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Making career changes are, sometimes, necessary. However, there are many pros and cons associated with such major decisions and, as such, each aspect should be seriously considered.

FAMILY CONSIDERATIONS
One of the most important factors which should be considered when thinking about changing careers is the impact it will have upon your family, especially if there are young children involved. Would you have as much time to spend with your family during the work week, as well as vacation periods? Would the level of stress you have at home increase or decrease? Would your family have to relocate if you were to accept a different job? Does your family support your decision to change careers or are you always trying to convince them the change is best for you?

PERSONAL CONSIDERATIONS
What is your level of contentment at your current job? What is the real reason behind your desire to change careers? Are there dreams you've carried with you which haven't been fulfilled - dreams which you believe the new career will help you fulfill? How hard are you willing to work to succeed? What sacrifices are you willing to make?

PRESENT COMMITMENTS
After having worked for a company for an extended period of time, your job becomes a part of you. If you've worked in a good, positive environment, your co-workers have become your friends and, perhaps, you see some of them as part of your extended family. To accept another job and work away from these people, even if your tasks are the same each day, can be like branching into the unknown.

STARTING OVER
Would the new job have any similarities to the one you currently have, or would it require you to completely start over? Would you be able to employ the knowledge you've previously gained at your new job, or would your new employer expect things to be done a certain way and expect nothing to follow you in the door? Regardless of how much knowledge a person possesses and how organized a person is, many employers prefer employees to start from scratch, as though they hadn't worked in such an environment before. Is this something you would be willing to do to accept a new job or would you prefer to make use of previous skills and knowledge?

If you change jobs, will you make good friends at your next job? What will your new employer be like? What hours will be expected of you? Will your work shifts be the same? What benefits will you receive? How much vacation will you start out with? The more you think about it, more questions arise, and you can't ignore either of them because each answer is important in making informed decisions about what is best for you, your family, and even your co-workers.

Ideally, we shouldn't want to change our loyalties to our employers and co-workers by accepting a job elsewhere. However, reality sometimes dictates a different scenario, especially when family, or personal, situations change. Regardless, such decisions must be made carefully especially if you are a long standing employee in your current place of employment.

Learn more about this author, Norma Budden.
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