Have I been in this job for too long?
10 signs that it’s time to get a new job.Read time: 7 minutes
Times change.
My father spent his working life with the same company until he retired a couple of years ago. But, nowadays, it’s almost unheard of for people to work for the same company from graduation until retirement.
There are many more opportunities, the market is changing and upward career mobility via company-hopping is much more common.
So, moving on is not problematic. The question is how do you know when it’s the right time for a career change?
It’s not always that obvious
For some of us, it’s obvious when is the right time for a new job. For others, it’s not that clear. It depends on how you think and feel about your job and your level of self-awareness. Some people reflect on a regular basis about their job and long-term career goals and they are constantly adjusting to keep things on track. With others, you need to point out that they’re ready for a new challenge because they are unaware of these signals.
I stayed in a role that I disliked less than a year. And even that was too much. If you are asking yourself way too often, ‘’What am I doing here?’’ and things just don’t seem right, maybe it’s time to leave.
Some of us can stay longer in a position we don’t like or where we are in our comfort zone. That can have positive and negative effects. It can influence our resistance and confidence, make us push hard and do the changes we need. It can also cause confusion about what do we actually want to do and how we should feel about work, and at work.
There are some signs that your job is not a good fit for you anymore. Let’s go through them together.
1. You’re not happy
You can’t ignore your feelings – they are showing your reality and you need to deal with them. If you are unhappy, depressed, negative, anxious, or feeling mistreated most of the time, that’s not good. In fact, that’s a sure sign you need to leave. If you don’t, you’ll spend the whole day fantasizing about leaving and your performance will suffer. It’ll also affect your personal life and eventually lead to burn out. Then the decision to go will no longer be in your hands – you need to leave before you are pushed.
2. You’re bored
You find yourself finishing up your work well before the deadlines and killing time till the end of the day. If you’re not growing or learning anything new, it might be time to consider looking for other opportunities. Also, if there are no more chances to develop yourself inside the company or to progress, you shouldn’t feel bad if you are thinking about jumping ship.
3. Toxic environment
This is addressing all the dimensions of your job – your boss, colleagues, leadership, lack of collaborative spirit. Maybe your team leader is misusing their power and bullying employees. Or your boss is encouraging bad behavior and blocking your development. Your colleagues are unprofessional and there are a lot of conflicts. Communication is poor, negative and disrespectful. You are feeling dumber, not good enough and you are questioning your self-worth. These are some of the red flags that point clearly towards the door.
4. Using the wrong skills / not having the chance to showcase your skills
You have the skills for the job but you hate using them. Unfortunately, what we’re good at is sometimes not the same as what we love doing. Alternatively, it can be that you have so many skills that are being wasted or not recognized, heard or valued by the management.
5. The passion is gone
The feeling of excitement is gone. It is okay to get used to your job and the environment but not to feel down or bored all the time. If your job is never pushing you to use your maximum potential, then you can become stuck in a rut. You spend a third of your day at work so, if you are just going through the motions, you will eventually find yourself unfulfilled.
6. Mismatch with the corporate culture
You feel like you don’t belong there anymore. Things changed since the day you started and now you feel like you would fit in better somewhere else. You don’t believe in the values of the company anymore. Somehow, all the outcomes that your job supports are meaningless to you and you don’t feel that you are adding value to the world. You just don’t believe in it anymore.
7. Your work-life balance is skewed
You are constantly overloaded and you just can’t find the balance between your personal and private life. You are working overtime often, bringing your work home and your social life needs life support. You are having more conflicts with your partner as they play second fiddle to your job.
8. Your job is affecting your physical health
If your work environment is unhealthy, it can have a negative impact on your physical and mental health. You are gaining or losing weight, you can‘t sleep, you are feeling stressed and your immune system is weak. It is normal to have a stressful day now and then but it shouldn’t be stressful all the time.
9. You didn’t get that promotion
You were promised promotion but somehow you didn’t get it. That can be a big blow to your ego and motivation. You can feel disappointed and even bitter if you think you were unfairly passed over for “your” position.
10. You dream about bigger things
Deep inside, you feel there is something more thrilling than your current role that you would like to try and do.
If you’re thinking about leaving your present position, it can be helpful to make a list of pros and cons of leaving/staying. Sometimes this exercise can give you a wider perspective and help reach a choice.
If you do decide that leaving your job is the right decision, have some options ready to ensure your transition is financially and emotionally easier.
Sometimes it’s rational decision and sometimes emotional, but starting over can be a great step.
There are many positions on the job market that could be more exciting for you, that you would love doing. Also, there are companies where you would be well treated and respected, achieve great compensation for your work, and be awesome.
And who doesn’t want to be awesome?
Are you getting itchy feet? Looking for pastures new? Send us an email, give us a call, or even pop into the People Place office for a coffee and a chat. We look forward to meeting you.
This post was written by Amra Jajetovic, certified Psychologist, Career Coach and Talent Recruitment Consultant at People Place
Amra joined the Group in 2016 as a Recruitment Support Consultant, and has been successfully working her way up to her current position. Amra is responsible for career coaching & consulting, recruitment strategies and talent delivery management . Working closely with managers across many disciplines within the employment market in the Czech Republic and Central Europe, ensuring recruitment quality delivery and client and candidate satisfaction is always at the highest standards.
Amra joined the Group in 2016 as a Recruitment Support Consultant, and has been successfully working her way up to her current position. Amra is responsible for career coaching & consulting, recruitment strategies and talent delivery management . Working closely with managers across many disciplines within the employment market in the Czech Republic and Central Europe, ensuring recruitment quality delivery and client and candidate satisfaction is always at the highest standards.
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