Is the time right to change your job?

Few things are more soul destroying than sticking with a job or career that looms ahead like a never-ending dark tunnel. While it’s true that attainment comes along effortlessly with some jobs, with others it can take some time; it may never come in some cases, no matter how hard you try.

Switching to a new job is the right step to take if you are getting frustrated with your job. Sometimes you may not even be aware that you need to quit your job – even when the symptoms are evident. Here are the signs you should watch out for:

Everyone has bad days at work. We’re only human. We may have days when our jobs are unexciting, colleagues are annoying, or it’s overall just too stressful. We can start to daydream about abandoning it, even checking out job sites to see the available options. It ends up being a very strong conclusion – when should one just quit and move on?

There’s a lot of advices from experts on the subject, and it’s often contrary. Some advice says, unless it’s affecting your mental wellbeing, you should stay the course to build your career and be more stable and progressive. Others say that the landscape has improved, and tenure has no correlation with stability and work life balance. Nowadays the typical time people stay in a job is only 4 years – it’s come down because we have younger work force.

It’s seen as ok to be “job-hopping” when people are exploring their opportunities and are still young. However, it has a stigma for an experienced and older professional as they are expected to show stability and advancement. Beyond the number of years you should stay in a job, there are many other aspects to consider.

Gallup research shows that the top predictors of turnover are: “a bad direct manager, poor job fit, co-workers not dedicated to quality, unsatisfactory pay and benefits, and a lack of connection to a broader purpose.”

All of these aspects with the exclusion of pay which is quoted more often from those who are already disengaged, encompass the need to do great work. When we are not allowed to do work that we believe in, that pushes us, and that’s evocative in some way, then we’re going to lose satisfaction. There are certain motivating factors that make us happy at work, rather than simply tolerating our job.

  • Over and above those points, there are decent reasons to leave your job, no matter how long you’ve been with your present employer.
  • Your job is affecting your health and causing extreme stress
  • There’s no scope for advancement
  • Opportunity to upgrade your skillset are not available
  • There is a fear of losing your job
  • You’ve mentally zoned out
  • Another company offered you a better deal
  • You didn’t like what you were doing
  • You have other life objectives you want to achieve
  • Your old boss left the organization and you don’t “vibe” with your new boss
  • You’ve been working towards a promotion that has never come
  • You are overqualified and/or under-utilized
  • You’ve had personal issues to deal with

The ideal job is one that makes you cheerful and gratified. It should convince you that you’re really following your calling. Earning less with such a job is far better than earning more with a job you have no passion for.  If you sense that money is the only motive for sticking with your job, then switch to a more fulfilling one as soon as possible!

Rushing out to find a new job is not always a worthy idea. Feeling frustrated with your current roles and responsibility might make you want to catch the first opportunity that comes to you, but it might not be the right choice for you. I have inline below some bad reasons to change your job:

  • Job jealousy with your friend or colleague
  • Boredom with the current Key Responsibilities (KRA)
  • Feeling overworked
  • Having a bad day or week
  • Disliking co-workers
  • Feeling undervalued

This post (excluding images) is 100% unique in nature. Some reference materials have been considered during the writing exercise. Kindly share your feedback in the comment box below.

 

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