Is it time for a new job?

Is it time for a new job?

Sometimes—often actually—you can find yourself starting to moan that little bit more than usual about something in your life. This is totally normal­—healthy even. It doesn’t necessarily mean that you are unhappy. It may simply be passion; taking something for granted; or might just be part of daily life—in the bigger picture, you might be very satisfied.

This is where I wanted to set the scene because the challenging part is to then identify the difference between this state, and a state where something has become stale and the moaning has reason and relevance telling you to make a change.

A common time this can happen is in your career. When you have been in a role for a number of years, things can become very ‘comfortable.’ That is not to say unchallenging, it is simply to say that you know where you stand. When you wake up in the morning, you know where you are going (generally speaking), who the people are going to be (maybe they’re even your friends), and you’re confident in your ability and activities. You know your product, industry, service and company—hell, you might even be an expert.

This sounds great right? Well, sometimes, we are actually in danger of jeopardising our career progression, wider experience and even self-worth.

So, how can you identify the signs and when it might be time to move onto pastures new?

1.       Your time of service with the company, and how your role is reflected: so, you have been with a company now for two years. Do your role and responsibilities currently reflect the work you are doing? If not, what are you doing proactively to make sure objectives (business and personal) are in place to allow you to take the next step to promotion? What evidence do you have to support your progression? Are you receiving support from those mentoring you, and are they looking into this? Take matters into your own hands and be confident in your own worth.

2.       Support and career development: you are currently at the stage you think you should be, and your job title reflects your responsibilities—great news. Now, how do you develop to the next stage? Have a plan in place with where you want to be next and how you can achieve this—what new skills do you need, what support will help you, what type of experience will be beneficial?

3.       Your value and worth: this can be an unfortunate one, but oh, so common. You are doing a job – well – and those above you don’t recognise this. If you are starting out in a new role, or with a new manager, give them some time. Hard work often pays off, resulting in reward and appreciation. But be wary of time! If you have been working above and beyond for a while now without any recognition, reward or benefit, it might be time to realise that things just aren’t going to change. Consistently going above and beyond can be admirable, and something that a lot of people don’t do. Doing things for people and for the company for recognition should not always be your number one priority—however, just be wary if you are always that go-to person, and the person who excels without any appreciation.

4.       The feeling of dread on your way to work: this seems like an obvious one, but can sometimes be disregarded. We’ve all been there when the alarm clock goes off in the morning at what feels like the crack of dawn. All you want is for it to be a dream and to be on your merry way back into a deep sleep—I’m not a morning person if you can’t tell already. This is a very normal feeling (right?) and definitely doesn’t mean you dread work. What does need to be addressed is when you are on your way and have negative feelings about your day already and what lies ahead. If you don’t have love for your job anymore, then it is time to look at your options. It is said that 90,000 hours are spend at work over a lifetime—now that is far too long to spend unhappy.

A tricky part is when you love your job, but the first three factors come into play. At this time, it is a case of deciding: will I be appreciated elsewhere? And have I plateaued, needing a new challenge?

When you begin to identify these problems and realise it is time to move on, this is when it becomes a whole other story: the thought of saying goodbye to your role, your company, your friends; the apprehension of getting to know a new team; learning a new skillset; and proving your worth in your new role.

This is a time of uncertainty, but do you know what? You did it! You have made this decision, and you now have your time to own it and to allow yourself to shine. Change is hard, but change is good. It is refreshing, and it can bring amazing new opportunities.