Stuck in your current job past its expiration date?
If you are someone who has been wrestling with the thought of finding a new job, but just haven’t gotten around to looking at those Classifieds as yet, we’re here to help you unpack this. Looking for a new job even though you know it’s time, can be challenging based on your circumstances. With that being said, just how do you know when and if it’s the right time?
This isn’t really a question that we can answer explicitly for you because this is a decision that you will have to make in your own time. It’s personal. However, here are a few hints that you can look for that will let you know it’s time to shift things up:
If you are in a job that causes you stress or makes you feel anxious, this is a sign that it’s time to leave.
If you are in a job that has a toxic work environment, this is a sign that it’s time to leave.
If you feel like you are in a job that is negatively affecting your mental health and you are starting to feel burnout, this is a sign that it’s time to leave.
If you are in a job and you show up just for the sake of showing up, you have no passion or interests in what you’re working on, this is a sign that it’s time to leave.
If you are in a job where you keep getting passed over for promotions, this is a sign that it’s time to leave.
Sounds simple enough? Well, as we know, some things are easier said than done. What if you see all these signs but you still choose to remain? Don’t be too hard on yourself because you are not alone. Here are some of the top reasons why you may still be in your current job even when you know it’s time to hand in that resignation letter:
Job Security – You’ve been in your job for a few years now and it’s stable and most importantly (to you) predictable. You know what your paychecks will look like every two weeks and this is perhaps the number one reason why you decide to stay. You need this job to pay your bills. This is stability and security that you need, not just for yourself but for your family.
Good Compensation and Benefits – A good salary, health insurance, retirement plans, bonuses, and other perks can strongly your decision to stay.
Imposter Syndrome - You remain because you doubt your abilities and the value that you can bring to a new organization. You have achieved so much where you are now, but you undervalue these achievements. Why? Because you’re not often recognized, but once in a while you get a “shout out” and there’s also that promise of a promotion. You know it’s coming because they told you it is.
Work-Life Balance – You have flexible hours, you can work remotely, and you seem to have good boundaries.
Fear of the Unknown – Change is scary and involves risk, and you stay in your job due the uncertainty about finding something better or about knowing what else is out there i.e. what else is possible.
Loyalty to the Company or its Mission – Your strong belief in the company’s mission or long-standing loyalty keep you invested, for much longer than you should be. The mission statement an values form an entanglement with your passions and the relationships you have build are strong. You feel like you will be letting those people down with whom you’ve gotten so close to if you leave.
If any of this resonates with you, we’d love for you to try the following exercise:
👉Grab a pen and paper and start by getting clear on why you want to leave. If you’ve read any of our recent blogs you will see that we are strong advocates of writing things down. Writing things down help them seem more real and also within reach. On a piece of paper, ask yourself “Is this something that you’ve been feeling for quite sometime and it’s a feeling that lingers? Or, is this a feeling that has recently surfaced because of life changes or and incident at work.” Then, ask yourself these follow up questions:
What is making me unhappy? Is it the actual job, the company, the culture, the work that I am doing?
If I left, what would I do? What are my goals?
Having sense of clarity will you avoid jumping into another role that’s just a different version of the same problem and with you end up staying in another job for years on end.
👉The second step to potentially making a move would be to actually start looking. Take action to create the change that you’re looking for. We always recommend looking for a job while you still have a job. Update your resume, start reaching out to your network and start applying to jobs online. Go on interviews and get your feet wet.
👉Keep realistic expectations and keep an open mind. Taking the time to gain clarity on what you want also involves reflection and a mental reset. The job market is tough and you may not get responses to your applications right away. Morever, when you do hear back, you may not get the responses that you want. This is okay. It is all apart of the process. Trust it. Trust yourself.
If within your journey you are now fully confident it’s time to go, embrace this feeling and release fear. It’s okay to make the change. Remember, when you leave a bad job is not failure—it's growth.
