After years of working in the same field, it can become easy to believe that you have landed the perfect job. You may be worn out every day but at least you are earning a paycheck and have work to be done. After all, that is the sign of the perfect career, isn’t it? The answer is no.
Far too often, we miss the signs that we are in the wrong career because we become too complacent with the job we have now. The fact of the matter is that few people ever find the career they were meant for. This is the career that lights a fire in your heart and ignites a passion within you when you think about the work you could be doing. Instead, many choose to ignore the common signs that they are in the wrong career and they stay at a job that is wrong for them. Below are some of the most common signs of a bad career match and, if spotted, should be an indication that it is time to switch careers.
You Can’t Focus at Work
A massive sign that you may have accidentally ended up in the wrong career is if you cannot focus at work. Everybody gets bored sometimes at work and is affected by the Monday blues, but if you can’t focus on the tasks you are assigned, it may be an indication that you aren’t interested in your job.
On a wider scale, a lack of interest in your job is a major indicator that you aren’t on the right career path. Inc. covers how many people simply chose their job in an attempt to appease someone and earn validation from them. This leads you into a career that isn’t actually a good fit for either your interests or skills.
To determine if you are really interested in your job or if you are just experiencing natural boredom, try to picture where you see yourself in five years. This level of introspection can help you determine whether or not what you are doing now is something you could be happy doing for the rest of your life.
Another Career Interests You
One of the biggest signs that you are in the wrong career is if another career fascinates you. There’s nothing wrong with being interested in the work another employee is doing, but if it begins to impede your own work, it may be a sign of a bad career match. Overall, you don’t have to love every aspect of your career, but you should love it enough to not feel jaded when you see other paths.
If you really don’t enjoy what you’re doing, it may be time to consider a career that can capture your interest. Perhaps you don’t even have another path in mind, but you just know that there are other careers that may better suit you. If that’s the case, consider taking a free career quiz to see if something resonates with you.
Alternatively, you could also consider attending an online trade school that can prepare you to enter a new field. Job Training Hub lists some of the highly-rated trade schools that are attended today and all of these institutions offer unique and dynamic courses for tech careers.
You Always Complain about Your Job
Complaining about your job may not seem indicative of a bad career match on the surface. After all, who hasn’t complained about their job at some point or another. However, try to figure out if it is your job you are complaining about or your career.
This can be done by narrowing down what your gripes are at work. If they are job-specific, then you may just not like the job you have. Unfortunately, gripes at work are often more extensive and revolve around the career you hold. Under no circumstance should you stay in a career where you are consistently unhappy with what you are doing and who you are working with.
Should you find yourself as the friend always complaining after work, consider writing a resignation letter and looking into another path. Not doing so will only leave you complaining for the rest of your life or until you get stressed enough to quit.
Conclusion
There’s nothing wrong with genuinely enjoying your job and that is something every person should strive for. However, it is easy to become enamored with your job when it provides a stable salary and something to do. Even if it means sacrificing the position you have now, searching for a career that is a better match will lead to a happier lifestyle and likely less stress in the long run. Focus on developing a career that is also a passion for you and allows great growth potential.
