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It is very easy when you are feeling fed up and frustrated at work to think that the only solution is a new job or career. Maybe you have been in this job for a long time and it is getting stale. Perhaps the management has changed and with it the pleasant working atmosphere you used to enjoy?

But particularly in these uncertain times, it pays to look before you leap. Ask yourself these 10 career change questions before you decide that the only solution is a change of career direction.

1. What is good about your current job?

No job is all bad. Remind yourself of the good bits - there are bound to be some. Are you forgetting these because of a particular problem somewhere in the job?

2. What brought you into this job in the first place?

You must have wanted this job once upon a time. Revisit the motivation that drew you in at the beginning. Does this still apply? Has your motivation changed so dramatically that this job no longer fits the bill?

3. What is bad about the job?

Make an honest list. What is it about the job that gets you down? If you take time to write these things down you may find that one or two aspects have got blown out of proportion.

4. What are the people like - your colleagues, managers and clients?

The people around you will have a big impact on your work satisfaction. Is there one problem person who is spoiling things for you? Are your colleagues great but the customers a pain? Or is it just a new manager who has made things difficult for you?

5. What is the organisational culture like?

Companies have a very particular feel about them. This can depend on the size of the firm or on the general purpose. Are they very high pressure and competitive or too slow and laid back for your taste? If your values do not align with the company ethos, it can leave you feeling very uncomfortable.

6. What is the location like - nice area, nice office?

Sometimes you will find that you are tempted to stay by the pleasant working environment you find yourself in. Nice view, smart office and so on. But this will not be enough if the work is boring or overwhelming. How important are these factors to you?

7. What is your journey to work like?

Commuting can be such a nightmare. It can add hours to your working day and be such a scramble that you arrive at work exhausted. Are there alternative routes you could travel? Could you negotiate a day a week working from home? If your commute is very stressful, it may be time to look for work closer to home.

8. What is the range of tasks and responsibilities like?

Are you overwhelmed with work or bored with not enough to do? Have you been given more and more responsibilities so that you can't see any prospect of getting on top of it all? Are you being asked to do more than you are trained or qualified to do or are you being underused?

9. What are your typical working hours like?

Is the suggestion that your hours are 9 - 5 a joke? Are you expected to stay late or take work home on a regular basis? Are you having to work shifts that play havoc with your social life? Or maybe shifts actually suit you because they give you flexibility?

10. What are your longer term prospects like?

Can you see any possibility of promotion or a sideways move within your company that could improve your situation? Have you asked? Are you stuck in a tiny firm where the only way up is out? Is promotion important to you or are you happy to stay at the same level, doing work you feel you can manage without too much stress?

And one more for luck - Are you paid enough to make the hassle worthwhile?

Money is not everything. It can help ease the pain of a stressful or boring job, but if the hours are long, are you actually getting the time to enjoy the fruits of your labour?

These questions should give you plenty to think about. If you can find enough that is positive about your job, you may decide to stay put for now. On the other hand, if you come up with long list of negatives and very few positives, perhaps you really should start looking, recession or no recession. How much of your life are you going to fritter away in a job that is driving you quietly round the bend?

If you decide the time has come to make a move, but you don't know where to begin, then I invite you to visit the How To Change Careers website, where you will find lots of advice and suggestions on career change. You can also pick up a copy of my free Career Change Blueprint which will give you the 5 essential steps to career change success.

From Cherry Douglas - Your Career Change Guide

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