What Makes Someone Change Careers?

What are the factors that lead someone to make a job change? When people seek a career change, the reason usually comes down to one of six things.

  1. Challenge. If they feel that their current position lacks challenge, a person may feel inclined to leave. People who seek out opportunities to learn and grow in their career are unlikely to feel satisfied in an environment that doesn’t challenge them.
  2. Location. Mileage isn’t the only factor that goes into this point. People may also be put off by the location of their job or the length of time they must spend during their commute to get there. This can additionally reflect a change in an employee’s life. While commuting for an hour might work for someone at first, they might change their mind at a later time.
  3. Opportunity. Many people seek out opportunities for advancement in their career. If a person’s current job lacks these kinds of opportunities, they aren’t likely to stay around. Clearly defined advancements being available within an organization are important to people who seek these kinds of opportunities.
  4. Money. Surprisingly, money is not the primary factor that people tend to change jobs. While financial security is important, people tend to care more about other factors. Money may, however, tip the scale if an employee has another reason for wanting to leave.
  5. Social environment. Since we spend more time working than we do at home, our work environments must be well-suited to our individual social needs. If someone feels that they don’t fit in with the culture and the people at their workplace, they are likely to leave.
  6. Job security.If a person sees a lot of layoffs in their organization, they might feel inclined to leave, as well.

Being aware of these reasons can actually also help you with new and future goals, as you will be able to assess these points going into the interview process.

“Being aware of these reasons can help you with new and future goals.”

If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.