The views of this article are the perspective of the author and may not be reflective of Confessions of the Professions.
Is It Time For A Job Change?
If you are feeling miserable every morning when you have to go to work, or if you are feeling totally disengaged in the workplace, then it might be time for you to start looking for a new job. Sure, the paycheck might be good, but if that’s the only positive things about your job, it’s better to leave sooner than later, because working a job you hate can affect you both mentally and physically. We have put together a list of 8 tell-tale signs indicating you should change your job. If you recognize yourself in most of them, then you should probably consider another job. Keep on reading for more.
1. Your Skills Are Not Being Used
One of the reasons why we enjoy our jobs is because we feel like our contributions are being valued, and our skills being made use of. That way, we realize our full potential, and we contribute to the company. But, if that’s no longer the case, you are going to start despising your job pretty soon. It doesn’t matter if the paycheck is still the same. If your are working on pointless projects or performing menial tasks day after day, week after week, it is no longer a job worth keeping.
No matter what kind of job you do, you should be able to receive regular and accurate feedback on your performance, so that you can improve upon areas where you are lacking and take further action towards becoming a better professional. However, if you are not getting any of this from your boss, or your manager, or if their feedback is too general and vague, you are never going to grow and better yourself.
3. You Are Stuck
This can mean a number of things. Stuck in terms of your salary, job position, or learning anything new, despite working hard and producing great results. Even if you are working for a company where promotions rarely happen, things like a small pay bump, being sent to an important conference, or landing a new project can help you feel like you’re advancing further. If your job doesn’t provide you with any of this, you are going to become disgruntled employee.
4. Feeling Exhausted at the End of the Day
There will be times when you’ll come from work completely spent, but if you are working on a project for an important client, that is to be expected. But, if you come after regular day at work during which you didn’t work much, and you are still exhausted, then you might be burned out. Fear of losing your job, work-related stress, poor workplace atmosphere, and physical fatigue can all contribute to this.
5. Not Getting the Respect You Deserve
As a person and as a professional, you can’t help but want to feel respected and appreciated for the work you do. Aside from getting promoted and earning more money, respect and recognition are the biggest motivators. In case you are spoken to inappropriately or humiliated, given impossible deadlines and tasks you should not be doing, it is time for you to put an end to it and turn in your resignation. No employee should be treated that way.
6. You Don’t See Yourself Working the Same Job in a Year
Try and imagine yourself working the same job for the same company a year from now. Does it seem like a dream come true or a nightmare? If it’s the latter, you should focus your efforts toward finding a new employer. Curiously enough, one year is how long it will take you to find a better job these days. If everything is right, you should be looking forward to your future with the company, not dreading it.
7. Work Is Taking Over Your Life
Keeping a healthy balance between the hours you spend at the office and your personal life is a crucial part of being a satisfied individual. Once your work starts cutting into your social life, whether it’s because you are taking it home, or worrying about what’s going to happen tomorrow at the office, you should stand up for yourself. But, if that doesn’t produce any results, and you are spending less and less time with your family, you should quit.
8. Difference in Goals, Expectations and Morals
If your goals and job expectations don’t match those of the company, or if there are moral differences between you and your employer, you are never going to feel comfortable at the office. If you feel like your set of principles would a better match for some other company, then you should by all means pursue a different job.
Getting a job these days is hard, but that doesn’t mean you should stick around if it’s affecting your physical and mental health. Some employers are even counting on that sort of desperate attitude from their workers. Always remember that you deserve better, and that the right fit is out there.
