With reports that the age for retiring could rise to 71, employees’ thoughts turn to planning for their future. In fact, in the UK there are an average of 1,600 Google searches each month for “how to retire early”.
While the UK pension age is currently set to 66, this is expected to rise to 67 between May 2026 and March 2028. Following this, the retirement age is expected to rise to 68 in 2044.
According to research from Statista, in July 2023, the average working week was 36.4 hours. Over an employee’s lifetime, this can amount to over 90,000 hours, highlighting the importance of getting enjoyment out of your work environment.
With this in mind, distance learning provider, DLC Training highlights the importance of knowing when it’s time for a career change, and how you can prepare yourself for this big move.
Learning and development expert, Neil Finegan believes the key to knowing when it’s time to consider a career change is by assessing your growth within the company.
Neil suggests if you can relate to any of these points, you might be in a position where you’re ready to consider a career change.
Wanting a new challenge
Have you made your way to the top of the ladder and are ready to pursue something new? While this is an incredible achievement itself, people in this situation can find themselves eager to start a new challenge when facing a lack of future progression.
Seeking more flexibility
If you find yourself dreaming of having more control over your own schedule and better balancing your work and personal life, it could be that you’re seeking more flexibility in your role.
In a world where factors outside of work can cause employees to struggle managing their work life balance, flexibility has become a hot topic amongst employers. It’s even been reported that having flexibility at work can improve job satisfaction and overall commitment to the role.
Greater scope for promotion
If you’re in a position where you’re anxious to progress, not having accessible means for a promotion can be frustrating.
In these circumstances, employees may consider a career change and opt for new roles with greater scope for promotion opportunities.
Overall job satisfaction
One of the most important factors when it comes to considering a new role is overall job satisfaction.
If you’re not getting a lot of happiness from your current job, you might be ready to switch it up and try something new. Before taking a leap of faith, consider the aspects of your current role that brought you the most satisfaction, and which ultimately led you to seeking new pastures.
Preparing for a career change
If you’re at the point where you’re seriously considering changing your career, make sure to gather all the information you need to do it successfully. This might include considering average commute length, financial impacts and salary, holidays, benefits, and flexibility.
If you have your mind set on a particular role or industry, learn more about the personal specifications, and if you have any gaps in your CV, make sure to fill these before you make your move.
Joanne is the editor for Workplace Wellbeing Professional and has a keen interest in promoting the safety and wellbeing of the global workforce. After earning a bachelor's degree in English literature and media studies, she taught English in China and Vietnam for two years. Before joining Work Well Pro, Joanne worked as a marketing coordinator for luxury property, where her responsibilities included blog writing, photography, and video creation.