My most financially lucrative career decision was all about career timing.
In the 1980s, I opened two video libraries that became very successful.
The single biggest reason why they were successful was simply a matter of timing.
There was a massive demand that was untapped and I just happened to stumble across it at the right time.
Making a career change might be the right choice, but is the timing right?
Considering the issues outlined below will help you decide the best time for a job change.
Getting the timing right can mean the difference between long-term career satisfaction or heartache.
On the one hand, it’s important to quickly take advantage of any golden opportunities that present themselves during the course of your career.
On the other hand, pushing ahead in a new direction without your career change reason well defined may result in wasted effort and regrets down the track.
Six Timing Issues to Consider When Making a Career Change
- Is it possible that a significant change within your organization could be just around the corner?
For example, is there any likelihood that the business could be sold or closed down or down-scaled or redundancies made? Any of these types of events may cause you to speed up, slow down or abandon your job change objective.
If redundancies were a possibility, should you be hanging around for a redundancy payout or should you be more focused on securing a new job before the other redundant workers become your competition? - Is there any chance of a buyout or looming merger?
This could provide both opportunities and threats to your career.
For example, a buy out by a much larger organization could offer some different career choices that might fit with your career change objective. - Are you up to speed with market predictions regarding the future of the industry you are considering a career change to?
You may find things such as the Occupational Outlook Handbook useful to learn more about predicted trends in industries. [Specialist employment recruitment agencies can also be helpful with up-to-date industry and organization information.
If you haven’t already done so do, consider visiting an agency that handles recruitment in your field.
After communicating to them that you think it might be time for a career change, try to strike up a conversation that will allow you to uncover information about other organizations or industries that could be a target for you.] - How will timing affect the look of your resume?
Will a job change now make it look like you change jobs too often?
Not often enough?
[There seems to be a trend for employers to like to see workers not staying too long, although this does vary from employer to employer].
Career change statistics tell us that for most people, it’s time for a job change about every two years. - Is your new direction a professional career change?
If so, is career change training required?
And how confident are you that this new career will be easy to get work in after spending time and money on career change education. - Financially, is this the right time for a job change if new vocational training is required?
How will this affect your family? [If you have one]
Making the Big Decision
It can become quite a task to pull all the information together to make a decision.
But decide you must.
Because if you don’t decide, you have already decided by default by not making a decision.
Although not one of the more traditional career assessment tools, this little piece of free decision-making software can be very helpful when making a career change decision. It automatically weighs up each part of the decision-making process for you and then presents you with the decision already made.
Another valuable tool to help you reach a quality career decision is to consider investing in some career change coaching. A career change coach can often help you consider aspects of your career decisions you may not otherwise have thought about.
There is tremendous value in verbalizing your ideas, aspirations, and concerns with a career consultant. Then working with them as you transition into your new career.
Final Word on Timing Your Change in Career
After you have worked through the issues above and have implemented your decision, remember that no decision can often be worse than a bad decision.
And even though we all want to make the right decision, a wrong decision that may cause some problems in the short term may actually have some positive spin-offs.
Many successful people will tell you that the best learning times in their life were often a result of wrong decisions.
If you feel it is time for a career change and you have carefully considered the issues outlined above, it might be time for a little risk!
Other Career Change Advice articles:
Dream Career Finder Assessment
Ten Hottest Careers
List of Careers