Career Change or Job Change?

By Kate Ashford, Monster contributor

After several years—or even a decade or two—in a particular field, you might feel that you’re ready for something new. You’re at the end of your rope and you need a career change. You may even engage a career coach to help you figure out what you want to do next. Should you pursue a career transition? Or is it just time for a job change?

Let's face it, there are days where you say aloud, "I need a new career, I’m totally done." But then by the afternoon, things calm down and you come to understand that you just need a new job. Learning the difference starts with defining the problem.

Asking yourself a few questions can help you evaluate your current situation and help you determine whether you should pursue a career change or a job change:

  • If I could do this work in a different environment, would I enjoy it?
  • If I was told tomorrow I couldn't work in my field anymore, how would I feel?
  • Do I know what my perfect promotion would be?
  • What is it about my job that's making me unhappy?
  • Does the work environment I want exist?

We'll break down these questions and help you understand what your answers are revealing about your desire for change.

If I Could Do This Work in a Different Environment, Would I Enjoy It?

Take the time to notice whether you’re contemplating a career transition because the work you’re doing is unsatisfying—or because of where you’re doing the work.

Often, people are just bummed out in their situation, which makes it difficult to separate their work from their crummy boss, the aggravating commute, or the coworkers who are jerks.

The verdict: If it’s pretty clear that it’s the people, places, or things—and not the actual work, it might be time for a job switch, not necessarily a career transition.

If I Was Told Tomorrow I Couldn't Work in My Field Anymore, How Would I Feel?

This question gets to the root of what you’re passionate about. Do you feel a deep connection to what you’re doing, or are you ready to break away?

How did you end up following this particular career path to begin with? Take some time to write down what first got you excited about the work that you do. If you're struggling to come up with anything, well, that speaks volumes.

The verdict: If you were excited once, but now only feel dread, boredom, or worse, it might be time to talk to a career coach about exploring new possibilities.

Do I Know What My Perfect Promotion Would Be?

Craft a job description that would make you thrive. What would it look like? Does the new description focus on your skills and talents that are currently being underutilized?

Before you make any huge career-change decisions, you need to identify what you truly want. Can it be found at your current job and in your current industry, or is it somewhere completely different.

The verdict: Determining your future goals can help you see whether you’re on the right path. It will make it clearer whether switching jobs can bring you satisfaction, or whether a career change is in your future.

What Is It About My Job That's Making Me Unhappy?

Can you pinpoint the things that are driving splinters under your fingernails, or is it a wholesale sense of doom?

Write a list of pros and cons to see what it is, exactly, that you like and don't like about your job. Is it the tasks you're required to do and the people you have to work with? Or is it an overall dissatisfaction with your industry?

The verdict: It could be that you love the career and field that you're in, but you don't love the role you're playing within your company. A job change is in order.

Does the Work Environment I Want Exist?

Once you've noted what you want to change, you must ask yourself whether that situation is findable elsewhere. The job market ebbs and flows and, depending on the nature of your work, you might find that the great position you had when you first entered the workforce simply doesn’t exist anymore.

Research companies within your target industry to find out more about their culture, workplace benefits, and employee satisfaction. Knowing what it will be like to work in a new role is more than just understanding the job description. It’s also about how well you fit in the company’s culture and vice versa.

Start Off Strong

The verdict: Being honest with yourself about what truly gives you job satisfaction will make it much easier to know what your next steps will be, whether that's a career change or a job change.

When you're ready to make a move, update your resume so that it puts the focus on the skills that are most important to a job change (or career transition) you're pursuing. Could you use some help with that? Get a free resume evaluation today from the experts at Monster's Resume Writing Service. It's a quick and easy way you can help position yourself for success, no matter where the road leads.