“How do you know when it’s time to finally leave your job?” I asked a friend of mine about 18 months ago. My friend had made the leap from career certainty into consultancy some time before after a long and successful career in academia. She replied “trust me, you’ll just know.”
As a careers professional used to supporting others with their transitions, it was sobering for once to turn the spotlight inwards and reflect on my own career. Whilst I’m generally pretty decisive, I don’t make career changes in a hurry. It was time to ask myself some questions to see if I could come to a decision.
You may find the following a useful set of prompts should you also find yourself at a career crossroads.
1. How have you made career changes previously?
When I reflected on my previous career transitions, it appeared that different factors influenced my decisions. However, when I dug a bit deeper I realised that the key moves I’d made were consistently towards roles where I would have a direct impact on those I was working with and away from those which distanced me from this.
2. Which bits of your current role do you most enjoy?
I started by making a note all the activities I enjoy currently. Then I revisited my role description. This was my lightbulb moment. There was very little in the description that was energising me. Almost all the joy was from ‘extras’ I’d taken on.
3. How much time do you get to spend on the most enjoyable aspects of your job?
I am very fortunate that my line manager’s mantra was ‘as long as you get the day job done, I’m happy to support your other interests.’ It was clear, however, when I completed the exercise that I was still spending too much of my time on activities that no longer energised me.
4. Which work activities would you like to spend more time on?
Identifying these can help to flush out what may be missing from your current job. My joy comes from designing and delivering talks and facilitating workshops. I enjoy persuading others to do things I think will benefit staff or students- especially around gender equity. I’m happy to make time to write my blog posts and share (hopefully) useful content with others. I relish collaboration. Fundamentally I need to know the work I’m doing has a direct benefit to those I’m working with.
5. What’s stopping you from making a move?
Even if you’re not happy where you are, as humans we are are hard-wired not to take risks. Your inner voice will try and persuade you to stick with the familiar. Procrastination is a common result. I stayed with one organisation I wasn’t happy in for 11 (very long) years. Until I focused my attention and invested time in revisiting what mattered to me, I was ‘stuck’ in the safe and familiar. Ultimately the scales tipped and the fear of not moving outweighed the fear of making a change.
6. What is the personal cost of not making a move?
Fast forward 5 years. Imagine yourself in the same role with the same people doing the same things. How does it feel? Now imagine yourself in your new life. Is there sufficient discomfort to propel you to take action? Make a list of the costs and benefits of staying put vs. making a move.
7. What would need to happen for you to stay with your current employer?
Are there any aspects of your job could you change to make it more fulfilling? Could you apply for a role that would make better use of your strengths? Request a secondment? A career break?
8. Talk to people who are doing what you’re thinking of doing.
I have learned a great deal from these conversations. People already doing the work you’re contemplating can make you aware of anything you’d not considered before you make a move.
9. What if you find you’ve made a mistake?
Life has no guarantees. But if the thought of exchanging what you’re currently doing to a new role fills you with butterflies of anticipation, then it’s probably time to move.
What did I decide?
My friend was right…one morning I woke up and realised that it was indeed time to make the change I’d been building up to. My pivot point was understanding that I needed to be working directly with the people whose lives I was trying to enhance. Leadership was creating a distance between my aspiration and ability to make an impact. I realised when I shared the news with my team that it was the right decision as I instantly felt lighter.
It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power.
Alan Cohen.
