10 Signs It's Time to Consider a New Job

Regardless of your accomplishment in life and your career. There is a time in life when everyone fantasized about a career change, because of a sincere desire to explore new things, or a pull to validate your self-competency and overcome a harbored dilapidating feeling of self-doubt, anxiety, or fear. 

According to LinkedIn reports 25% of its members are active job seekers, while 60% are passive job seekers – these are not proactively looking for a job but willing to explore the right opportunity.

According to Talent trends research 85% of the fully-employed workforce around the world consider themselves passive candidates, with 12% actively looking, 13% casually looking few times a week, 15% reaching out to personal network, 45% actively engaged with recruiter while, 15% of the workforce are somewhat satisfied with the current job. Across the globe from China to Australia, 78%-90% of the workforce are passively looking or are open to hearing from you.

 In a digital era, people are incredibly sensitive to market shifts and the state of the economy. Passive job seekers know when to start seeking new opportunities versus when to stay put. Entrepreneurship success has become a beacon of hope for many people who want to control their destiny.

However, we know quite well, the many painful days, sleepless nights and high rate of failures experienced by thousands of inspiring entrepreneurs. The journey to success is possible but often takes a very long time in the making. 

The rate of people leaving their jobs voluntarily is increasing by leaps and bounds.

According to The Gallup organization’s research 80% of people perception of a company is influenced by the person direct manager. 70% of people that left their company did so because of a breakdown in their relationship with their direct manager. Conversely, behind every happy employee, you will find a great manager lurking in the shadows.

With a healthy economy, people are calling it quit more so than any time in the past. 

Quitting your current job could sometimes be a good thing for your career, as well as a good thing for the economy in general. Higher quit rate prompts individuals wage growth and forces competitors to enhance their offerings to attract high-grade talent.

A good economy encourages the movement of talent, and lousy economy forces everyone to stay put. This economic movement allows seasoned employees to get exposure to new methods of learning, enhance development, growth, and execution, while new hires get a chance to their first job learning experience. 

A new job, often means a new beginning, a fresh start to prove one's worth. However, naturally, people are pre-wired to fear and avoid change whenever possible. That is the main reason why people cope with a job they despise. 

Many studies have indicated that career changes are primarily driven by emotions more so than rational dynamics. People value long-term job stability to plan the future. Conversely, managers want to hire reliable people that can contribute and grow the company bottom line.

Inversely, people want to work for companies that value their contributions and provide the opportunity for career growth along with proper compensation that commiserated with one level of output. 

It's hard to leave a job, no matter how annoying or uninspiring it might be. People by nature tend to clench the things that are familiar, even when harmful. Instead, venturing into something unfamiliar.

Everyone knows that job security is a crucial component of productivity, peace of mind, and quality of life. But, there comes a time, when change is a must.

A study conducted by the Department of Economics at the University of Warrick found that happy employees are 12% more productive than average workers, and unhappy workers are 10% less productive, costing the American business more than 300 billion each year.

You should consider a career switch under the following conditions:

•     You're on the wrong job. A statistic from New Century Financial Corporation found that non-engaged, unhappy employees at a banking company produced 28% less than those who were engaged.

Conversely, happy employees outperform the competition by 20%, earn 2.1% above industry benchmarks and manage to solve difficult problems much faster.

If you genuinely dislike what you do every day. Not because it's hard, but rather because it rubs you the wrong way and you don't see a future doing the necessary tasks. Then it's time to start searching for another job that aligns with your values.

People live in a constant state of instability. One cannot perform his best when your job stability is on shaky ground

•     You cannot handle the stress requirements. You realize the pressure of the position is affecting you mentally and physically, and it's ruining your family life. If your job is stressful to the level to make you sick, then its time to accept that maybe you are not ideal for this type of situation. It's time to move on.
•     You are depressed. When you are dreading to wake up in the morning on Monday to go to work, or you get depressed every Sunday by the idea of going to work. Conversely, when you are doing a job, you honestly hate, in an environment that you despise with every fiber of your being.

