7 Signs You Should Change Careers ...

If you don’t have a passion for what you’re doing, that’s one of the biggest signs you should change careers. Passion is what drives an individual to succeed in something; without passion, there is no direction. If you are afraid to change careers because you fell in love with the idea of your job, the biggest question to ask yourself is, «How much passion do I have to keep doing this?» I graduated with a double major in Finance and Economics and thought I was going to pursue a finance career. When I graduated and worked at a retirement firm in the summer, I realized that although I enjoyed the courses I had taken in college, I didn’t actually have the passion for finance.

The feeling of wanting to be recognized is huge. If you do not feel appreciated or valued at work, your self-esteem will drop instantly! The second that happens, you will begin to see a shift in the efforts you put into your company. It’s all a triangle: you try your best, your work isn’t valued, you feel awful. Unless you break the triangle you will be stuck in the cycle.

Is the office too fast-paced? Do you feel like you’re bored out of your mind? Pay close attention to how you FEEL in the office. If you are a laid back person but just got used to the hustle-and-bustle of the office and suffer in silence, then it’s time to be nice to your body and change environments. You should feel comfortable and excited to be in the office!

Have you been in the same position for a while and don’t feel that there is any way you can get promoted or further climb that ladder within your company?Should you stay when there's no potential for you to advance and develop?

If you are always feeling exhausted and tired, try evaluating the situation you’re in. When I was working for the firm this past summer, I was always lacking energy and as a result my body got sick. There will always be stress and chaos in an office but if you are feeling completely drained from it all and it’s affecting your personal health, you need to do what is right for your body and try looking for a career that will provide a healthy balance.

This point piggybacks off feeling drained of energy and needing a healthy balance in your life. If you do not feel that you have a separation between your workload and your personal life, you will begin to drive yourself crazy and either run yourself to the ground or continue to under-perform at work…or both. Of course there will be projects you’ll have to work on from home, but don’t let it consume your every second because it’s not healthy to become obsessed.

Bottom line, if you’re not happy doing what you’re doing, working with who you’re working with, or feel excited or passionate to keep learning about your field and position, you need to reevaluate your situation. I know finding a job is tough… I am well aware that it can take people up to 2 years to find a job. But don’t stay at a job feeling miserable and disappointed every single day. I promise, it will catch up to you and you will regret putting pride over happiness in the long run.

So ladies, there you have it! These are the big game changing signs and questions to be asking yourself in regards to staying at your current job or completely switching gears. Which, if any, of these signs do you relate to? Are you feeling that it’s time to change careers?