Do you ever feel unhappy at your job and you don’t know why? In your mind, if the salary is sufficient and the commute is tolerable than you may not feel you have no reason to even be looking, but that is not the case.
As the new year approaches, many of us start to consider where we are at in our lives compared to where we were a year before. More specifically, where we are at professionally. Many people start to wonder if by this time next year, they will even be at their current job or whether it’s going to work out for them. Of course, there could be a million reasons to leave your job, however, many people don’t recognize them or simply ignore them. Some people are fearful of leaving their job or don’t want to go through the hassle of finding another one; but why stay in a place where you’re making little progress or feel stuck? According to Tech Republic and Forbes there are quite a few reasons to leave your job, here are the most notable:
1. You know you aren’t performing to the best of your ability.
Whether it be from burnout or loss of interest in your job, not performing to the best of your ability is a major sign it’s time to leave. Knowing what your potential is and not being able to reach it can signal that you’re simply not motivated and perhaps your time with your employer has come to an end.
2. You can’t picture your future with your current employer.
It may seem hard to look into the future; however, your job should be seen as a constant in your life, a place of stability. If you’re having trouble seeing yourself working with the same people at the same place, it may be time to explore your horizons. For example, if you’re in the automotive field but have a true propensity for robotics, why stay with your current employer? It’s clear that the future you desire doesn’t align with where you’re at.
3. You take inventory of your job’s pros and cons… and the cons win.
A pros and cons list is a perfect way to take stock of your situation at your current job. Taking inventory of the pros and cons of your jobs should be about many factors, not just the basic. Thinking about more than just salary and location is critical, for example how well do you fit within the company culture, or, do you feel valued in your place of employment? There will always be downsides to working at any job but there will always be upsides as well. That being said, if you’re in a role that you’ve grown out of, the negatives may start to outweigh the positives.
4. You can look for ways to improve your current situation, but you can’t turn it into what you really want.
If you’re unsatisfied with your current working situation, your first instinct may be to start thinking proactively by coming up with strategies to make your situation more tolerable. This can be a challenge though if you can’t seem to implement these strategies, and leave you feeling hopeless. Having some level of control over your situation in your job is healthy and shows that you have agency.
5. Your skills are lagging, and your position offers no opportunities to update them.
Your job should be more than a place you work at, it should be a place of growth. You should be able to grow in your position and expand your capabilities, but if you feel stagnant in your skill set, or feel as though you are lagging and not keeping up with the industry you’re in because of your job, it may be time to leave. Say you’re an Engineer and you want to stay up-to-date in your software programming skills, but your company doesn’t provide the most updated software packages, which hinder the right venues to apply those skills. You may feel stifled in that you can’t develop yourself in the ways that your competitors may be developing themselves.
6. Your job puts a strain on your personal life.
A job should never put a strain on your personal life, so one needs to evaluate whether their job is conducive to their lifestyle. For example, you may want to reconsider your job if you are traveling 90% of the time and it’s taking a toll on your personal relationships. Another instance is if you work incredibly long or unusual hours this will take away personal time or strain your personal life in general. It’s important to consider how your work opportunities affect your personal life and how comfortable you are with that. Striking up a good balance between work and personal time is essential!
7. The environment is tainted with extreme toxicity, including your boss and colleagues.
If you are working in a place where there is extreme toxicity, leave. Toxic environments will lead to toxic individuals. You can’t change your co-workers or bosses and if these people are toxic, it can feel draining just to be around them. This will put you in a negative headspace, which is the last place you want to be in at your workplace. You spend so much more time and effort and your place of work, it’s vital that the environment you’re in is not unhealthy.
8. The outcomes that you’re working towards feel meaningless or negative to you.
If you feel that the goals you are working towards are meaningless, it can feel like you’re working for no reason and incredibly reduce your motivation and productivity. It’s important to set goals that you want to meet and truly care about. If you feel that your end goals feel insignificant, it may be an indicator that the job you currently have is frivolous to you.
9. You’re unhappy almost every day doing this work.
Listen to how you feel. If you’re not feeling happy in what you’re doing, why do it? Why work at a job that doesn’t gratify you or fulfill you to some capacity? Happiness may the last thing you think of when it comes to evaluative criteria for staying with your job, but happiness matters. You spend more time at work then your do practically anywhere else, so if you’re job is leaving you feeling unhappy, that’s most of your time and most of your life spent on unhappiness. Value your happiness and take your skills elsewhere if you find yourself truly unhappy.
10. This.
If you’re reading this, this is a sign. You’re obviously looking for some reason to validate how you feel about your job and the potential of leaving it. Go with your gut and listen to what you truly need.
Conclusions:
If you find yourself recognizing some of these signs in your life, it may be time for a change. It may be easier to ignore them, but these are telltale signs that your job is not the best fit. Don’t let complacency take over, keep looking to climb up the ladder and achieve your career goals with AMJ Staffing. Contact us today at (734) 744-9894.
Sources:
https://www.techrepublic.com/blog/10-things/10-signs-that-its-time-to-look-for-a-new-job-140052/