Some settings are not only destructive but toxic. If you can not tolerate your job environment, start spending every minute you have looking for a more suitable position. It's time to call it quit. You will do yourself and your employer a great deal of good.

•     You're not learning. Aside from financial gain, a job should stimulate your mind with a clear mental growth trajectory. Progressive evolution is paramount in any position, as well as mental stimulation and new experiences.

Excellent work environment allows individuals to feel part of something that add-value to the community, company, and humanity. Stagnation, lead to inertia, and demotivation, which lead to loss of confidence, self-doubt and mind atrophy.

If you are not stimulated, or not growing, then you should consider an environment that promotes new experiences, inquisitiveness and mind growth through creativity and collaboration with peers seeking the same outcome.

•     You don’t fit in. Despite your exceptional skills, if you don't fit within the organization structure and way of doing business within the first six months. Then, your likelihood of staying on the job is very slim.

You certainly do not want to work in an environment where you feel like an outsider. People love to be appreciated for their efforts. when no one notices your contributions, it makes you feel as though you don’t belong.

Sometimes people ignore you because you bring unique talent that exposes their inadequacies, or you work ethics exposes their inefficiencies, sometimes it may be your ideas and thought-process is not aligned with the company philosophy and standards.

Be realistic seek someone you respect thoughts on your the matter. Then, if you feel despite your best efforts, you don’t fit within this corporate culture, you should consider another opportunity somewhere else, where you may the right fit.

•     You are stagnated. If you find yourself unstimulated, uninspired by the job. You function on autopilot; the position is becoming too dull and incredibly uninspiring. You cannot affect change nor foresee future improvement. Additionally, when an organization puts a freeze on raises and promotions for an indefinite period of time.

Then, it’s time to find a job that entices you to perform at your highest level. If you are not stretching every day, you are underperforming at the position. You live once, your value-add matters.

•     You're only working for the money. You may put up with an unrewarding job for financial reasons. However, it will do you more harm than good. Being in an environment that is demotivating is tough on your psyche and your physical well-being.

You are better off making less money doing a job you enjoy more, where you are thrilled to tackle challenges, learn and grow. Financial rewards should be a byproduct of doing something exceptionally well, rather than to meet financial obligations that bring you little or no joy.

•     You don't get along with your boss. As the adage goes. People join companies, but they quit their bosses. 75% of working adults experience high stress dealing with their direct manager.  Many managers forget to celebrate individual wins but remember to emphasize personal defeats.

Failure to create cohesive, supportive team of independent thinkers can sink morale. Employees, mental fatigue is often not caused by the amount of work, instead of by the worry, stress, and frustration generated by the manager leading to resentment and job abandonment.

•     The company is on the shaky financial ground. Your job security has everything to do with the financial health of your company. Do your research, monitor the financial state of your department and company. Start looking for a job the moment you feel the company is heading towards a downhill spiral. Jump ship early, before the whole thing collapses.
•     Merger and acquisition.  You will need to evaluate your position, brand, and repute along with the new management past-behaviors. Redundant posts are subject to termination. Be smart, s evaluate current situation, reflect, draft a plan and act on it.

Here is what you need to do before quitting your job!

• Work on several versions of your resume.
• Get your finances in order. You should have at least six months’ to one-year savings.
• Do your homework. Be over-prepared; you should be remembered as the ideal candidate for the job. Be intelligently provocative to get a second interview.
• Set an ambitious game plan, work on your job search at minimum four hours per day.
• Find mentors that can share with you valuable insights and provide search guidelines.
• Get Going, finding a job is a job on itself. Act like you are desperate, while you have an income.

Conclusion

There are many other valid reasons to consider looking for another job. Work-life job balance harmony, economics needs, corporate and industry changes. As Napoleon Bonaparte said, “Men are moved by two levers only: fear and self-interest.” Whatever is your reason, have faith, decide and move forward.

Healthy corporate cultures prepare their employees through innovation and continual education for jobs that cannot be defined yet. Organizations that encourage their employees to learn, grow and develop tend to have the highest level of employee job satisfaction, creativity, and output.

Thanks for reading!

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