When considering a career change, there are various factors to think through. Money is not the only consideration that you should think of. Better opportunities could include those that offer growth or learning, enable a better work-life balance and flexibility, help you achieve a sense of meaning and personal well-being, or provide mentoring opportunities from an experienced mentor.
Also, remember that better opportunities could at times put you in a worse place if it is not aligned with your
personal career goals and strategies. Always measure opportunities against your ultimate career destination to avoid wandering off into greener pastures that take you further away from your ideal career objective.
The first thing you should do is to start with your end destination. Alice in Wonderland got it right when she said, “If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there”. Know where you’re going. What would your ideal job and lifestyle look like at the peak of your career? What type of work will you be doing? What kind of organisation would you be involved with? Think about your goals regarding flexibility, leadership, influence, financial security, purpose, passion, challenge and stimulation, specialisation and so on. Once you have defined your end destination, it becomes much easier to evaluate the steps required to get there and to craft your next steps strategically.
