Are You Trying to Change Jobs or Change Careers?

By Monique Wells‑Lopez, Ed.D.

The Decision

Are you trying to leave your current employer, move into a different type of position, or leave your field altogether?

Those decisions can feel similar when you are frustrated with work, but they lead in different directions. Before you decide to return to school, you need to know what you are trying to change and whether education is necessary to make that change.

What Is Causing You to Want Something Different?

You may feel underpaid, overlooked, burned out, or unable to advance. Your schedule may no longer fit your life. You may dislike the work environment or no longer feel interested in the work itself.

Start by separating the job from the occupation. If you still like the work but have a problem with the pay, schedule, management, or workplace culture, the problem may be your current job. Another employer may offer better conditions for the same type of work.

Look at similar positions with other employers. Compare the pay, responsibilities, schedule, benefits, and qualifications. If the opportunities are better elsewhere, you may not need to change careers or return to school. You may simply need a better place to use the experience you already have.

The situation is different when you no longer want to do the work or when the occupation does not offer the future you want. You may have reached the typical pay limit for the position. Advancement may be limited throughout the field. The work may no longer fit your interests, health, family responsibilities, or long-term goals.

Changing employers may not solve those problems because the work itself would remain largely the same.

What Kind of Change Are You Considering?

Some people want to move up in the field they are already in. They may want more responsibility, better pay, or a leadership position. Depending on the role, that move could require additional experience, stronger skills, or a credential.

Others want to move into a related position. Your current job title may no longer fit, but your experience could still be useful in another role or setting. This type of move may allow you to build on what you already know rather than begin again.

A larger career change means moving into work that is substantially different from what you do now. That change may require new experience, training, education, or a license. What you need will depend on the specific role you want.

Do not assume that changing careers means you have to start over. Your work experience may transfer in ways that are not obvious from the job title. Skills such as supervising employees, managing projects, working with clients, solving problems, maintaining records, or using industry systems may apply in another occupation.

Employers will determine whether that experience is relevant. Reviewing current job postings can help you see where your background fits and where you may have a qualification gap.

Does the Role Require More Education?

Once you have identified the type of work you want, find out what employers actually require. Look at several current job postings for the same or similar roles. One posting may reflect the preference of a particular employer. A pattern across several postings gives you better information.

Pay attention to required degrees, licenses, certifications, technical skills, and years of experience. Also notice whether a qualification is required or preferred. Employers may consider experience in place of a preferred degree, but experience usually cannot replace a license that is legally required.

You may discover that you need a degree. You may also find that a certificate, professional certification, short training program, or additional experience would be enough. In some cases, you may already qualify and only need to present your experience differently.

Returning to college should be tied to a specific requirement or opportunity. Earning another credential because you feel stuck may leave you with more education without solving the problem that caused you to leave your job.

What Will the Change Actually Improve?

Think about what you expect to be different after the change. A new employer may offer better pay or working conditions, but the daily work may remain the same. A related occupation may provide new responsibilities while allowing you to use your experience. A new career may create more opportunities, but it may also require time, money, and a temporary step back while you gain experience.

Consider the whole change, not only the part that is attractive. A position with higher pay may require longer hours or a more difficult commute. A growing field may require a credential you do not have. A new occupation may offer more stability but require you to enter at a lower level.

The question is not whether another job or career looks better from a distance. The question is whether it addresses the problem you are trying to solve and whether the requirements are realistic for your life.

Before You Decide

If the problem is specific to your workplace, look at other employers before investing in additional education. If you want different work but can still use your experience, consider related roles. If the occupation itself no longer fits, identify the new role and verify what it requires before choosing a program.

You may need more education, but that should not be your starting assumption. First decide what needs to change. Then determine whether experience, training, certification, licensing, or a degree is the right way to make that change.

The goal is not simply to leave your current job. It is to choose a direction that addresses the real problem and moves you toward work that fits your goals and your life.

Disclaimer

Job requirements, occupational standards, and advancement opportunities vary by employer, occupation, and state. Verify requirements directly with employers, licensing agencies, colleges, or training providers before making a decision.