Five Considerations Before Upgrading Your Career

Just when you got Windows 7 figured out, Microsoft shakes things up with Windows 8. Instead of a few changes, nothing looks the same. Even the “start” button is gone. With Microsoft’s 93% market share of desktops and laptops, there are going to be a lot of workers taking a giant step back from expert or competent level to beginner. Why the drastic change? Microsoft had to innovate to keep up with the competitors like Apple and Google, who have taken over the mobile market. With people passing up desktop computers for touchscreen iPads and smartphones, Microsoft had to innovate or be left out of tomorrow’s digital market. 

Making such a drastic change was a huge risk for Microsoft, said John Ludwig, a former Microsoft executive in an article in the New York Times, "Fresh Windows, but Where’s the Start Button?" Microsoft had to make changes to remain a player. “Doing nothing was a strategy that was sure to fail,” he said. 

If you’ve been looking for a job for more than six months, your skills and experience may no longer give you an edge or even allow you to compete in a fast-changing job market. If companies make the switch to Windows 8, even one more month or two could make your PC skills out-of-date. Like Microsoft, you’ve got to innovate and make some changes to stay in the job-search game. Do you take a huge risk and change career tracks, or make a few minor adjustments? Here are some things to consider before you make a change:

1. What can you change? You may not have the time or money to go back to get another degree or certification for a new career. You may also be close to retirement age and a change would put you at the bottom of the ladder without time to make it back up.
    
2. What will add value? Any change should increase your marketability or earning power. It should enhance your resume and make you more attractive to employers.
    
3. What’s the risk in doing nothing? Training is an investment, and when money is tight, it may be better to spend money on gas to drive to interviews than enroll in a class. Are your skills competitive as they are?
    
4. What are your options? There is a lot of free training online. Even Microsoft may offer free tutorials on the new Windows 8. You can learn and practice navigating and learning the new system while job hunting. Do the same to keep up with changes in your industry. With the Affordable Care Act making changes in health insurance, read everything available about the changes and self-educate to stay up-to-speed.
    
5. Time to switch? Some Windows system users will switch to an Apple rather than stay with Microsoft. Is it worth your while to put in the effort to stay current or a new version of your old job? It may be time to abandoned the old and take on something completely new. Start a business, or take some time to explore other meaningful ways to spend your time. You can try on a new career track by volunteering at a non-profit or community organization. Use your skills and knowledge as a consultant. Write that book you’ve had in your head all these years.

Sometimes, enough is enough. Windows is on Version 8, with a few other versions in between. Instead of hanging on to the past, it may be time to let go completely and grab on to something new. 

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