Building a career isn’t easy. It requires planning, hard work and belief in your ability to do the job. And sometimes, it requires taking risks.
By its very nature, risk taking implies that you can gain something—or lose something. And the thought of losing your hard-earned job, salary or reputation can be intimidating. Yet the truth is that if you don’t take risks, you might be missing out on important opportunities that could either help propel your career to the next level or make a career change that will increase your happiness
According to Forbes, there are several signs that you need to take a risk in your career
It’s important to understand that taking a risk doesn’t mean that you have to be reckless. Instead, do your research to get to know the lay of the land before making any career moves.
For example, if you want to reach the next level in your career, it’s wise to have a conversation with your supervisor to see what your options are before looking outside of your company.
Or if you’re in marketing but you’d prefer to work as a designer, take some tutorials and take on a couple of freelance gigs in the evenings and on weekends. Then, when you know what you’re getting yourself into, you can start taking some practical steps towards actually making that career change.
Taking risks can be just what you need to propel your career to the next level or to find the calling you love—but make sure you take calculated risks. Don’t burn any bridges behind you, and make sure that you always have something to fall back on.