When is it time to change careers or jobs?

Do you ever feel stuck in your career? Do you ever question if you are in the right spot or if there might be something better out there for you? God knows I have spent a fair amount of my career feeling that way and questioning my work existence. So how do you know if it is time for a change?  It took me about 20 years to figure out I was clearly in the wrong career. No offense to my past existence; this is not a diatribe against my former employers. The business I was in was good to my family and I am BLESSED to have met so many wonderful people and to have developed life-long friendships along the way. I have also had many mentors and invaluable learning experiences along the way… but I was not in the right spot. So, what did I do? I couldn’t start my own business…. Too risky! After all, I have a wife and three kids to feed and a mortgage and bills to pay… gotta have an income, right? So, the answer was clear: find a company that is a mirror image of the culture I want to work in. Once again, it took me 20+ years to figure out that if it is not your company, it will never be your culture. And at least for me, there ultimately will never be complete satisfaction or fulfillment. So how do you know when it is time for a move? I think the answer to these questions are a good litmus test:

1.      Do I get apprehensive on Sunday nights? Am I thinking about what I have to do and who I have to deal with to the point where Sunday evenings are not completely enjoyable?

2.     Am I CONSTANTLY looking forward to the weekend? At the end of the day on Monday do you say something like, “thank God I make it through another”, on Tuesday it’s “only three more days till the weekend”, on Wednesday “it’s hump day, almost there”, and Thursday you start to relax knowing that Friday and the weekend are almost here? My mom always said, “Don’t wish your life away!”. So true… why shouldn’t a Tuesday or Wednesday be as enjoyable and fulfilling as a Saturday?

3.     Do you feel out of balance? Unable to enjoy life to its fullest? Regularly missing family events and/or your kid’s extracurricular activities? Or maybe missing out on doing things you enjoy?

4.     Do you feel like you are not getting the support and respect you need and deserve?

5.     Do you find yourself involved in required activities that are clearly a waste of your time?

6.     Are their petty rumors circulating about people in your company? (if there are, you can be certain there are things being said about you too!)

7.     Ever been burned by someone in your company relative to trust?

In all honesty, the last four questions are ubiquitous in companies, so I would expect the vast majority of people to answer yes. Truthfully, some people thrive on interoffice politics and some companies even foster it. Those two options are insane to me, but to each his own. The answer there is if you can deal with questions 4-7 and are happy (and perhaps even enjoy the drama), you’re probably ok where you’re at unless your answers to 1-3 are an unequivocal yes. The bottom line is that God wants us to be happy AND part of that is to enjoy our careers. There is an old saying that if you find something you are passionate about and can make a career out of it, you will never have to work a day in your life. My suggestion, from personal experience, is to TRULY examine who you are and where you are at, regularly. If you don’t, you will be another hamster on the wheel like I was the past 20+ years. If you gave a resounding YES to questions 1-3, I can assure you that there is more to life and you are in the wrong spot. One important note, no matter what, keep working hard where you are at, regardless of the circumstances. The Bible says in Colossians 3:23 “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than man”.  If you can’t do this, get out! No matter how you feel about your employer if they are paying you, you owe them a fair day’s work. So, what to do? Here are four simple things to begin exploring who you are, where you’re at, and where you should be going:

1.     Take a few hours of quiet time to write down what is keeping you up at night about your job, and then what you are passionate about. Compare and contrast… you will most assuredly get some very clear answers, as I did.

2.     Find balance in your life. My beloved dad always said no one ever lays in their deathbed saying, “I wish I spent more hours at the office”. If you don’t have balance in your life, something is VERY wrong. God has a plan for you and it is NOT to be miserable at work and to neglect your primary ministry: your family. He does have a plan for your life.  Jeremiah 29:11-12. 

3.     DO take calculated risks. In Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill in search of what makes successful business people found that not taking enough risks was the greatest regret of the elderly people he interviewed. Don’t set your self up to look back in 20, 30, 40 years from now and say “I wish I had…” NO REGRETS DOWN THE ROAD!!

4.     Understand your core values, write them down, and commit yourself to living out your career in a situation where you don’t have to compromise… you will never find satisfaction if you do. 

5.     Write down your ideal business culture. Is your current company a match?

Best of luck to you all in your pursuits. May God bless you and help you find the path He wants you to follow and to get the satisfaction and fulfillment you deserve! I can tell you that after my “big gamble” of leaving and industry that I know so well and starting a new, independent career, I have never been happier… not even close! Carefully consider rolling the dice, you may be VERY glad you did!