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Five signs it's probably time to move on to a new job
If your job seems to be getting harder and harder, either less enjoyable, or simply feeling more confining, then it might be time to look for new employment elsewhere.
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Despite all your long hours, or completion of assignments, nothing seems to motivate you positively into coming to work the next day. (Shutterstock/File)
Everyone has bad days at work, be it due to unforeseen circumstances or simply difficult assignments.
However, if your job seems to be getting harder and harder, either less enjoyable, or simply feeling more confining, then it might be time to look for new employment elsewhere.
According to CNN, there are several signs to look out for, which could indicate that it is time to move on from your current place of employment.
1. Lack of satisfaction
Despite all your long hours, or completion of assignments, nothing seems to motivate you positively into coming to work the next day. According to a community expert from Glassdoor, Sarah Stoddard, this might be due to your lack of feeling impactful over your job.
“When you feel like you are contributing to your company and making an impact [...] that is one of the main reasons people love working at a company,” she said.
2. Company core values vs your own values
“If you can’t really get behind the mission or you’re not relating to the people you are working with, or you are constantly disagreeing with how senior leadership is running the company then the company might not be a great fit for you," Stoddard said.
The mission and values of the company dictate its goals, all the way right down to the company structure, the jurisdiction, administration and drive the direction in which the work you do every day goes. If you cannot align or at least empathize with company values, then day-to-day work becomes tedious.
3. No opportunities to learn, no growth
“If you have a lot of ideas, find another outlet for them at the current company, first look at something you aren’t doing in your current organization to scratch one of those itches,” said the founder of career coaching firm Career Horizons, Matt Youngquist.
Career fulfillment is being able to acquire new skills and work around challenges that you may not have faced before. Being able to wiggle around within your company in order to share ideas and work on projects in ways you never thought of before or have never tried before should be part of your work experience.
Read also: Five attractive jobs using only a smartphone
“You need to be actively managing your own career, no one else will do that for you,” said career coach Dana Mayer.
When you have hit the peak of everything you can learn and achieve at a company, it can be difficult to stay motivated. Aim for a promotion every two to three years at the beginning of your career, Mayer advised. “If not, you’re getting left behind.”
4. Same salary every month
“By understanding your market worth, you can determine what a fair salary bump could look like for what you bring to the table at work,” said Stoddard.
You should track the current market value of your skills and experience that you provide to the company in order to ensure your salary matches what you are worth.
“For instance, for some industries, a 2 to 3 percent yearly salary increase may be the status quo, while others may average closer to 5 to 10 percent,” Stoddard explained.
5. Watching the clock or daydreaming
“The most reliable sign of whether someone is engaged in something is the passage of time,” Youngquist said.
How people spend their time at work is a telltale sign whether or not it is still the right place for them. Some people can spend a few minutes daydreaming, depending on the individual. However, if you start fantasizing about “what-ifs” or wishing you were somewhere else on a daily basis, then it might be an indication that it is time to move on.
Playing video games or having long conversations with co-workers just to pass the time is also a sign that you might not want to be where you work any longer. Counting down to when it is time to go home, instead of trying to be as efficient as possible by checking the clock to see how quickly you made progress is also something to look out for.
A temporary rut during a bad day is commonplace. However, if you feel the seconds ticking by, all day, every day and feeling downtrodden over an extended period of time, it might be because you have outgrown your current company. (acr/kes)
