What Everyone Should Consider Before Making a Career Switch

There are always a few things to consider before any career change!

Generations ago, many workers stayed with the same company until retirement. These days, however, it's become far more common for people to switch companies – and even fields of expertise – frequently. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the average American holds roughly twelve different jobs over the course of a career. In fact, there's a chance that you might even be actively considering a career move right now.

If you're thinking about taking the plunge and switching your career, you should stop and think before you hand in your two weeks' notice. In this guide, we'll explore just a few of the things to consider before any career change.

Key considerations before making a career switch

There are many different things you need to consider before you gamble on yourself and make a big career change. Below, we'll address seven of the most important concerns every job seeker needs to address before making that decision.

1. Why do you think a career change is necessary?

One of the first things to consider before a career change is why you're even considering such a move.

Are you just unhappy with the company you're working for?
Have you grown tired of your current job role?
Is your dissatisfaction something that could be resolved by moving to a new company in the same industry?
Is work so bad that you absolutely need a complete change in career direction?

There's no wrong answer to any of these questions, of course, but it is important to thoroughly examine your reasons for wanting a career change. That self-analysis can help you understand your true motivations, which can provide the insight you need to make an informed decision that's in your best long-term interests.

2. Do you have the right skills and experience for your desired career?

Another important thing to consider before any career change is whether you have the right qualifications for the job you want. Have you taken the time to research your desired role to ensure that you have the right skills, education, and experience? If not, do you have a plan to upgrade your career qualifications to meet those minimum requirements?

3. How will a career change impact your financial health?

Of course, almost everyone will want to evaluate the financial impact of this type of decision. Indeed, this is likely to be one of the most important things to consider before any career change:

Can you afford the potential financial cost of switching careers?

You may need to invest in additional education or skill training to meet your new job's qualification requirements. The new job may even require you to accept a salary that is lower than your current income – especially if the career jump places you in a position below the one you currently occupy.

Naturally, you'll want to seriously consider how that potential pay difference will affect your ability to meet financial obligations. You should also compare that lower salary to the compensation you're likely to receive in the future. If that potential future income is higher than what you would expect to make in your current role, it may be easier to justify the short-term pay cut.

4. Is your family on board with the change?

If you're in a committed relationship and perhaps even have kids, changing careers is going to impact more lives than just your own. As such, you need to think about how making this change will impact others.

On a basic level, think about how this move will change the lifestyles of your partner and children.

Will they still get to see you as often?
Will they continue to have similar lifestyles?
Will they have to make major changes?
Will your partner be able to continue on at their job?
What about if you have to relocate?

Remember, the change you make now will have a huge impact on the future of those who love you. While it's possible that this change could be beneficial, you still need to look beyond yourself. Sure – switching to a new career might make you happier at work, but you need to make sure that it won't have a negative impact on your loved ones. That would just lead to you switching out one problem for another.

5. Will you have to start at a lower position – and are you willing to do that?

If you do have to start over in a lower position, there's also the ego factor to think about. Will your ego and sense of self-worth be able to withstand that drop in status and influence? For those who've been in their jobs for several years and perhaps earned a promotion or two, this can be one of the most important things to consider before any career change.

Will you be forced to take a more entry-level position if you switch industries or job roles?
Are you mentally and emotionally prepared to climb back up the career ladder?

It's also a good idea to think about how much growth potential your new industry has. If you start over now, will you be able to climb as far up the corporate ladder as you like? It's not fair, but it's true that some jobs simply don't allow you much time to get to the top of growing industries. Make sure you know what the future could possibly hold for you.

6. What impact will the career change have on your long-term career goals?

Here's another important thing to consider before a career change: how will it impact your ability to meet your broader career goals? If you're thinking about moving into a different field or industry, chances are that some of those goals may need to be adjusted. There's even a chance that you may need to scale back your long-term expectations – especially if the new career path doesn't provide the same opportunity for rising to the top of your industry.

7. Will this career change actually change things?

The toughest question to answer is whether changing jobs will really change anything for you. Do you really hate your field, or is it just your current position with which you aren't happy? Do you think you'd be happier if you transferred somewhere else or if you switched to a new company? Sometimes, a new perspective can change things.

You should also double-check with yourself to make sure that a total change is really what you need and that you're not just in a brief rut. Even the most enthusiastic people lose passion for their jobs from time to time, so try to figure out if your desire to change fields is real or if you are just trying to get away from what's making you upset right now. In the same vein, look within and assess your mindset. If your job is not really what's making you unhappy, then changing careers won't help fix what ails you.

Bonus: Don't forget to consider your resume too

Finally, we'd be remiss if we failed to point out one final thing to consider before a career change: your resume. If you've spent any time at all in your current career, then chances are that your resume is geared toward jobs in your current industry.

There's little chance your existing resume will be up to the task of helping you launch a new career. To successfully break into a new field or industry, you'll need to seriously overhaul that resume to make sure it makes the right impression on employers.

Related reading: Enhancing Your Resume: Sound Better to Employers

The following posts can provide some helpful insight into steps you can take to create a resume that highlights your skills (including transferable abilities), experiences, and achievements in a way that conveys your potential value to prospective employers.

In addition, you may want to consider a partnership with professional resume writers who can use their experience and expertise to help you craft a truly compelling resume presentation.

Related reading:

Consider the right things before you decide on a career change

There's nothing wrong with switching to a new career field, as many people do it every day. But there are important things to consider before any career change. Hopefully, these tips can help you identify your most important considerations and priorities so that you weigh all the potential pros and cons before you make any big decisions about your career path. That can maximize your odds of making the best decision possible for your career success.

Have you already evaluated all of the most important things to consider before a career change and decided to make that switch? TopResume will review your resume to make sure it's up to par during your job search. Get a free resume critique today.

This post was originally written by British Solomon in 2019. It has been updated by Ken Chase.

Career Switch Considerations: What You Need to Know