Why the “you should be grateful to at least have a job” is the wrong approach to your career

You might have heard it before – at least I did – whenever you complain about your job, about the company you work for, about going to the office or about your salary, there will always be someone ready to jump and say something along the lines of :

“You should be grateful to at least have a job”.         

Does it sound familiar?

This kind of comment can show up in slightly different words, such as:

“In such a competitive job market, it’s smarter to be secure in the job you already have, even if you don’t like it anymore, because it pays the bills”.

“It’s just a job, don’t be so picky about it”.

“Some people would die to have the job you have now”.

I am not blaming the ones who say things like that, because it might be true for them, but those phrases are not true for everybody.? Even if you have a job now, you are entitled to feel unhappy about it and want a career change. It’s ok to want more, to dream big and to believe that you can live a different reality.

Your standards of a “good job” can be different from the standards of the people around you.

When talking to senior managers and leaders, I often notice a bit of shame when they approach me and ask for help in their career change.

After identifying the same feeling repeatedly, and going deeper into the conversation with them, my conclusion is that once you achieve a certain level in your career (an interesting job title, a well-known company, a high salary and years of experience), people expect to be satisfied forever with that job and not look for a change.

Others feel that, by the age they are now, they “should have it all figured out in their careers”. But reality goes in a different direction.

Jobs can look amazing from the outside, but if they are costing your mental or physical health, they are not good for you.         

It doesn’t need to be as extreme as that: if you are getting bored with your job, if there are no growth opportunities anymore, or if you want to make more impact, the same job that was great to you years ago might feel like “meh” now. When you change, your needs change too, and this will affect your expectations about your job.

I get that, in times of massive layoffs, economic crises and simultaneous wars happening around, some people can believe that being unhappy with their career and wanting more is selfish.

It’s almost like you are ungrateful to life if you are not happy with your job.

It is as if you were “wanting too much” and “dreaming too high” if you consider improving a career that already looks great to others.

If your career doesn’t feel satisfying to you anymore, this is all that matters.

If you want to make a better use of your time, have a positive impact in society and feel excited about your work again, those are valid reasons and enough to consider a career change. Even if you have a fancy job title. Even if your compensation package is great. Even if other people would love to have the job and the conditions you have now.

Don’t let others dictate what is right or wrong in your career.        

If you have been thinking for months that there is more out there for you, and that your job is not as fulfilling as it used to be, don’t ignore those feelings. Settling down for a mediocre career or daring to change is in your hands.

??Want to explore the next career moves for you, in your specific situation?

Send me a direct message and let’s talk. If you are not planning to retire in the next 6 months, there is plenty you can still do to improve your career.

Who is Juliana Rabbi?

Juliana is a recruiter-turned-career coach. She is also a keynote speaker for international audiences.

Over 15 years experience in Human Resources and Recruitment in multinational companies, Juliana has been working remotely since 2014 (yes, way before the pandemic).

For + 4 years, Juliana has managed her own career coaching business, providing services, coaching, consulting and mentoring to +430 clients in +2.700 consulting/coaching sessions.

She helps senior professionals to land a flexible job faster, make better career choices and create the lifestyle they want.

Her background is in Psychology, with a Master Degree in Human Resources.

She is also a Digital Nomad who has been to 56 countries, can't resist playing with dogs, tries different animal poses in yoga and enjoys acting in improv comedy.

+72.000 candidates interviewed as a Recruiter over 15 years.

181 recommendations and 5 star reviews on LinkedIn.

76 nationalities impacted from different continents over her career.

14 companies (mainly multinationals) directly benefited from her services.

+430 clients in +2.400 consulting/coaching sessions.

Bachelor Degree in Psychology with a Master in Human Resources.

Trilingual (English-Spanish-Portuguese).

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YouTube | Instagram

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