When trying to decide whether to change jobs or your career, often our judgment can be clouded with emotions like fear, guilt and self-doubt. It doesn’t need to feel like that. Here’s how to move forward in deciding when to change jobs, or when to simply make some changes…
By Katie Martlew
Three of the most common reasons to want to make a career change…
1. You feel like you aren’t progressing
You feel stuck, like you aren’t moving forward, or being given an opportunity to progress in your role in the company. You may have been doing the same tasks for the same pay, for too long.
Should you change jobs? Take a step back, and look at the situation rationally. While you are more likely to make more money quicker by changing jobs, money should never be the sole motivator to leave a job.
Take action: The best thing to do is to have a heart to heart with your boss that you are willing, and ready to take on more responsibilities. Prove to them you are capable of more. If they dismiss you or tell you they simply don’t have the work or resources to facilitate this, perhaps it is in your best interests to find a new challenge elsewhere.
2. You aren’t being respected
You feel as though your skills aren’t being respected, or that your employer doesn’t recognise your value to the company. You’re feeling undervalued and dispensable.
Should you change jobs? remove any emotion from the situation, and try to look at it analytically. Are you really contributing to the best of your ability? Are you fully proving your value to your employer through your work? If you admit you’ve been a little lax, get into gear and start working harder for their respect.
Take action: Use their tendency to be dismissive as a motivational factor to improve yourself. If you find you are already going above and beyond the call of duty and still aren’t getting the respect you deserve, gently let your employer know how you’re feeling, and if no resolve can be made, it’s probably in your best interests to start looking elsewhere.
3. You’re bored
You aren’t feeling at all challenged anymore, or you find yourself lazily watching the clock all day long, without a shred of motivation to get even the most menial tasks finished.
Should you change jobs? Research suggests that the typical worker fully masters a job over the course of three years, after that, the pace of industry-focused learning and skill mastery slows. They suggest after that point, a job change resets and recharges the process, refreshing the brain and giving you an opportunity to learn and grow. This isn’t a hard and fast rule though. Just make sure it’s really your job that you’re bored with, and not your life in general.
Take action: First, you need to speak to your employer and let them know you aren’t feeling challenged. Always try to exhaust all areas of opportunity in your current role before thinking of jumping ship. If after analysing the situation, you still can’t see any way to build on your skill set without changing jobs, it might be your cue to step out of your comfort zone, and start looking elsewhere.
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