A potentially life-changing decision isn’t one to be approached lightly.

If you’re stuck in a dead-end job that you hate with every fiber of your being, then it’d be pretty understandable for you to jump at the first opportunity you get for a new position. However, as attractive as new and better jobs seem at first, you need to carefully consider whether it’s the right move to make. Emotional health is important, and if your current job is sucking the life out of you, then that’s a good reason to seek employment elsewhere. Just take a few precautions before you start burning bridges.

Firstly, ask yourself what your motivation is for a new job. Obviously, the whole “I hate my job, it’s bleeding me dry” thing is an extreme example. If your current job is serviceable and pays okay, what’s your motivation for something new? Do you need more money for something? Has there been a life change that’s forcing you to find work elsewhere? Are you simply not where you want to be in your career? If you think a new position will give you something vital you’re missing in life, then that’s a good sign.

You do need to consider the practical elements of employment changes, however. Does this new job pay the same or more than your old job? If it pays less, can you live with that? A lot of people say they could make cuts to their lifestyle no problem, but in practice, it’s often harder than it sounds. If you’re going to go to the trouble of upending your life, it better be for a decent paycheck.

You also want to make sure you have the necessary skills for a new job. If there’s a particular career you’re looking to get into, you need some kind of proof that you’re capable. Usually, a degree is the best indication, but lacking that, you need practical experience, and lots of it. If you don’t have that experience or degree now, you might need to bide your time at your current job until you can get it together.

Changing careers can be scary, but it’s also hopeful. The reason most folks change jobs is because they want a little more out of life, whether that be in the fulfillment department or the financial one. As long as you’re aware of what you’re getting yourself into, it’s a path worth walking, thorny though it may be.