The AP cheatsheet: New job or new career?
When work sucks, it's easy to think it's time for a career change. But is that really what you need or does the answer lie with working for a different employer or doing a different version of your current role? Use this cheatsheet to find out the answer in just one minute.
When work sucks, it's easy to think it's time for a career change. But is that really what you need or does the answer lie with working for a different employer or doing a different version of your current role? Use this cheatsheet to find out the answer in just one minute.
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DO I NEED A NEW CAREER OR DO I JUST NEED A NEW JOB?<br />
When w<strong>or</strong>k sucks, your boss is on your back and you’re stressed out <strong>or</strong> b<strong>or</strong>ed to tears, starting afresh in<br />
a brand <strong>new</strong> industry can feel like the answer. But changing <strong>career</strong>s can be emotionally challenging,<br />
time-consuming and expensive, so it’s imp<strong>or</strong>tant to make sure that the real problem is the field you’re in<br />
rather than the company you’re w<strong>or</strong>king f<strong>or</strong>… and to do so bef<strong>or</strong>e you embark on a <strong>career</strong> change.<br />
A ‘soul-sucking’ <strong>job</strong> in a <strong>career</strong> field you enjoy can feel entirely different if you’re w<strong>or</strong>king in a company<br />
that’s aligned with your values. But when the field is the problem, w<strong>or</strong>king in a great role and f<strong>or</strong> an<br />
amazing company won't eliminate the feeling that something is wrong.<br />
So, if you’re ready f<strong>or</strong> change but aren’t sure what needs to change, try our quiz to get some answers.<br />
Answer yes <strong>or</strong> no to the questions below<br />
↬ Does your w<strong>or</strong>k style clash with your boss’?<br />
↬ Do you often see your colleagues doing<br />
interesting projects you’d love to be involved in?<br />
↬ Are you regularly challenged and learn <strong>new</strong><br />
things?<br />
↬ Is your w<strong>or</strong>kload so unmanageable that it’s<br />
really stressing you out?<br />
↬ Is your company in a downward spiral?<br />
↬ Are there people in your <strong>career</strong> field whose<br />
<strong>job</strong>s you’d love to do?<br />
↬ If you eliminate your w<strong>or</strong>king conditions (eg.<br />
your commute, office politics etc.) do you find joy<br />
and satisfaction in the actual w<strong>or</strong>k you do?<br />
↬ Do you see yourself as successful?<br />
↬ Do you feel your <strong>job</strong> compliments your values?<br />
↬ Do you feel that the w<strong>or</strong>k you do matters?<br />
↬ Are <strong>job</strong>s hard to find in your field (<strong>job</strong> outlook)?<br />
↬ Do you want/need to earn m<strong>or</strong>e than you’ll<br />
ever earn in your current <strong>career</strong> field?<br />
↬ Have you tried a different <strong>job</strong> in your current<br />
field and still hated it?<br />
↬ Do you feel like the w<strong>or</strong>k you do has no real<br />
meaning in the wider w<strong>or</strong>ld?<br />
↬ Does your <strong>career</strong> field b<strong>or</strong>e you so much you<br />
have no desire to climb to the top?<br />
↬ Does your <strong>career</strong> fit the lifestyle you want?<br />
↬ Is there another field you’re m<strong>or</strong>e passionate<br />
about?<br />
↬ Does the field you’re in make use of your<br />
talents and skills?<br />
↬ Do you feel like you don’t fit in with your<br />
colleagues and those in your industry on the<br />
whole?<br />
Add up the number of 'yeses' on each side.<br />
M<strong>or</strong>e 'yeses' on this side suggest your current <strong>job</strong><br />
<strong>or</strong> company is the problem. Consider a different<br />
role/company bef<strong>or</strong>e a total <strong>career</strong> change.<br />
M<strong>or</strong>e 'yeses' on this side suggest there's a big<br />
mismatch between you and the <strong>career</strong> you're in. A<br />
<strong>career</strong> change may the answer you're looking f<strong>or</strong>.
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