Should you stay or change career? How to decide

"Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the ones that we seek."
– Barack Obama

Making a proactive career choice is like deliberately paving the road of your professional life. The dilemma of staying where you are or changing direction, whether by applying for a more senior role, changing companies, becoming a contractor or consultant, or pursuing something completely different, can often bring your career progression to a standstill.

Our professional lives are closely linked to our personal identity, making it even more challenging to decide whether to hold on to what we know or explore the unknown.

Three clients, three careers, one common dilemma

Simon: Fear of starting again

"Simon" is in his twenties with a postgraduate qualification, working in what he considers to be a dead-end job. He feels underappreciated and underpaid and works every hour he can in the hope of landing a project that will kick-start his career.

He knows he needs to change companies to progress and fulfil his desire to contribute to something meaningful. However, familiarity, fear of failure and a lack of confidence leave him feeling stuck.

Michael: Security vs fulfilment

"Michael" is in his thirties and works in finance. He feels burnt out, overwhelmed and disillusioned.

He is considering three possible routes:

• staying where he is
• becoming self-employed as a contractor
• pursuing his lifelong ambition of becoming a writer

Although his current role offers little job satisfaction, it provides financial security, which is particularly important because he has a young family. While he recognises his unhappiness, the fear of risking that security leaves him unable to make a decision.

Paul: The comfort zone

"Paul" is in his forties and works in a senior IT role. He spends long hours commuting and dreams of greater financial rewards and moving into leadership.

After ten years with the same employer, he is unsure whether to remain loyal or move to another organisation. The thought of stepping outside his comfort zone fills him with fear and keeps him stuck.

Fear is often the real barrier

In each case, the dilemma is fuelled by one common denominator: fear.

Although fear and doubt have their place in life, they rarely create anything motivating or inspiring; instead, they hold you back from experiencing a more fulfilled life. Fear of change, fear of failure, and fear of the unknown often lead to self-sabotage and unwillingness to make sacrifices.

While every career move carries some uncertainty, meaningful personal and professional growth rarely happens without stepping outside your comfort zone.

Questions to ask before making a career change

Before making an informed decision, it helps to ask yourself:

What is motivating me?

• What am I trying to move away from?
• What appeals to me about a new opportunity?
• What is truly important to me and why?

What am I afraid of?

• What is the worst that could happen?
• What fears are holding me back?
• If the worst happened, how would I cope?

What limiting beliefs do I have?

• What beliefs about myself are preventing me from moving forward?
• Are those beliefs based on facts or assumptions?

Stepping up to the plate and having an honest conversation with yourself or with a Life Coach can be daunting, but at the same time, amazingly liberating. Suddenly, it is all out in the open, and you know what you want and why.

Research your options

The next stage in the decision-making process is finding out the facts. 

Staying where you are

Remaining in your current role may allow you to progress and continue climbing the career ladder. Equally, it may limit both your professional and personal growth.

Moving to a new employer

Changing companies could open up exciting opportunities, help you develop new skills and increase your earning potential.

Before making the move, research the company's culture, leadership, financial stability and opportunities for progression to ensure it is the right fit.

Becoming self-employed

Self-employment carries the greatest level of uncertainty, but it can also offer the greatest rewards, including flexibility, greater control and unlimited earning potential.

Research your market thoroughly, understand customer demand and think carefully about how you will reach your target audience before leaping.

Success starts with a plan

If, after checking out the facts, you are still considering a career move, then there is a magic word that can yield success:

Planning

Create a realistic, goal-focused action plan that addresses the "what if?" scenarios before they happen.

Think beyond Plan A. Develop Plans B and C so that if circumstances change, you already have alternative routes available.

Even the best plans cannot prevent every setback, so preparing yourself mentally to become resilient is just as important as preparing practically.

Three clients, three different decisions

Simon challenged his limiting beliefs and trusted his abilities. He successfully applied for roles that offered greater responsibility and better pay. His long-term ambition remains freelancing, but he recognised that gaining experience first would put him in a stronger position.

Michael decided that becoming a full-time writer could wait while he focused on providing for his family. Instead, he chose contracting within the finance industry, using the professional network he had built over the years. It took more than two months of research, planning and self-reflection before he felt ready to resign.

Paul chose to stay where he was. However, through coaching, he became far more open to the idea of making a move when the right opportunity eventually presents itself.

The right decision is the one that's right for you

Changing careers is not always the right answer, which is why self-awareness is so important.

Understanding your values, ambitions and motivations allows you to make decisions based on what genuinely matters to you, not what other people think you should do.

No one knows you better than you know yourself.

There is always a choice. Whether you decide to stay where you are or pursue a completely new direction, dare to make the decision that is right for you.