When Is the Right Time to switch your Job? Thoughts to Navigate Career Transitions

One of the biggest dilemmas I’ve seen throughout my 25 years in the IT industry, both in my own career and through multiple conversations with colleagues is the question - “When is the right time to switch your job? ”

There is a lot of conventional wisdom. People tell you it is better to quit the place you are at when you are peaking, or wait for the right opportunity to come knocking at your door. That's not always true, though. There is never one good reason to leave a job. Instead, it's something which has to be nurtured from within, built more on intuition and experience. Finally you are responsible for your decision.

Thus, as I go down this lane of questions over the weekend, not just for others, but also for myself, I find it to be a very complex decision making process. So what I have done is to break this complex problem into few simple questions to find answers. That I believe is my best attempt to unravel this dilemma and offer some suggestions to those of you considering a career change. One disclaimer is that I am not a human resource expert. There is no science into these and it is purely a pragmatic view. ?

• Are you growing ?

One of the clearest indicators that it might be time to move on is whether you’re still growing in your current role. While this comes as the ask from most of us we need to have a clear indication of what growth means to us. First and foremost growth is not only about moving up the ladder. It’s about learning new skills, taking on new set of challenges that stretch you, and having the opportunity to make a greater impact to your organization.

The question we have to ask us continuously is whether am is still being challenged? Am I learning, or am I stalled ? For all of the senior leaders, growth often isn't just about developing technical skills, but clearly it is about strategic influence, thought leadership, and one’s ability to drive change within the organization, clients or industry. If you are falling behind in these areas then it is clear that you are no longer growing.

To me I’ve found that when I stop learning, I start to feel restless and worried. It is a call that something needs to change.

• Passion vs Obligation

This is a very touchy subject for most of the senior leadership roles. As you rise through the ranks of your career, it usually cuts with a strong sense of responsibility to the teams and projects you are handling as well as the organization itself. Normally we call this as moving with the tide. The big question is that should this sense of responsibility and belonging cost you your passion.

If so this symptom needs to be treated. When you are no longer excited about the work and there is a clear decline in enthusiasm to come to work and, somehow, feels lost in your work and amongst your peers then it's time to examine whether the role still aligns with your passions. Again I know that's not always easy. We're often driven by a sense of loyalty or the fear of leaving behind everything we've built or expressing this will bring in a sense of displeasure to the leadership. But please remember the most important person you need to be loyal to is yourself.

• ?Never wait for the 'perfect' opportunity to come to you.

Perhaps one of the most common misconception I came across is waiting around for the perfect job to come along and find you. Sure, sometimes opportunities just land at your feet, but most often than not, you have to go looking for them.

The best way is to not wait but instead make the market subtly aware of your readiness for the next role. There is a very high prospect of attracting the right opportunities if there is a strong personal brand and good contribution to thought leadership, as well as active networking in the medium.

Recently I got a chance to reconnect with one of my old colleagues who came down from USA for some other business meetings and this led to unexpected discussions about new market potentials.

• The Myth of Leaving at Your Peak

Many people think that bailing when a person is at the top of his game is what they should do. On one level, it is brilliant advice you have had the greatest success of your life, and you leave on a high. But is that truly the best strategy? Leaving in the peak might mean missing bigger opportunities or even a chance to make a greater impact. Can it not ? Some of the senior exits that I have come across hasn’t played well to this Myth.

The legacy matters, especially for those of us who are in leadership. Something to learn from the stock market too. What kind of impact do you want to have? Which initiatives haven't you completed? Are you walking out on something you built into? Maybe you're there at the peak and this is not the right moment to quit. It? may be the perfect moment to double down and make an even bigger difference.

• Balance between Financial, Emotional and Strategical

You either stay too long, or you switch too soon. Both of these has its pitfalls. But one thing is clear that you will drain your energy and creativity by remaining in a role that no longer satisfies you. And if you leave too quickly, you could end up missing such experiences and losing such stability.

When you do decide, evaluate that both financially and emotionally. Will the new opportunity offer that same sense of security that you have now, or does it put things at risk for you? What is your risk appetite levels ?? Are your reasons for dissatisfaction matters that can be resolved, or are deeper issues that say it's time to switch?

Personally, I always turn the question around in the form of -? Does my current job fit with my long-term goals? If not then its much easier, what do I wait for?

The Judgement

Now it comes to the judgement. To make this you really need to know the time to stop or switch. First and foremost the decision to switch has to be delinked from the emotional aspect and it has to be more pragmatic and strategic.

?Now you know the questions to ask yourselves..

?

1. Am I still learning and growing?
2. Am I in a role that will help me meet my long-term goals.
3. Is my work still fulfilling or am I only coming because of a sense of obligation?
4. Are there new opportunities for growth in the role that I am in today ?
5. Have I build a personal brand that I could leverage for opportunities?
6. Do I have a large network sizable enough to assist me in the search for that next job?

?In case the answer to most of these questions is "no," perhaps it's time to look around and start finding some options or changing yourselves.

Let me Conclude: ?There's no perfect time, only your time. As simple as it seems, the right time to switch a job does not exist. Timing is very much personal, indeed, it has to do with just realizing when your goals, growth, and fulfilment are no longer aligned with what you're doing. Realize when you've done everything you can within your role and are ready to face the unknown. So, whether you’re at the peak or just starting to get disturbed , trust your instincts and also balance it with facts. Never overreact to situations.?Finally you will know when it’s time to move on because the decision will feel right just for you.

Did any of you recently change your career or contemplate doing so?

What's your story? I would be happy to hear from all on how you approached this decision.