The majority of Australians are dissatisfied with their working life but are unlikely to make a change, according to new research.
A study released this week by job finding website SEEK has found that although 68% of Australians are unsatisfied with the industry they work in, only 23% are likely to make a career change this year.
Employees are stopping short of instigating change in their working lives even though many are taking preliminary steps to do so; 75% of workers are currently monitoring the job market and 38% are actively looking for a new job.
Even among the 23% of people that will make a change, only 17% feel confident when looking for a new job that they will actually find one.
What holds them back?
Career coach Kate James told Women’s Agenda many of the barriers to career change relate to fear.
“Generally speaking, it’s either a fear of process or a fear of rejection. This sometimes stems from workers feeling undervalued in their current job and then as a result being unable to feel confident enough to make a change in their working life,” she explains.
“In my experience, many workers are very afraid of making the wrong choice and so prefer to play it safe. They ask me: What if it’s worse than what I do now? What if I’m making the wrong decision?”
“You wouldn’t believe how many times I’ve heard the phrase ‘better the devil I know’,” she said.
The research shows that the barriers to change differ significantly depending on the employee’s age and the stage of life they are in. Workers aged 18-24 are the most likely to want to change jobs (43%), but they are also the most likely to be held back by feelings of uncertainty (48%) and hopelessness (26%).
Workers aged 35-44 are 14% less likely to consider changing careers. For these workers, barriers are more practical than emotional: mortgages, family commitments and financial concerns keep them from making a change.
James said these figures reflect her experience as a career coach.
“So many young people feel completely overwhelmed and underprepared when it comes to finding a job. When you are older, the barriers tend to relate more to financial security as people are locked into mortgages, car payments and school fees,” she says.
The strongest motivation for wanting a career change is passion. 38% of workers want to change jobs because they want to pursue their interests. The next highest is to seek better earning potential (36%) and to find a better work-life balance (35%).
“Job satisfaction is very, very important to people. On top of this, we now have a sense that we should have more than one career in our lives, so people are feeling more restless and less fulfilled. There is a desire for variety now that is driving people to want to change careers,” James says.
In her experience money is sometimes a factor in driving the desire to change careers, but it is not usually the only driver. She said work-life balance also factors strongly in her clients’ desires to change industries or jobs.
Does this sound like you? Are you desperate for a career change but too afraid to take the next step?
Making a career change isn’t as scary as it seems. Here are James’ tips for getting it right.
1. Know what a fulfilling career looks like for you. “Ask yourself, what will make me feel engaged? What am I good at? How can I learn to make my life line up with my values? The first step is knowing what you’re looking for,’ James said.
2. Have a long-term plan. “Even if you can’t do exactly what you want in your career right now, think about what you want in the long term and start making small changes that will make that happen,” she said.
3. Keep your end game in mind and take control. “Keeping your end game in mind is very important. Then, you need to take control and act on it. Take a few days of annual leave to work on your CV and look around at the organisations you’d like to work for. Start the process.”
4. Be clear about your goals. “Write down your goals. When you do go through the career change process, your new potential employers will ask what you are working towards and it is imperative you are able to tell them clearly and succinctly so you don’t seem directionless. Be confident, and show them you know where you are going,” James said.
5. Get some support. “Find someone who can look over your CV or check your first job application for your new career. Have someone you can use as a sounding board for job interviews. These people are so important because you will need to stay positive when you get knocked back, which you inevitably will.”