Change: Determining when the time is right.

How hungry is your appetite for opportunity? Does the alluring aroma of upskilling and growth tempt you? Or, do you prefer to order off the mundane menu of the “known”? More often than not, mankind sticks to the familiar. We’re not all Christopher Columbus’ of the vocational realms, navigating new territory and venturing into unfamiliar terrain. But, in 2017 Seek hit a record high of 24,000+ job vacancies in Aotearoa. Opportunity and change are most certainly out there. Change nothing and nothing changes. But when is it truly the right time for a career change?

Your first job can often create a feeling of excitement, purpose, a drive within you to achieve more. But when the excitement fizzles out, the purpose becomes lost, and the momentum forward is stilted; it can be all too easy to resent your job and develop complacency within your profession - not the best for you, or for your employer either! The ‘honeymoon phase’ of the job, so to speak, ends and you are left with the monotony of the daily grind. While this can be expected, it’s important not to lose your spark and your enthusiasm within your vocation. A recent Forbes article stated that “if you are not constantly learning and growing your resume, your network and your confidence, then your job is ripping you off.” Before letting your spark flicker out ensure you haven’t lost a sense of self or drive within your job.

Stress. A little is stress is healthy, right? Well, whilst some of us may agree with this statement, finding stress a motivating factor in productivity and success in the workplace, for others it can cause significant health risks. With stress now deemed a workplace hazard, too much stress can have dire consequences- more than $300 billion annually in the American industry (Goldberg, 2016). We all cope with stress differently; some better than others. If stress is joining you at the dining table most nights, or tucking in beside you when you’re trying to catch some sleep, you’re hazardous intruder is causing problems. Life is about balance. When balance is lost, something has to give. Your mental health and wellbeing should not take a back seat. If you’re finding it does, then this may be the first sign of lifting anchor and checking that compass for a new direction in your worklife.

When we’re strong, driven and visionary, we find that it doesn’t take long to climb the rungs of the corporate career ladder. The feeling of accomplishment is met with pride and recognition. We taste success, personally and professionally. Take away this incentive for growth and advancement and suddenly ambition disappears. Carrot dangling often takes the form of bonuses, promotions, company cars, and trips. When the harvest runs out and the crops of opportunity are barren, so too is the drive to excel and perform in your career. You have control over your career and, ultimately, your employment (give or take the dictating factors such as salary and location). When the glass ceiling looms above you and you realise there is no longer any room for advancement or professional growth within your current job, then it’s likely time for change. It’s important to be reflective and honest in recognising this. Leave with a strong reference and the assurance that you’re growing your skills and pathways in new directions; touch base with a recruiter to give those sails some extra wind and steer you forward.

Columbus didn’t set sail knowing where he was going or what he was going to find; an important - and somewhat inspirational - thought for us to keep in mind when considering career shifts. He certainly didn’t have Stress skipper the ship, nor had he reached the top rung of exploring the world. But he didn’t stay in one place too long. If that aroma of change tempts you, or you found yourself nodding in earlier paragraphs, then maybe it’s time to visit recruitment and see what exciting opportunities are out there. Afterall, there’s roughly over 20,000 of them so why not see what’s on offer? Stephen King summarised it simply, “change is as good as a rest”.