Changing careers is one of the most crucial stages in one’s career life. There are employees who get into the career change phase earlier than other employees. But no matter how an employee enjoys his or her current career, there would come a time that an employee would think of shifting careers. 

Some employees will succumb to this calling and do something immediately to make the career change happen, while others will weigh the odds at first and may or may not decide to shift careers.

Changing careers can be viewed in two perspectives, either negatively or positively. When viewed positively, career change happens when an employee is presented with an opportunity to shift to a more progressive career option. Viewed negatively, career change occurs when an employee is simply bored with his or her current job, or is simply not earning enough to sustain his cost of living.

So, when is the best time to make a career change? There are several factors that one must consider and weigh carefully before deciding to do so.

The monetary rewards and other benefits that one gets is the biggest motivation or demotivation factors that greatly affects career change decisions. Such considerations have proven to be decisive of career options, especially when the cost of living of one individual can no longer supported by his or her salary and benefits. Everyone dreams of a high paying job that is better than what one has. This is the ultimate reason why everyone has to work. One might even say that this is the be all and end all of whatever career everyone wants to go into.

Another factor that would matter in making a career change has something to do with the level of satisfaction one gets from his present job. If the monetary part is not a problem and an individual is well compensated and able to sustain his standard of living, the level of satisfaction that he gets will also affect his decision to shift careers. Even the CEO of the world’s largest corporation can be hit by boredom at one point in his or her life.

Any given career is prone to monotony. Once this happen to anyone, boredom would soon strike. And this will lead to the thought of changing career. Why would anyone continue doing something that he no longer enjoys doing? If a career opportunity in another higher paying or equally high paying job is available, then why not go for it?

If not for boredom, another thing that would affect one’s decision to change career is the level of relations with the management team. Are individual employees rewarded with the good word that they put in for the company? Is the corporate channel of communication well organized? Are important decision-making policies communicated by management to employees? These are just some of the factors that would motivate an employee to decide whether or not to stay in his or her present employment. 

And lastly, the most important factor that would determine whether one should change career is the ability to pinpoint what one really wants to do for the rest of his life. Everyone has a childhood dream career. And if one is in a career that he does not really want to be in, chances are you will not be happy doing your job. Do not get yourself trapped in this situation because it is never really too late to change career and pursue your dream job.