Nowadays, you will hardly find a person who is willing to stay at the same company and keep the same job for their entire life. According to statistics, the average worker would spend only 4 to 5 years in a job, with younger workers normally staying for an even shorter period of time.
Many people switch jobs or go to a different company, but there are more who change careers entirely. The most common reason why people change careers is that they easily get bored with their current ones and so they decide to try something new, and there are many who also do it to make more money. Regardless of your reason for changing careers, it’s important that you be careful in the process.
These are the mistakes you should avoid:
1. Changing careers or jobs way too often.
It’s not surprising if you end up changing careers 5 to 7 times in your working life, but doing it every 12 months isn’t advisable. Although you’re doing it for the right reasons, it will not look good in your resume. Employers won’t take it positively if they see in your resume that you jump from one job or career to another over a short period of time. Changing careers too often will make it look like you’re hard to please and you are not ready to commit to a single company or employer.
2. Not paying a good amount of attention to compensation.
Your future could be damaged if you put too little or too much emphasis on the amount of money you can make in your new job or career. Money isn’t everything, but it’s very important, too. You don’t want to leave a good-paying job for one that won’t allow you to provide for your family. Likewise, there’s no point in getting a high-paying job that will leave you with no time for yourself and your loved ones.
Related: Have You Hit the Jackpot in Terms of Finding the Right Career?
3. Studying too much.
Attaining a bachelor’s degree is essential to qualify for a good job and a decent pay. If you want to study further, you can be certain that it will help increase your market value. However, you should know that getting an even higher degree, like a master’s or doctoral degree, can give you more problems. You don’t want to end up being too educated but with little experience. Pay attention also to gaining more experience because at the end of the day, it’s what potential employers are after.
4. Going for a career that doesn’t match your personality.
Career coaching experts are always quick to point out the importance of choosing a career or job that matches well with your personality. The money you can earn and all the material things you can get out of your job is nothing if your job is making you feel miserable.