When is it Time to Make a Change?

Statistics show the average person can expect to change jobs three to five times in his or her lifetime. The typical restaurant manager will do so even more often. One reason for all these career changes is that restaurant managers often don't make informed choices. Often times many restaurant managers end up simply working for the company that responded to their resume. Perhaps little to no effort was put into researching the concept’s growth potential, culture, direction, or style of management its leadership prefers. Even if you feel you did your due diligence in researching the restaurant concept you choose to work with it doesn't guarantee they are currently best suited to meet your career goals or to challenge your level of expertise. Following are some reasons you might consider leaving your current restaurant for a new one.

You Should Consider a Career Change If ...

* Your Life Has Changed: When you chose your current concept, your life may have been completely different than it is today. For example you may have been single then and now you have a family. The late schedule of a “bar hours” restaurant or the frequent travel that is typical of a multi-unit position may not suit your new lifestyle. You should look for a concept or position that is more "family friendly."

* The Growth Opportunity in Your Restaurant Has Worsened: Things looked promising for your advancement when you began working for your current concept. Due to changes in upper management, franchise development, or the region you work in, career advancement is not likely. You should look for a growing restaurant concept that has a better outlook.

* Your Restaurant is Too Stressful: While we are all built to operate best under a healthy amount of stress that pushes us to achieve, some restaurant concepts are inherently stressful. After a while that amount of stress can become too much to handle. To preserve your mental and physical health, you may have to find a company that is less stressful.

* You Find Your Work Boring: Once was the time you loved going to work everyday. You no longer feel that way. Now that you've been working in that restaurant for a while, you've climbed as far up the ladder as you can go, and you miss the challenges you once faced. A change to another restaurant can provide you with the challenge and opportunity you crave.

* You Want to Earn More Money: This may surprise you but money isn't at the top of the list when it comes to job satisfaction. Therefore, don't be surprised if a career that will bring you higher earnings isn't one you will find particularly satisfying. That said, if other reasons are leading you to consider a change, higher earnings may be something you consider, but certainly not all you consider, when you choose a new career. An immediate increase in salary is a short term benefit. You need to make a long term decision based on long term information.
Do your research. Ask the questions you need answered to make an informed decision. This is where a knowledgeable restaurant recruiter becomes very valuable to you. He or she can help you make sure the decision you make is the best one for you and your career.