Is it worth changing careers?

Quitting a job can be an impulsive decision, especially during stress and uncertainty. How to approach this issue rationally is discussed in this article. 

Even in a crisis, people feel the need to quit. Some are trying to anticipate future changes in their current job and want to find a more stable position. Others are pushed to this by life or family circumstances. In addition, regardless of external factors, some are dissatisfied with their current job and dream of changing them. But do not think you can quit your job, play indian online casinos, and do nothing else – you still need to look for work. 

To make an informed decision and not regret it in the future, you need to analyze all options and consider possible risks. But doing so under constant stress can be difficult. These four steps will help you approach the issue of quitting without panic.

Assess your psychological state

Thinking about quitting can sometimes be caused by emotions. So to keep them from getting in the way of making the right decision, the first thing to do is to assess your psychological state.

In times of uncertainty, many people worry about the future and are stressed. If you are experiencing a lot of stress, you should first try to cope with it. Of course, the ideal situation is to remove the cause of stress, but when external circumstances cause it, it will not work. Therefore, you can try to unload yourself and distract yourself a little: do your favorite thing and rest. It will help to abstract away from the situation and then calmly analyze it.

The desire to quit can also be caused by burnout. Its main signs are fatigue and the absence of a clear goal. It is most likely burnout if you feel that you have no energy and only a desire to quit. Another way to define it is to imagine that you have moved to a similar place of work in a new company. If that makes you feel calm and stable, quitting is likely an attempt to avoid other problems.

It would help if you had to understand that long-term stress and burnout are emotionally severe states. To cope with them, it is better to contact a qualified specialist. They will help you to understand how critical your inner problems are: is quitting your job a necessary option, or can you do without it?

Determine the goal

After working with your emotions, you need to formulate a goal. It is better to set it using the classic SMART technique. It will allow you to understand how specific and realizable your goal is.

The goal has to be:

• Specific – concrete;
• Measurable;
• Achievable – achievable;
• Relevant – meaningful;
• Time-bound – limited in time. 

For example, if a person wants to find a more stable job, the goal could be formulated as follows: “Within six months, increase your earnings from your main activity by 30%. At this stage, the plan may not be too specific so as not to limit the options. But at the same time, reflect your needs accurately enough.

If you do not set a specific goal, then the change of work is still more of a dream, and you need to try to rationalize it. It can be done with the help of technology questions “Why.” Applying it is simple: consistently ask yourself the question “why” and go deeper into the heart of the problem. For example, ask yourself: “Why do I need to quit my job?” The answer could be: to earn more, find a stable place, or work in a cohesive team. Then ask yourself why you need it. It may make you feel safe, enjoy your work, or motivate you to keep going. Continue until you find an answer that satisfies you. That will be the true goal with which to work further.

Pick your options.

You can then think about what options you have for achieving your goals:

• In the job market. Look at job openings for suitable positions and companies of interest and assess their suitability.
• At your current job. Think about whether you can realize your goal in your current company and what you need to do to achieve it. It is enough to discuss a salary increase with your supervisor, discuss your fears and opportunities for development with your HR manager or try to improve your relationships with your colleagues.
• A job change is always extra stressful. It involves many changes: adapting, severing past ties, and building new ones. Therefore, it is best to consider different scenarios: not only the dismissal but also possible solutions in the current place of work.

Analyze your options

Next, you must analyze the options to choose the best one. It can be done using the SWOT analysis method.

To do this, you need to consider each option from different angles in the context of the chosen goal. Define it:

• Pros – strengths of the job that allow you to achieve your goal.
• Disadvantages – weaknesses, and reasons for wanting to leave.
• Opportunities – how you can influence the situation and what you can change in yourself.
• Risks – the things that can prevent you from changing the situation and do not depend on you.

For example, the goal is to increase your income. Analyzing the variant of realization of this goal at the current place of work, the disadvantages may be indicated by a low salary and other reasons for quitting: a toxic team or poorly organized processes. On the other hand, the pluses can be a high level of freedom, which allows you to influence your results, or a good position for the company on the market and its growth prospects. Opportunities – ways to affect your results and improve your competencies to earn more. In risks – circumstances that may prevent the implementation of these plans within the company and external threats that affect it: the growth of competitors or economic changes.

A SWOT analysis can be done for general scenarios: keeping your current job and moving to a new one. And if there are options for specific companies or vacancies, you can analyze each of them separately. 

As a result, this analysis will allow you to see the best option. For example, the new job will allow you to realize your goal faster under similar conditions. Or vice versa, it will be easier to do at the current place, and fewer resources will be required.

When quitting arises, it is essential to stop and think about how rational it is. A job change may allow you to grow faster in salary or provide the stability you need. Or it may turn out that quitting is not an option, and you will find yourself in the same circumstances in another place. To understand this, you must analyze your desires and understand the situation well. Then, even in uncertainty, you can be confident in your decision and future.