"Job Change or Career Change: How to Evaluate Which Path is Right for You"

Well, the first thing I have to say is… If you’re reading this after seeing the title, that may be a good sign you’re ready for a change! 

I work with a lot of people navigating career changes in their lives. There are a lot of varying circumstances that lead people to seek change. Sometimes the change is out of necessity--they lost a job, their organization are laying off people and he feels threatened or he has not been given any raise for last 2 or 3 years.

Other times, the time of transition is brought on from people nearing their “breaking point.” Whether they are feeling burnt out, lethargic, stressed to the max or bored out of their minds day after day, they know they are ready for a change. 

Now, I agree that if you are waking up in the morning and already feeling depressed, anxious or resentful of what you have to do that day--you need a change. 

However, it’s not the case that your job or career is necessarily what needs to change and I will try to explain if you need a Career Change or just a Job change through a story of one of my clients who is excited to go to the office even today – FRIDAY. 

My Client's Story

My client Sarah (Changed the name) had been working in the same job for the past seven years. She had always enjoyed her work as a VP Marketing, but lately, she had started to feel bored and unfulfilled. Sarah began to wonder if she needed a job change or a career change.

When she came to me, she was blank. She didn’t have a reason to call me as she was not sure if she would need a new job.

She said, “I saw your profile on LinkedIn and then thought let’s talk and discuss what you have to offer.”

She very clearly stated – “Shipra I really don’t know what do I plan to do next but your profile and the posts you share led me to drop you a message.”

I smiled and with no future vision we started by evaluating her current job. We made a list of the things she liked and disliked about her job. She enjoyed working with people and being part of a team, but she was no longer excited about the products she was marketing. Sarah felt like she had outgrown her current role, and there was little opportunity for growth or advancement.

Next, we worked on her resume which gave her a great time to evaluate her entire career graph. Towards the end of resume writing exercise she quoted,

“I think I know myself much better now”.

We then began to research potential job opportunities in her field. She looked at job postings and she realized that the jobs she found were like her current role, and she wasn't sure if she wanted to continue down the same path.

At this point, we began to consider a career change. We thought about what she was passionate about and what she wanted to achieve in her life. Sarah realized

that she had always been interested in sustainability and the environment. The

second comment from her was

“The right questions asked help me to find the right answers for myself.”

She decided to take some courses in sustainability and start networking with professionals in the field.

After few months, we found a job opportunity for her that combined her marketing skills with her passion for sustainability. She was offered the position. Sarah felt

excited and energized about her new career path.

Sarah's story is a great example of how to identify if you need a job change or career change. If you're feeling unfulfilled in your current role, it's important to

evaluate why you're feeling that way. If the issues are related to the job

itself, a job change may be the right choice. However, if you feel like you've

outgrown your current field or have a passion that you want to pursue, a career

change may be necessary. It's essential to take the time to research and

reflect on your options to find a path that will make you happy and fulfilled

in your career.