5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Burning Your Bridges

A survey conducted by the Robert Half firm revealed that the context of the pandemic has led nearly half of Canadians (47%) to call their career into question. Here are some avenues for reflection to analyze before making the leap.

What do I want from my career?

According to Jean-Claude Laurin, workplace and organizational psychologist, “you have to ask yourself what is a priority for you. Does work play a very important role in relation to other areas of your life such as family, leisure or education?”

You must also determine what would make you happier at work. Do you want better conditions? Do you want to work for a company whose values are closer to your own? Are you seeking flexible schedules? You must define your priorities.

Do I have what it takes to change jobs?

Even if a change of career might appear attractive, you should ask yourself how much effort will be required in order to get there. Would it require going back to school? Does the envisaged job require new expertise or new learning?

“If that’s the case, are you ready to invest the necessary time?”, asks Jean-Claude Laurin.

Can what bothers me about my current job be changed?

Generally, when we think about changing careers, it’s because there are many irritants. But before giving it all up, you need to assess whether certain changes could improve your level of happiness on the job. Have you really tried everything to eliminate the elements you don’t like?

What will be the repercussions of my decision?

Leaving a job can also have consequences that are best considered before taking action. If you are contributing to a pension fund, for example, it is wiser to find out in advance about the penalties or even losses to be expected.

It is also essential to think about the insurance coverage that could be lost, as well as the salary that the desired career can offer.

Is it the right time to change careers?

In these uncertain times when COVID-19 is still lurking, the economy is slowing down. In addition, many business sectors have not yet regained the pace they had before the pandemic, which means jobs are scarce in some fields.

For all these reasons, it is safer to learn about hiring possibilities before giving notice