It’s very easy to become comfortable in a job that you know, even if it’s not what’s best for you or your career. There are difficulties here, and the entire process of job hunting might be one that you struggle to find the time for but having a clearer idea of what to look for might help you to get started.
Identifying some key features can provide a useful framework. Why are you looking for a new job in the first place? What are you hoping to find there that your current line of work doesn’t provide you with?
Social Elements
While the offer of a remote workplace is something that appeals to a lot of people, others prefer the kind of social interaction that comes with a physical work environment. Therefore, this might be something that you look into when you’re searching for your next job. It’s easy to underestimate just how much of an impact on your mental health it can have to spend time with other people, and if you’re not in a situation where you’re surrounded by friends, your work might be your primary outlet. If your new job is also one that’s taking you to a fresh location entirely, being in an environment that can enable you to make new friends can also be invaluable for helping you to get settled in.
Professional Development
Everyone needs money, and a lot of the time, this can drive the decision-making behind which job you do. You might not enjoy your line of work but if it puts food on the table, it can be hard to find the incentive to leave. Instead, though, consider what you want to do long-term.
If there’s something that you’re passionate about, or a career that you’ve always been meaning to pursue, starting this off properly by identifying an entry-level position can be a great way to feel more enthusiastic about your job. Sometimes it’s just about working in a place that lets you gain experience with relevant industry tools, such as docker extensions being offered to software developers, for example.
A Change of Lifestyle
If you’ve spent your entire professional life in an office, it might be worth considering what other jobs are available. For some people, this might be exactly the kind of work that they enjoy, but for others, they might notice that their mental health has consistently struggled throughout their career.
If this is the case, you have a couple of options. The first might be to explore similar lines of work to what you’re used to, but instead taking place in remote or flexible environments. This can let you retain the experience that you’ve built up while potentially offering a better work/life balance. Alternatively, you could explore the wide range of careers that can take you outside into nature more regularly. Even if it means going back to the drawing board in terms of training, you might prefer the lifestyle it leads to.
