10 Signs You’re Not Ready For A Career Reset & 10 Signs You Are
Feeling Unsure? There Are Signs
A career reset can sound incredibly appealing when you’re bored, frustrated, underpaid, or simply tired of seeing the same tasks on your calendar every week. However, wanting something different and being ready to make a major professional change aren’t necessarily the same thing. Sometimes you need a new direction, while other times you need a vacation, a better manager, or a few days away from your inbox.
1. You’re Acting On One Really Bad Week
We’ve all had horrible weeks at work. Every career has weeks that make you feel like your job is terrible, and if your inspiration to quit happened right after one of those weeks, you may want to wait. Don’t let one bad moment decide your whole career.
2. You Haven’t Figured Out What You Actually Want
Quitting your job is easy. Figuring out what you want to do next is the tricky part, and if you don’t know what you want out of your next job, you may want to take more time. You don’t want to leave your current job without having another one to jump into.
3. You’re Expecting A New Career To Fix Everything
A different job can improve plenty of things, but it probably won't magically eliminate every source of stress from your life. If you're expecting a career change to fix your finances, relationships, schedule, confidence, and general dissatisfaction all at once, your expectations may be doing too much work.
4. You Haven’t Looked At The Practical Side
Say you wanted to be a yoga instructor. Before making a career change, you should look at how much money yoga instructors make. If you don’t look at the logistics behind your new career, you might realize too late that it’s not what you thought it would be.
5. You’re Trying To Escape Without A Plan
Quitting your job and running away sounds great in theory, but you should at least have a plan when changing careers. Even a simple plan covering finances, training, applications, networking, and timing can prevent your reset from becoming an unnecessarily stressful scramble.
6. Your Finances Are Already In A Mess
Changing careers can take time and money. If you’re already struggling to pay bills, you might want to stay at your current job until you’re in a better place. Getting your financial house in better order first can give you much more freedom when you're ready to make your move.
7. You Haven’t Tried Changing Your Current Situation
Before quitting your job, try to change your current situation. If your boss is what’s making you unhappy, see if you can switch departments. There’s a less dramatic change that could address what’s actually bothering you.
8. You’re Only Interested In The Fun Parts
All jobs have their ups and downs. Don’t let quitting your job seem like the only fun part. Try to learn about the other responsibilities that come with the new career you want.
9. You’re Making The Decision To Please Someone Else
If you’re changing your career because someone told you to, you’re probably not ready. Unless your parents are paying your bills, don’t let anyone else make this decision for you. If you can't explain why the change matters to you personally, you may need more time to think it through.
10. You’re Completely Burned Out And Haven’t Rested
If you’re thinking about quitting your job, take a few days off. You may look at your job in a different light once you’ve had some time to relax. You might still want a reset afterward, but you'll be making that decision with a clearer head.
Now that we’ve discussed 10 signs you’re not ready, here are 10 indicating you are.
1. You Know What You Want To Change
If you know what you dislike about your job and what you would like to change, that’s a great place to start. When changing your career, it can be helpful to know what you don’t like about your current job and what you would like to change about your career.
2. You’ve Researched Your New Direction
Before completely cutting off your current job, try to learn everything you can about your new career. You should know what a typical day is like, the salary, and the requirements it takes to be successful. That research gives you something far more useful than excitement: a grounded understanding of what you're getting into.
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3. You Have A Financial Cushion
It’s always a good idea to have money saved up before quitting your job. You never know how long it may take to find a new job. It also means you're less likely to accept the first opportunity available simply because your bank account is becoming impatient.
4. You’re Willing To Start At A Different Level
When changing careers, you may have to start at an entry-level position. You shouldn’t expect to come into your new job and have it be the exact position you had at your old job. If you're comfortable being a beginner again, you're much better positioned to make the transition successfully.
5. You’ve Tested The Idea In Some Way
If you wanted to be a yoga instructor, you should try to see what it’s like to be one. You can always volunteer your time at yoga studios to see if it’s something you would enjoy. If you've tried the work in some form and still find yourself interested, that's a much stronger sign than simply liking the idea of it.
6. Your Reasons Go Beyond Being Bored
Lack of interest can be one of the reasons to quit your job. But make sure that you want to change your career for the right reasons. When your reasons remain compelling even after the latest frustrating workday has passed, you're probably thinking about a genuine change rather than a temporary escape.
7. You’ve Considered The Risks And Still Want To Proceed
When changing your career, you’re taking a risk. But if you have thought about all of the consequences that may come with quitting your job and you’re still ready to proceed, then go for it!
8. You Have Transferable Skills To Bring With You
If you have been in the workforce for a while, you should know some basic skills that you can transfer to another job. Whether it be communication skills or management, you should know what you can bring to another company. This can make a career reset feel much more manageable and can help you explain your value to prospective employers.
9. You’ve Made A Transition Timeline
Putting a time limit on when you want to transition into your new job can help you achieve your goals. You should give yourself a time frame that you expect to land your new job. Your timeline can change as circumstances do, but having one makes the reset feel like an actual project instead of a distant wish.
10. You’re Nervous And Excited At The Same Time
Feeling nervous doesn't mean you're making the wrong choice. In fact, a major career change would be unusual if it didn't make you a little uneasy, especially when you're leaving something familiar behind. If the uncertainty comes with genuine excitement, curiosity, and a strong desire to see what happens next, you may finally be ready to take the leap.
