Half of workers fear they could be in the wrong job, study shows

The study of 2,000 adults found 25 percent of professionals would like to change careers, with eight in 10 aiming to do so within the next five years. But 40 percent would be willing to accept a lower salary to work in a job they were happy in, while 60 percent would work longer hours. Others would consider moving to another city (52 percent) or even another country (48 percent) in search of their dream job.

The study was commissioned by PeopleCert, which created an interactive quiz, to help you decide if you are currently in the right career.

Byron Nicolaides, founder and CEO of PeopleCert, said: “Having a satisfying job is incredibly important to our overall levels of happiness and self-esteem.

“But many of us feel trapped and unsure where to turn to make our jobs fulfilling – certification is the simplest route to a happier career.

“And having content employees has positive implications for employers too – because happy staff are the catalyst for a successful company.”

The research also found six in 10 are bored or dissatisfied with the current position.

As a result, the thought of changing their career enters their head eight times-a-month – a total of 96 times-a-year.

One half also believe they are lacking direction in their career and for 39 percent, their current role is simply a means to an end which ‘pays the bills’.

However, perhaps it’s not a complete job change they need as more than one in 10 simply want the chance to grow in their current position but believe they’d need to retrain.

In fact, a third fear they are under skilled in comparison to their colleagues and think they would be overlooked when it comes to promotions and other opportunities.

Further to this, 67 percent of those polled believe retraining could ‘reignite’ their career and as a result would consider learning new skills in their current role.

The PeopleCert study, carried out through OnePoll, also found the typical working adult has changed their career three times to date.

And the longest period of time they have spent employed at the same place is seven years on average.

Byron Nicolaides, from PeopleCert, the UK national winner of the European Business Award 2019 for the Inflexion Entrepreneur of the Year, added: “It’s never too late to change your career path.

“By simply investing in new certified skill set, you can enhance your CV and equip yourself with the tools you need to grow within your current job and potentially get a promotion.

“It’s important not to be rash if you do fancy a change however – weigh up the pros and cons of your current job, consider what you want from your career and see how your role matches up.”