Time for a job change? Here are some signs

Overworked businessman sitting at his desk [Courtesy]

A time comes in your career when you feel you don’t fit in the company’s culture and want out. You feel you’ve outgrown your roles, and want to explore new challenges elsewhere, or the job was not really what you really believed it to be. And you begin to detest it.

But when is it the right time to quit? Let’s look at some signs that tell you’re about to quit that job for another.

You don’t like going to work

After that weekend relief from that work environment, it is a Monday morning again. The alarm wakes you, or your brain has been programmed such that you’re wide awake at a set time. You give that ‘ugh’ sigh as you’re reluctant to push away that blanket and prepare for work. That’s a sign you don’t like your job or you’re uncomfortable with it. This is the time to start evaluating what it is with that job that upsets your Monday moods. Could it be that co-worker or some unaccomplished task? Could it be that workplace monotony driving you up the wall? Maybe your job offers little opportunities for growth but before you consider resigning and looking for opportunities elsewhere, talk with your boss about your situation. It could be that the job is not that bad, but that you’re the one not fitting well.

No career progression

You have been stuck in that job position for a long time. Some people can be comfortable stuck in the same place if there are other benefits that come with it. There is a disadvantage of being stuck in the same place, however. You are not enhancing your skills or adding to your value as an employee. You see others around you getting promoted and being entrusted with big responsibilities while you’re still stuck there doing the same old thing year in year out. If your job has no room for career progression, it’s time you consider looking for another one.

Payment

Money worry affects almost everyone. But if you’re worried about finances all the time, it means you’re being paid less than your expectations. And this worry is evident for those who have worked for the organisation for long but still receive the same pay throughout – with a negligible inflation adjustment occasionally. They feel they are doing too much for the employer and getting little for their efforts. But it should not always be the case – you can request to speak with the management and make a well-prepared argument as to why you need a pay raise, and then ask for an evaluation. If the organisation feels you’re not eligible for a pay raise, you can start looking for another job where you’re paid commensurate with your workload. You’re not being done a favour.

You’re bored stiff

We all like facing and solving new challenges at the workplace. But your job doesn’t offer any challenges, and you go about it with total boredom or simply going through the motions. You have tried to discuss it with your boss but you don’t get listened to. Boredom can be a sign you’re not doing what you wanted to. How do you get through that boredom? Stealing your employer’s time logged to social media, or playing those computer games and checking the time wishing the day to end fast? Boredom could be a sign you want out.

Feeling used

You are that early bird - the first in the office and the last to leave. You have more workload on your desk than your colleagues every day, yet you’re in the same job description. Your boss could be the toxic kind that demands more from you. No matter how you strive to deliver, the boss feels you’ve not done much. You want out of this unappreciative job and look for one where you’ll feel appreciated.

Lack of interest

How does it feel to be in a job that doesn’t meet your goals and personal interests? The job may be well paying but not satisfying. It also doesn’t make you maximise your potential. Some other areas of your life can be affected as well with the same apathy. There is nothing worse than being in a job you’ve no interest in and that dims other areas of your life.

Too many challenges

While work challenges are good in the way they help one to hone their skills and grow in their careers, too many hindrances may not be that good. You find yourself with more challenges than you can handle on a daily basis. They will begin to wear you down or aggravate stress, including affecting your health in the long run. Your job description may have prepared you for some challenges, but you are not that well prepared for the daily overwhelming ones. You think of quitting for a less challenging job.