Time to Change Jobs? What to Consider First
Monday morning blahs aren’t unusual. The end of the weekend and the start of a workweek bring about a sense of regret and the feeling that it is a long way to next Saturday. It happens to everyone. However, if the Monday morning blahs last until lunchtime on Wednesday, perhaps steps need to be taken. Is it time to move your desk closer to a window? Would a brisk morning walk help? Or, is it time to change jobs?
Whether or not to change jobs is a huge decision! In fact, one of the biggest you will ever make. So let’s look at factors to consider before taking such a step. Answer these questions about your career and position. Together, we will find out if you need to change jobs, or just need to tweak where you are right now.
Is it the job or the commute?
Working five minutes from home is a blessing that most workers do not experience. Likewise, working two hours from home is a curse that most workers do not endure. Some folks love their jobs but find the commute wearing over time. If an examination of your blahs reveal that it is the trip in and out that bothers you, perhaps you need to change your home address, rather than changing jobs. On the other hand, if there is a new job, and it is closer to home…
What is the job culture at your potential new employer?
Do you know anyone who works there? What is the company’s reputation in town? Do their values align with yours? These are questions that can make or break your happiness quotient. Remember that there is more to happiness than the size of the paycheck.
Okay, but…
Yes, the value of your work should be reflected in the compensation you receive. Compare your salary offer to what you currently make. The number is not everything, but it should be commensurate with your talents and duties.
Don’t forget the compensation that is below the surface
No, we aren’t talking about being paid under the table (what are we, 15 years old?). We’re talking about the benefits that go along with salary. Make sure that you aren’t taking a step back when it comes to vacation time (often called PTO) or insurance coverage. Stock options and retirement perks may be on the table, as well.
How about the future of your old company?
Have things stagnated at your current job, or are there plans for growth and expansion, even in other departments? Try to project forward to see where the two companies will be when that time comes. It may be that patience is best.
Pernicious clock watching is another sign it may be time to change jobs
Above all, know thyself and to thine own self be true. Someone much smarter than Gildshire once said that, and it holds true for your job plans. If it is time to change jobs, know that you are doing it for the right reasons and the right goals. Conflict with a co-worker that is not your supervisor, temporary frustration, and employment wanderlust are not signals that it is time to change jobs. But, if this checklist leads you down that path, good luck and Godspeed to better things. You have what it takes to be a success in your current place of employment or at another job that more suits your talents. Gildshire knows you will make the right decision.
Conclusion
Let’s conclude listing clear signs telling that you need to change your job:
1. You frequently experience tension and fatigue: Although fatigue and work stress aren’t exactly uncommon creatures in the average organization, if you encounter them frequently, something is wrong. Your job should not only be challenging (even the best occupations may be stressful), but also gratifying. It’s time to look for greener pastures if all you’re receiving is the bad stuff.
2. You don’t have the same faith in the company as you once did: Job candidates frequently look for companies whose values align with their own. Generally speaking, not much can be done to restore it if the organization upholds those ideals over time, but there is a growing gulf between you and the institution.
3. You don’t feel acknowledged: You can begin to feel like a mere cog in the machine if your team and management don’t recognize your contributions to the organization’s objectives. And it’s never comfortable to feel that way.
4. Your emotions are becoming worse: If you find yourself having bad feelings about things that previously didn’t affect you, it’s probably time to quit your employment. That might be a symptom of burnout, which a job change can frequently alleviate.
5. You’re observing the time: If you frequently look forward to your time to clock out, changing employment to make your departure permanent is the next natural step. There must be something else out there that won’t make you want to flee every day.
6. You have to deal with a poisonous workplace: Bad supervisors and unwelcoming coworkers won’t improve your work ethic or mental wellness. Sometimes the only thing you can do to safeguard your general wellbeing is to move on.
There is more…
7. You rarely feel content: After a job well done, you may feel satisfied and wish to continue in your position. If you’ve lost that spark, it’s likely that the only thing keeping you employed at your company is your compensation, and that’s simply a short-term solution. A long-term fix may be a new employment.
8. You observe yourself becoming inert: If you decide to remain in your position because you feel at ease there, that’s one thing. However, your future success may start to look out of reach if you are stuck for years with no hope of moving higher. You can experience a lack of motivation and a desire for something fresh.
9. Your health is declining: If you work in a stressful atmosphere for a prolonged period of time, your physical and mental health are likely to deteriorate. You ought to think about switching to a company that doesn’t make you nervous.
10. Your own interests and capabilities don’t align: Let’s say your own career ambitions aren’t effectively served by the talents you acquire and employ at work. Unlikely as it may be, you’ll turn out travelling in a different path. You can get back on track by changing jobs.
11. Your personal life is being impacted by your career: Work-life imbalance can be a significant source of stress. Just as you wouldn’t want work-related concerns to interfere with your personal life, so should the two. Your balance can be restored with a new job.
12. You’ve developed beyond your current position: To put it simply, you’re prepared for better and bigger things. It’s time to look for new job chances and develop even further in your profession because your current employment has given you all the experience it can.