The state of today's business world is fast-paced, constantly evolving and undeniably competitive. Having a successful career, regardless of what position you are in, is highly dependent upon several factors, including knowledge, confidence and finesse¹. Many people decide to change careers midstream for a variety of reasons, including wanting to try a new line of business, learning new skills or to make their resumes appear more marketable to hiring managers. Changing work paths can revitalize your career, increase your earning potential and help you secure the dream job you've been chasing. If not done carefully, however, a drastic job change can sabotage² your career. While the jury is still out on the perfect way to change careers, there are plenty of career-changing don'ts and career changes that you simply do not want to make. Here is a look at five career-changing mistakes that professionals should avoid at all costs.

目前商业世界的节奏非常快，竞争异常激烈。不论想在哪个行业取得成功，我们都要在以下三个方面努力：知识、自信和技巧。在整个职业生涯中，大家可能出于各式各样的原因要换工作，包括尝试新业务、学习新技能，或者让自己的简历更具吸引力。换工作是对职业生涯的再调整，是对个人职业梦想的追逐，也是提升个人收入的捷径，但如果这个决定过于草率，却很可能伤害到我们的职业生涯。目前还没有什么完美的跳槽宝典，但已经有不少人因为过于草率的决定而吃了大亏。下面我们来看看大家跳槽时常犯的五类错误。

Unclear or Indecisive Career Planning

模糊或犹豫不决的职业规划

One mistake that can significantly limit your career potential is not having a long-term goal. If you are switching career tracks frequently, or have no real direction in your career, you are not likely to get very far in your profession. Build upon the experience and education you already have, and opt³ for a career move in which you can apply your previous knowledge. Career goals, whether long- or short-term, act as a road map. Without clearly-defined goals, your career does not have much definition or depth. There are plenty of skills that are diverse and can easily be applied⁴ to a plethora⁵ of different careers. Make sure you have at least a general goal in mind before making any major changes. There are many organizations that can help if you don't have any idea what career path you want to take.

没有长期目标，这会限制你的事业发展。频繁跳槽，或者没有明确的发展方向，那不论在哪个行业，都不会走得太远。选择一份新工作时，要充分利用现在的知识积累和工作经验。我们的长期以及短期职业目标都是自己前进的路线图。如果没有明确的目标，你自然无法得到很好的发展。现在的工作岗位很多，不同岗位对应聘者技能的要求不同，因此在决定换工作之前，你要先有一个清晰的目标。如果还没理清自己的职业发展道路，那也可以去一些就业咨询公司寻求帮助。

Changing Paths Without Doing Your Homework

没做背景调查就匆忙跳槽

Another mistake that can cost you big in the long run is changing career paths without doing any homework or research. While the position may sound interesting and lucrative⁶, it is vastly important to fully research where it can take you and what training or experience you need to succeed in this field. Prior⁷ to changing career paths, make sure this is the route you truly want to take and that any assumptions you may have about the new career path are actually true. By fully researching the limitations and potential of different career paths you will also be helping⁸ to ensure that your career is not negatively impacted by a rash or ill-conceived decision.

跳槽之前没有作好功课，即没有进行充分的背景调查，这是另一个会导致我们的职业生涯受挫的原因。新职位听起来不错，薪酬也很可观。不过别忘了再去了解一下它的职业发展路径，以及要在这个领域取得成功，你都需要哪些培训和经验。跳槽之前，首先要确定新的职业发展方向是你想要的，而且你对它的期望也都是有事实根据的。只有充分研究了各条职业发展道路的优缺点，我们才不会因为某个草率的决定而影响未来的发展。

Making a Career Change out of Desperation

因不满而跳槽

Take a poll and ask your friends and colleagues if they are truly happy with their current positions and the state of their careers. Chances are that you are going to receive some feedback about just how unhappy they are in their professions. While it may seem desirable to escape a dead-end job that you are miserable⁹ in, it is not advisable to escape your profession completely based on that fact. Career changes tend to work best when you are at the top of your game in one profession and want to make a change to further your earning potential or knowledge base. Changing careers just to escape an employer you do not enjoy working for is probably not a good idea, because the chances are you will make a rash decision out of desperation.

我们不妨做个调查，看看身边的朋友是不是非常满意他们当前的工作。基本上，大家都会向你抱怨他们的工作有多不好。虽然放弃一个看似没什么发展的工作没错，但如果你纯粹因为这个原因跳槽，就不妨再多考虑一下。最明智的做法是在当前职位达到巅峰时离职，此时再去看看还有没有更好的机会，能增加收入，开拓眼界，还能提供更好的发展平台。单纯因为不喜欢老板就换工作，实在谈不上明智，而且这极可能是匆忙之下的草率决定。

Following the Money

一切向钱看

A major reason for anyone to have a career is to earn money to support his or her lifestyle and loved ones. Although money is the main reason most people work, it should not always be the deciding factor when changing careers. While the salary may exceed your expectations, it is important to research whether or not this career will take you to where you want to be. Changing careers based upon money alone may be a decision you later regret if you do not do the necessary research to justify¹⁰ the career switch. Make sure your new career path is something you're passionate¹¹ about. Many successful people found success by following their passions, and they did this by aligning¹² their work with their preferences. You will want to ensure that the type of work you will be doing and the amount of work you will have to put in will be worth the pay increase.

大部分人工作的目的都是为了养家糊口。虽然钱是大家工作的主要目的，但却不该是换工作时唯一考虑的因素。即使新工作的待遇很高，也要首先确定这条职业发展道路符合你的规划。单纯因为钱换工作，又没有做足背景调查，那后面后悔的几率很高。所以我们要首先要确定自己对这份新工作感兴趣。很多成功人士都说过，他们之所以会成功，就是因为自己对工作充满了热情，把工作看做自己的爱好。所以你需要保证你选择的是你喜欢的。此外相对加薪，我们还要考察新工作带来的压力会不会太大。

Taking an Entry-Level Job in a New Field

在一个全新的领域从零做起

You've spent years bulking up your resume and gaining important skills and knowledge to perform your job well. When making a career change, you want to make sure you can apply past skills and knowledge in your new job. While you may be desperate to make a change in your career, it is vital that you do not sell yourself short. Never opt for anything less than a lateral¹³ move. A lateral career move will allow you to maintain your salary and expertise¹⁴ level, while learning a new trade.

对于有工作经验的人来说，已经在这个领域做了几年，也掌握了不少相关的技能和知识，换工作之后还能用到这些最好。因此即使你急着换工作，也不要把自己给“贱卖”了。新工作，至少也要与当前的工作岗位保持平级。这样既可以保证现有的薪资水平，又能继续利用多年累积的工作经验，还有机会学习新知识。

The Bottom Line

小结

While there is no surefire recipe for success in the business world, there are plenty of pitfalls¹⁵ that professionals can fall into when changing careers. It is vital to consider each career move with care. Not only will your experience go on your resume at some point, but your work history is the backbone¹⁶ which your entire career is based off of. Smart business moves that build on your strengths, knowledge base, experience and personality make for a strong career, while poorly thought out career moves can sabotage all that you have worked so hard to achieve.

要在职场获得成功，没什么绝妙法门。在本文中，我们列出了大家换工作时可能会犯的一些错误，希望大家可以慎重对待自己每次的职业变更。毕竟除了你的知识和经验，用人单位也会考察你的整个工作经历。跳槽成功，我们可以充分利用自己的优势，扩大知识积累，增加工作经验，同时争取更好的薪资；但如果跳槽失败，很可能因此挥霍了多年积累的优势。