I was reading recently that in a survey of UK workers, 47% said they would like to swap career. But, as you probably know, that’s not as easy as it sounds.
You might not like what you’re doing at the moment; you might find it stressful or boring; you might not like your boss or your colleagues – but at the back of your mind there’s always the nagging worry that you might not be doing the right thing by moving on.
What if the grass isn’t greener on the other side? What if you change your job and then don’t like the new one? What if you follow your dreams to be an entrepreneur, giving up your stable salary, only to find that you can’t earn enough to live on?
So before you take the plunge here are some things to consider:
- What makes you happy? Think carefully about what interests you and then try to decide whether you can find a job or start a business that is stimulating. Consider where you want to be in six months, twelve months, five years… or even longer.
- Plan your finances. Make sure you have enough money to pay the bills if things don’t go quite according to plan. Also, make sure that you are financially savvy so that you understand the pros and cons if you intend to start up your own business.
- Don’t wait until you are desperate or depressed to make your move. No-one makes good decisions when they are in that frame of mind.
- Talk to friends and family about what you intend to do and ask them if they think it’s realistic. But, if you are really convinced that you are doing the right thing then don’t let them put you off.
- If you do want to start up in business on your own, make sure that you have the experience that you need and understand how things work.
This last point is very important. A lot of people enjoy cooking and enjoy eating out. So they think that it would be wonderful to run a restaurant or a café. But, cooking for your family and friends and enjoying the atmosphere on a good night out is totally different to the long hours and stress involved in running a restaurant and constantly having to produce food that people are willing to pay for. So, whatever you intend to do, you must get experience and you must be realistic.
Finally, make sure that you keep on top of your training. Whether it’s doing a course that prepares you to start up a business of your choice, or a course that will put you in a better position to apply for a new job with a different company, keeping your skills up-to-date is vital. So, if you’re part of that 47% who would like a career change, why not have a look at the courses we offer at Business Training – you could find exactly what you need!
Author: Diana Nadin
