Questions You
Should Ask Yourself Before Changing Careers
| Am I dissatisfied with my career or only with my job? Can I
find satisfaction in a related job within the same field?
Are the working conditions the
motivating factor for a change? If so, could I change my environment,
or my attitude towards it, or is the only resolution a career switch?
Do I wish to express certain
values on the job that I can't in my present occupation?
Do I feel as though I could use
more of my abilities and skills in another occupation?
Do I have an understanding of my
personality and the type of environment I'd prefer working in?
Do I know where my interests lie?
What do I know about my vocational interests?
Have I taken an inventory of my
skills and know what my marketable/functional skills are?
Have I acquired new skills that I
don't have the opportunity to use in my present occupation even though
I'd like to?
Am I willing to make sacrifices
to start all over in a new occupation—such as taking a salary cut? Are
the people who are dependent on me also willing?
Can I enter my newly chosen
occupational field without retraining or further education?
Will my functional skills
transfer to the occupation I choose, or must I develop new skills?
Do I have alternative plans—or
are all of my eggs in one basket?
Are there any ways that I can try
out a new career without quitting my full-time job?
Exactly what will I be giving up
and what will I be gaining to change careers?
How important are the golden
handcuffs—seniority, retirement fund, and other benefits—to my welfare
both in the short run and over the long run? Have I done pen and pencil
figuring, or only daydreaming?
Is there help available in my
community to facilitate my career change or help insure its success?
Do I feel that I have the
patience to spend the time in an entry-level position to get to my
goal?
What small preparations can I
begin today to help with my career switch? Do I have a list of small,
medium, and big goals drawn up? Micro- and minigoals too?
How willing am I to take
risks—like risking not being happy in a new occupation? Would I be
willing to make another switch if that happens?
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