When you first embark on your career, chances are you have some big dreams. You envision yourself in a senior job, working on challenging projects for the biggest names in tech, changing the world one line of code at a time.
However, as you climb the career ladder, you soon realize that holding a top position is not quite what you thought it would be. Perhaps it’s not the right move after all?
If you’re wondering whether you are truly ready for career advancement, read on, and you will be one step closer to answering that question.
There Is No Challenge Anymore
Are you starting to feel bored at work? Does it seem like everything you do is the repetition of something you’ve already done? If the answer is yes, it might be the right time to start looking for a different position.
We get so caught up in our daily work lives that we don’t even notice when our career stops advancing. However, if you think your skills are stagnating and that there is no more room for growth in your current position, consider making the next step.
Make sure you analyze whether a lateral or an upward move is the right choice. Perhaps there is still plenty to learn, but your current role in this specific company is just not satisfactory enough? Or maybe you want to switch from web development to something that will enable you to collaborate creatively with teams and clients, like corporate website design? In any case, if you don’t feel ready to take on more responsibility, you can always transfer to a similar position in a different company.
You Have Significantly Enhanced Your Skills
In the IT space, honing your skills and adopting new ones is vital. With the entire industry moving at lightning speed, you can never rely on your present-day knowledge to last you an entire career.
If you’ve been boosting your skillset, now can be the right time to put this new knowledge to good use. You might choose to move to a more senior position or a position in a different department in your current company.
On the other hand, if you haven’t started amassing new knowledge and expertise, that’s fine. Work on some core skills that will help you advance in your career before you start looking for new jobs.
You Are Well-Connected
Breaking into your desired career can sometimes be a question of knowing the right people. For example, you may want to work for a company that isn’t hiring at the moment but you know someone who already works there who can score you an interview. Or, a friend might notify you that their company is looking for someone like you.
The more people you know in your industry, the easier it will be to make your next career move. This is why you should casually network even when you are not actively seeking a new position. You never know which acquaintance can help you land your dream job.
Connect with people you’ve met over LinkedIn, and send them a message when you start looking for a more challenging job. One of them might be able to connect you with your next employer.
You Are Feeling Burned out
There may be a very different reason for you wanting a career change, and it can involve burnout.
When you spend too much time working in a job that doesn’t ultimately satisfy you, where you feel unchallenged and underappreciated, you can start to feel the toll. And if you end up spending too much time in this position, burnout will likely set in.
If this is the case, you can look into taking some unpaid leave to determine whether your job is actually causing your negative feelings. If you discover this is the case, you can then start looking for a more satisfying career.
You Feel Ready for the Change
Before you make that next big career move, make sure you are both mentally and physically prepared for it. After all, it will mean getting to know a completely new company and team. You’ll face a new way of doing things, and you’ll need to take on more responsibility as well.
If you’re feeling particularly tired or burned out, make sure you find the time to take a break first. You don’t want to rush headfirst into something that will only add to your stress.
Be prepared for the lifestyle change as well. You might need to commute longer or start working from home, for example. The hours might be different, and you might find you have less time for yourself. If you are ready to do some hard work and don’t mind the disruption it will cause, you are ready to advance your career.
Final Thoughts
Remember that every significant change in our lives, be it positive or negative, will cause some level of stress. Don’t give up just because you start feeling stressed – it’s a sign that you’re doing something worthwhile.
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