or you might want to start your own business which requires some initial capital.

Plus, if you switch to an entirely new industry, you might not get a job at your current level straight away. Embrace being a beginner but acknowledge that you may have to take a pay cut for the life you want -- at least at the start.

So, saving money comes in handy during a career change no matter how you look at it.

Prepare your professional materials.

When building your career change resume, transferable skills really come in handy. So, identify the soft skills you possess that are valuable in any industry.

Leadership, communication skills, and problem-solving abilities, for example, will totally work for you in any field. So, identify your top soft skills and include them on your new resume.

As for your career change cover letter, embrace your unique career path and use it to your advantage. After all, making a career change at 50 (or at any age) takes a lot of courage. So, tell your story and share what you’ve learned along your meandering career path.

Think broadly about your options.

When embarking on a career change, you probably have more options than you think. So, think broadly about what roles might suit you outside of your current career.

For example, maybe you are thinking of starting your own business. If you are thinking of going out on your own, it may be worthwhile to explore franchise opportunities, like the ones Physio Inq offers. At Physio Inq, we require no physiotherapy or health industry experience to own your own Physiotherapy clinic. In fact, we hire mostly for leadership and soft skills and support you in learning the rest.

Owning a Physio Inq clinic could turn out to be a wonderful career change for teachers, marketers, managers, and more. If you’re teachable, approachable, and have a strong work ethic, we want you.

Interested? Learn more about owning your own Physio Inq franchise here.

Take control of your life and have the courage to make a career change when the signs are there. You’ve got options, so let’s get to work!

Still thinking of a career change? Reach out to our careers team by filling out the form below to see if Physio Inq is right for you!

In the meantime, check out our other blogs you might like:

• Which Business Structure Should You Choose for Your Business?
• Get Job Ready with Transferable Skills
• The Ups and Downs of Franchise Businesses