A new year means assessing where you are job-wise and what’s your next step. How do you assess if it’s the right time to start looking for a better job? First evaluate what you’re missing from your current position before deciding on a new direction. Here are some things to consider:
Where is your current job/company falling short?
- The company’s results are bad – Poor company results usually means a concern for your future. Stress about a staff or pay reduction, being acquired by a competitor, or a reorganization can affect your performance and security.
- Key people leaving – Excessive turnover can play havoc on an organization. When decision-makers leave your company, it may mean a major overhaul. Unless your performance is above average, you are vulnerable.
- Innovation around products/services are lagging – When customers are unhappy, revenue begins to fall. The problem can be old products, poor service or bad pricing. Competition will fill in a void in the marketplace when a company doesn’t innovate.
- The company forces incompatible policies – Remote work has restructured family life and work flexibility. Some workers can’t go back to an office environment due to childcare, schooling, or family issues. Lack of flexibility may force you to leave.
- The boss is not supporting you –The boss is critical to your current and future performance. How employees are treated is the number one reason good workers leave their jobs. A good boss is essential. A great boss is to be treasured.
What are you missing in your current position?
- You’re not growing new skills or experiences – Becoming stale or static in your current position leads to falling behind in the marketplace. The pace of change and technology is accelerating. You need to keep up or you may fall too far behind.
- Opportunities are near zero – Sometimes others are being promoted around you, the company isn’t growing, or no one is retiring. Other times when someone leaves, the job is integrated into other jobs or expanding your job without a title or pay.
- The culture of the organization prevents high performance – The second most stated reason to leave a job is an incompatibility within the organization. It can be an autocratic management style, or an uncooperative work environment affecting you.
- Your interests or goals have changed – Your original career goal may shift over time. You may need to move to another industry, company or job. The earlier the better. Procrastination doesn’t help. Or, you may find you can’t keep up with the requirements of the job. Move to something new as soon as you can.
- You can’t get energized – You feel burned out and can’t motivate yourself to perform equal to your abilities. This lackluster behavior is obvious to those around you. It may affect your family, but definitely puts you in an exposed position with your boss.
Having to look for another job should not be forced upon you. But there are conditions where you need to take action.
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