The Greener Pastures Career Trap: 5 questions to ask yourself before changing jobs.

I’ve heard far too often recently from friends and colleagues that they’re itching to make a career change and are sure they’ll get something better than what they have.

We've all been there. Staring at a job that feels like a deflated balloon – it used to be exciting, but now it just sits there, a little sad and small. Job boards are full of promises of fancy work environments and perks, and all of a sudden you’re fantasizing about newer and greener pastures and your current job feels like a dead end.

To be honest, I spent the first ten years of my career in this cycle of “what if the next thing is better” and though it was extremely informative, it was exhausting.

One thing I’ve learned, both from my own experience and those of my friends and colleagues, is that?sometimes, as the great Joni Mitchel wrote: you just don’t know what you've got ‘till it’s gone.

When we’re getting fed up with our jobs, or just enticed by the fancy ads, we’re sure we’ll have the same awesome conditions that we had in the previous job and somehow overlook some of the nuances in the new one—full-flex hybrid or remote work? Um, not as prevalent as you might think these days. Transparency and trust? Healthy feedback culture? Don’t fool yourself into thinking that that's the norm at every company.

So to help you make an educated decision that works for you, I put together some key questions to ask yourselves before getting excited and jumping ship into a potentially inferior situation that you might end up regretting.

1. Are you challenged in your work?

Do you have to push yourself to come up with solutions, to work on yourself and develop, or are you just walking on the hamster wheel? Challenge is the most important motivator.

2. Are you learning?

Do you feel inspired and like you take away something new from your interactions with your manager and colleauges? Or is it just the same ol’ stuff day in and day out? Learning should be a lifelong endeavor.

3. Do you feel valued and heard?

Does your voice matter, are you able to share feedback and do others recognize it as helpful and take actions accordingly, or do you feel like you have to keep it inside because “nothing will ever change anyway”?

4. Do you take pride in talking about your company and your work?

How does it feel when you are asked to explain where you work, what your job is and what kind of tasks you perform? Do you feel a sense of pride or accomplishment, or is it more “meh”?

5. Do the compensation, benefits, and work-life balance align with your personal goals?

Are you able to lead the life you want to lead, from a financial perspective and a work-life balance perspective? Your job should also be a means to an end and doesn’t have to define you.

My advice?

Finding a job that excels in every category is pretty rare. If you have the good fortune to find yourself in one that ticks every box above, stay put. There will always be compromises, but sometimes it’s just not worth the risk. Great opportunities like that are scarcer than you might think.

That doesn’t mean you should settle, if you are feeling that itch, have a talk with your manager, explore opportunities for growth within your current role. Sometimes, a simple change in responsibilities or a new project can reignite your passion.

Conclusion? The grass isn't always greener on the other side. Take stock of what you have, and if it works for you, well I say- “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. But, if those honest questions reveal a job that's truly draining your energy and motivation, then a well-considered career change might be in order.