Sometimes it’s obvious when it’s time to look for a new job. Other times, it can be a hard call to make. If you have a nice boss and coworkers, enjoy the work you’re doing, and are comfortable at work, it may not be super obvious that it’s time to move on. There are a lot of reasons people leave their jobs and not all of them have to do with nightmare bosses or being drastically underpaid. These six signs will help you identify if it’s time to look for a new job.
The first few weeks of a new job are always so unnerving. That feeling of not knowing what you’re doing, forgetting names, and sitting through hours of training isn’t fun. It’s such a relief when the day comes that you walk in and know exactly what you’re doing, who to eat lunch with, and how to make your boss happy. But if a day comes when you’re a little too comfortable, you may want to find a new job. If you’re no longer growing and learning in your role, you can take steps at work to expand your role, can request time to devote to learning new skills, and can ask for a promotion. However, if you’re really feeling like you’ve gone as far as you can in your role, it may be time to look for a new job.
It can take time to realize you work in a toxic work environment, especially if you’re new in your career or have only ever worked at companies with a bad culture. If you dread going into work, avoid certain coworkers, and don’t feel like you have your manager’s support, you might want to look for a new job somewhere that prioritizes their company culture and who has some decent Glassdoor reviews. Seriously, don’t forget to check out Glassdoor reviews before an interview. While you should take the occasional negative review with a grain of salt, keep an eye out for consistent critiques throughout the reviews. If you notice a trend, there’s probably some truth to it.
No matter how good you are at your job, there may come a time when you feel like there is nowhere to go but up, but there is no “up” waiting for you. If you work at a very large company there may always be the potential for growth, but some smaller companies may not be able to offer that. If you’re at a small company that is growing every day, you may find you can grow with the company.But sometimes your growth may be faster than your company’s. For example, your manager may have the highest role in your department. If they’ve been at the company for ten years and show no signs of leaving, chances are you’ll be waiting a long time to move up to the next level. If you feel like your big chance is never going to come, you may have to find an outside opportunity.
This one will sting a little bit. Especially since it can take a long time to come to this realization. There are times where you may choose to take a lower salary than you deserve and that’s ok. Joining a startup with a lot of potential, having a better title that will boost your resume, or starting in a lower position when switching industries are all examples of perfectly valid reasons for not prioritizing pay. But if a day comes when you realize you deserve more pay and you’re not happy about it, then you need to stand up for yourself and go find a job where you feel valued and compensated fairly.
Once you’re on a career path, you don’t have to stay there. You can leave anytime you want and it’s never too late to change your mind. As you grow and as your career grows, you may discover you’re super passionate about a totally different industry or that you’d prefer to work in a different role than you currently do. If you can somehow find a way to pursue your new interests and goals at your current company, that’s great. You may be able to switch departments or pick up some new skills that will help you in your next job search. But there’s also no shame in making a major switch to an entirely new job.
Sometimes you have a job that isn’t horrible and it isn’t your dream job. You have nice coworkers and are paid fairly and even get summer Fridays. Despite the benefits, one day you may wake up ready for a change. If you’re feeling a bit bored and unexcited by your job, want to shorten your commute, or are just tempted by a new job opening at one of your favorite companies, it’s totally ok to make a change. It’s your career and you can refresh it whenever you want to.
Are you ready to make a major career move? Take our Leveling Up Your Career course first to make sure you get the most out of your next job search.
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