Before you seek greener pastures
Roopa Hegde
What would it be like to quit your job and start over in a more appealing, never-earned-before job? Here go some of the strategies and factors.

GONE are the days when a person would typically stay with the same company throughout an entire lifetime. Today, many people hold three to seven positions during their lifetime as opposed to the yesteryears’ trend. There’s nothing with that strategy, though. With the ‘company man/woman’ concept visibly passe, endowed employees take advantage of the in-demand status to jump from one job to another. Why? It could be simply because there are more jobs available, or the increase in job dissatisfaction that exists among younger workers and baby-boomers seeking the greener pastures.

According to career advisors, though career changes are often financially and professionally risky, they could make the perfect tonic for people who are frustrated with their jobs. Making a smooth transition will most certainly depend on doing your homework, besides seeking the best possibilities. To ensure you arrive at the new professional destination without demolishing your life and finances en route, let’s mull over some of the factors.

First and foremost factor includes whether your move is financially realistic. Ensure you aren’t loading yourself up with debt, for, too much debt can cause you to be more vulnerable during a job transition. Get ready with a written budget that help you clarify your cash-flow situation and determine how to eliminate debt and out expenses.

Fathom out whether it’s you, your employer or your industry. Causes could be anything amongst seeking a promotion, not foreseeing a future in the current position, becoming bored in the career path you’ve chosen or looking for an increase in compensation. If you are a close game for any of the above, consider smaller professional adjustments that’d help you put a new twist on your old job. If you think it’s time to move on, elucidate whether you need a full career change, a career shift or an industry/ sector change before you jump. The more you make yourself clear with plans, the less scary they are. Putting your goals on paper will help you tweak the career-change moves and increase the odds of success.

Now is the time to do some soul-search using both intellect and intuition considering circumstances. Examine your capabilities eyeing at your core skills — communication, analytical abilities or anything and everything else that constitutes. Evaluate which of your skills are transferable and see what the different industries have to offer. For instance, if you’re currently with an airline industry under customer service, you can make use or your customer service skills and use them in the entertainment, recreation/ tourism fields. The better you know yourself, the less likely it is that you’ll allow yourself, the less likely it is that you’ll allow yourself to be stumbled with insecurities.

Your decision to endeavor a new career can mean changes in your work environment, co-workers and income including how you view yourself. Even if your new position is something you’ve always longed for, all these changes can be a shock. So, before you call it quits, give enough time to let the dust settle and fine-tune your new profession.

Know your interests and most enjoyable talents that let you to begin matching them with professions and industries. If you are changing fields, start researching your chosen field by reading about it. Explore as much as you can about the new career as you jump to a field wherein you have no experience. Talk to people who have changed career lately and try to learn what their concerns were and how’ve they handled them. Consider taking their suggestions as to what do they recommend for your situation.

Attend the networking meetings for your industry and make sure you know what is going on in your field. You may want to even consider contacting a headhunter, whose job is to introduce candidates to companies that are hiring.