In the past, people tended to stick with their jobs for life, even if they didn’t like them very much. Luckily, things are different today, and if you dislike your job and you want to have a career change at any stage in your life, it’s entirely possible. That doesn’t mean it’s a good idea, or that it’s the right thing for you; if you are considering a career change then it must be the right time and for the right reasons. Here are some of those reasons to consider. 

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Your Passion Is Elsewhere 

You might have always wanted to do exactly the job you’re doing, only now you’re doing it, it’s not as fun as you thought it might be and you want to do something else – something you’re passionate about. Or perhaps you have a speech language pathology masters degree but the job you’re doing doesn’t require you to utilize any of your knowledge and skills. It could even be that your dream job seemed to be out of reach so you settled for something else just to pay the bills, and it’s making you miserable. 

Whatever the circumstances that led you to where you are now, if you have a passion for a particular career path and it’s not the one you’re on, you’re going to be miserable. Why not research what it would take to switch paths and start a new journey where you’ll be happier? There might be some short term pain, but the long term gain will quickly negate that. 

You’re Bored 

Being bored in your job is a terrible thing. It means you’ll put in as little effort as possible (even if you started out with all good intentions to do well and be the best you could be) because your mind will always be wandering; you simply won’t be challenged enough. Of course, some people are more than happy with routine, doing the same thing all day, every day, but routine isn’t the same as true boredom, and it’s when you are bored that you may need to consider switching careers and doing something that will offer you the challenge you’re looking for. 

It is important to be challenged in our lives, not least because it makes things more interesting and it keeps our brains active. You’ll also feel a much deeper sense of job satisfaction when you’re more engaged with what you’re doing, and your chances of career progression will be increased. 

You Suffer From Burnout 

No matter what kind of job you’re doing, even if it’s one you love and that you have a deep passion for, burnout will happen at some point. No one can keep working non-stop, or at least putting in very long hours, without a break, and burnout is your body’s way of telling you it’s time to take that break imminently. This is not, in itself, a reason to change careers. 

What is a potential reason to change careers is if that feeling of burnout is constant. If you can never get past that feeling of tiredness and exhaustion, even if you take a week off and do nothing, for example, then it is the job itself that is causing you stress. This is an excellent reason to look for something else to do. Life is too short for a bad job.