September 21, 2022
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New jobs and career opportunities come up frequently. Some of them are exactly what we’re looking for at that moment in our lives, while others may not be quite right. But how do you know when a job opportunity is the right one for you? How can you tell if this new position – or any job opportunity – is something that will help you grow personally and professionally?
If you’re having trouble deciding whether it’s time to make a new career move, here are 10 signs that it might be time to move on from your current job and begin considering other opportunities.
1. You're Not Learning or Growing in Your Current Role
If you’re still growing and gaining new skills at your current job, you’re probably doing it right. However, there might come a time when you can’t continue learning and growing in your current position. If this happens, it’s okay – it may mean that you need to look for a new job.
When you’re first starting out in a new career, you’re probably learning something new every day. You might have to take time to build up your skills and expertise, and you might even have to take a few entry-level jobs before you find the right fit for your long-term career goals. This is normal, and it’s expected. Once you’ve been in your field for a few years and have had some time to develop your skills and expertise, you need to be constantly learning and growing as a professional. If you’re no longer getting the opportunities to learn and grow at your current job, it might be time to start looking for other opportunities.
2. Your Job No Longer Makes You Happy
There’s a big difference between growing and learning and being happy in your career. While you might have to take on some less desirable positions when you first start out in a new field, it doesn’t mean that you’re supposed to be miserable and unhappy for the rest of your career.
If you’re unhappy at your job, you need to make a change. There are many reasons why people choose to remain in jobs that don’t make them happy, including lack of money and pressure from family members to stay put. If you’ve been unhappy with your job for a while but can’t seem to make a change, it could be time to seek outside help. Talking to a therapist, counsellor or life coach might help you to identify the root cause of your unhappiness and find the courage and motivation you need to make a career change.
3. Management Doesn’t Value Your Skills and Expertise
It’s not uncommon for new managers to come into a company and have to learn on the job. In some cases, they may not have any experience or knowledge in their field before they were promoted. Sometimes, new managers might even be promoted before they’ve learned everything they need to know about running their section, department, or team.
If you’re in a position where your manager doesn’t fully understand the skills and expertise you’ve gained over the years and doesn’t know how to use them to their full potential, it could be a sign that it’s time to move on. Although it’s possible for some managers to learn and grow over time, it’s also possible for them to miss the mark. If your manager is missing the mark, you may want to look for other opportunities.
4. Company Culture has Deteriorated and is Causing You Stress
Company culture is an important part of any company. It’s a huge part of what makes some companies successful while other companies flounder and fail. If you’ve happy at work and part of a thriving company culture, you won’t feel the need to change.
While it’s possible that a company culture can take a nosedive overnight, it’s rare. More often than not, a company culture will deteriorate slowly over time. As the company changes and new people come on board, the culture will shift and sometimes change in ways that it shouldn’t. If you’ve noticed a shift in the company culture and it’s causing you stress, it might be time to look for other opportunities.
5. Company-Wide Instability is Making You Nervous
It’s normal to feel nervous when you’re in a new position or working under a new boss. After all, you don’t know everything there is to know about your new role or your new manager yet. However, if company-wide instability is causing you to become nervous and anxious on a regular basis, it might be time to make a change.
While some companies are naturally more stable than others, others are naturally more unstable. If your company seems unstable, it could be due to management, it could be due to company-wide issues that are out of your control, or it could be a combination of both. As long as the company-wide instability is something that you can manage and deal with, you may be able to stay at your job. However, if it’s starting to get to you and cause you more stress than is necessary, it might be time to make a career move.
6. The Position is Making You Feel Overworked and Exhausted
If you’re constantly feeling overworked and exhausted at work, it could be because you have too much on your plate. It may also be a sign that you’re in the wrong position. If your job demands more of you than you can give but you don’t have the opportunity to lighten your load or change positions, it might be time to look for other opportunities.
Although some people thrive in high-pressure environments and love being overworked, others will quickly become exhausted. If your current position is making you feel overworked and exhausted, you may want to make a change.
7. The Pay is Significantly Lower Than Other Jobs You Have Researched
You won’t be happy in any job if you can’t pay your bills. Unfortunately, this is why many people end up in careers that don’t inspire them. If the pay at your current job is significantly lower than other jobs you’ve researched, it could be a sign that you need to make a change. While some jobs pay better than others, and there are numerous factors that go into determining salary, you should at least be earning a livable wage in your current position. If you’re earning significantly less than other jobs you’ve researched, it might be time to make a change. You can check Bolt's Salary Survey to ensure you're getting paid what you're worth.
8. You’re Constantly Feeling Micromanaged and Disrespected by Your Superiors
As an employee, you have certain rights that your employer must uphold. They have a duty to treat you fairly and respect the work that you do. If you’re constantly feeling micromanaged by your superiors – or if they’re consistently disrespecting you and don’t seem to recognise your worth – it could be a sign that it’s time to make a change.
While some micromanaging employers are helpful and are simply trying to make sure that everything gets done, others may use it as a way to control their employees. If your superiors are micromanaging you and treating you unfairly, it could be a sign that it’s time to make a change.
9. You Daydream About a New Career Often
If you’re finding yourself daydreaming about what comes next, or if you’re spending more time than usual browsing job boards, then this could be a sign. It could also manifest itself in becoming jealous of friends’ or colleagues’ jobs or careers. You might have thought about the process of leaving and may even have brought it up with friends - “I would leave if I could…” If this sounds like you, then it could be time to go.
10. It's Affecting Your Self-Esteem
This is a big one and one to be mindful of. If you’re beginning to doubt yourself often, or doubt the work you do then a change in environment might be just what you need. Staying in a job or career that makes you feel bad about yourself as a person just isn’t worth it. No matter what the salary, perks or prestige is.
Staying in job that affects your self-confidence or image can seriously impact your long term emotional wellbeing which can lead to other health complications. A fulfilling career should boost your confidence and self-esteem, not the opposite of that.
What Next?
When you’re in the right job, you should be excited to go to work every day. If you’re dreading the walk through the doors of your office or turn up on video calls, it might be time to make a career change.
While it’s normal to occasionally feel burned out and tired of your job, if it happens all the time, it might be a sign that you need to make a change. If you’ve been thinking about making a career change but aren’t sure where to begin, it can help to read articles like these that offer helpful advice and insight into the different steps you can take to find the right job for you.
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Founder Alex Lockey is an expert in further education, learning, and skills sector. He leads cost-effective hiring solutions and is known for successful talent placements. Dynamic and driven, Alex seeks innovative solutions to solve sector hiring challenges.
