If you’re unhappy, stressed, overwhelmed, unfulfilled or working in an unhealthy environment, it may be time to consider a change. Remember, though, you don’t always have to leave your job. Sometimes you can create change by looking for a new role in the same company, a new challenge or a new way of working. But whether you want to reinvent yourself, change careers entirely, switch up your current role, or return to work after time away from the workforce, here are some simple steps to discover your next career move.
Identify the drivers prompting you to look for new position. Before you embark on this path, ask yourself these questions: What objective are you hoping to achieve? Are you frustrated with your boss? your pay? your role? Is there specific experience you’d like to gain? Is there a different industry you feel drawn toward? Is there some issue or difficulty that is pushing you away from your present job – and have you done everything you can to fix the problem?
Answering these questions is a critical first step because without knowing the answers, you run the risk of bringing your dissatisfactions with you to a new company and a new position. Looking at yourself objectively is key to understanding what you want and need in your next position and where you can be successful.
Create a personal scorecard to identify what you want out of life.
- Professionally: What type of company values are you seeking out? What type of role would you ultimately like to achieve? What kinds of work are you most passionate about?
- Personally: What are your objectives outside of your career? Do you want to train for a marathon? Rescue a dog? Plan a specific vacation?
- Financially: Is it your goal to save for a second home? To put your kids through college? To retire by a certain age?
Verbalizing these desires will help you prioritize the elements you’re looking for in a new role and determine which ones are non-negotiable and which are more flexible.
Identity the possibilities. Brainstorm everything that might be possible. This is not just about the right choice, but about allowing yourself to expand and see opportunities you may not have seen before. Don’t be tempted into trying find the right job and eliminating anything that doesn’t feel perfect. By expanding your options, you may discover something you hadn’t seen before or something you discredited because it wasn’t exactly right.
- Perhaps you’re looking for a complete overhaul of your career – a job in a new industry or starting your own business.
- Maybe you’re looking for a similar role, but with another company or industry that better aligns with who you are or want to be.
- Maybe you realize that you’d like to stay in the same organization, but you’re looking to try a different role.
Consider all your options, write them down, and get to what resonates as the best choice for you. Trust your instincts and intuition. What are they telling you? It may surprise you.