SIGNS That Indicate It’s Time To Look For A New Job

The decision to leave your job and employer is often a big one and usually precipitated by one or more factors that cause disengagement, unhappiness, frustration, etc. While every individual’s motivation to end an employment relationship is different, as I explained in an interview with WNEP-TV’s Ryan Leckey, there are common reasons or signs that signal it’s time to start looking for your next career opportunity. Below are commons reasons I outlined in that interview, along with suggestions for trying to make your current situation better:

1.) There is a lack of internal opportunities for growth, learning, and development. You’re not learning at the pace you once were. Your day is highly routine with little opportunity for collaboration and creativity. You’re not receiving coaching or mentorship. There have been few, if any, opportunities for formal in-person or online training. 

Try This One More Time: Tell your employer you are looking for challenges and growth opportunities – ask for stretch assignments, to volunteer on a company committee, to work on a cross-functional team project, or to attend professional development training. If the response isn’t a positive one, it may be time to move on. 

2.) There appears to be (or is) a misalignment between your values and goals, and those of your employer. Where once you and your employer’s values and goals were similar, they appear to have diverged. Maybe you changed. Maybe the company and its leadership did. Either way, the connection isn’t there. 

Try This One More Time: Think objectively about how you and your employer have evolved during your tenure and talk to your leader about where the company is headed and how it’s going to get there. If there is, or will be, too large a misalignment in values and goals, it may be time to move on.

3.) You have a poor relationship with your supervisor and/or coworkers that is negatively impacting your mental or physical health. The relationship(s) may be causing anxiety, pain, tension, and illness. Your work relationships are literally doing harm to your mental and physical well-being. 

Try This One More Time: Define what a healthy relationship means to you. What are the characteristics? Then determine if those factors are present in the relationships you have at work. In addition, take the step of asking for 1:1 meetings to discuss your concerns and ask if there is something each party can do to improve the situation. If you’ve determined your work relationship(s) aren’t healthy OR nothing positive comes out of your conversations, it’s definitely time to move on.

4.) Your industry/company/occupation may be declining, and you may want to pivot to industries/companies/jobs that are growing. You are paying attention and notice that your industry/company/occupation is shrinking, loosing market share, or less in demand than it once was. Fewer opportunities are, and will be, available in the future. You don’t want to be the last one left to turn off the lights. You want to be a part of growth, not decline. 

Try This One More Time: Have a conversation with industry and company leaders, and workforce development professionals, to get wide-ranging input on the future of your industry, company, or occupation. If you don’t come away from those conversations confident about the future of your industry, company, or occupation, it may be time to move on.

5.) Internal rewards (meaningfulness, choice, competence, progress) may no longer be present. External rewards (pay, benefits, perks) may no longer be enough. The internal rewards that motivated you during your early tenure are no longer a factor. The external rewards aren’t meeting your needs or keeping up with the value you provide or what the market is willing to pay. Simply put, your internal or external motivations are lacking. 

Try This One More Time: Talk with your leader about the possibility of redesigning your job (job crafting) to increase opportunities for exposure to internal rewards. Likewise, you can ask for an increase in external rewards (Tip: support that request by discussing your achievements and the value you bring to the company AND provide market compensation data as it relates to your role). If changes can’t be made to increase the rewards that motivate you, it may be time to move on.

6.) You feel like you need a new challenge or a fresh start. You have this gut feeling that it’s time to move on. And it’s ok because employment relationships aren’t meant to last forever. So don’t feel bad. Everyone needs to hit the refresh button every few years. Everyone needs a new challenge, a new environment, and new teammates. It may be scary, but it will feel good. Few people regret leaving a job. Change is normal. Don’t fight it. 

Try This One More Time: Your gut feeling and intuition are important but look for other evidence (like the previously mention factors) to support your consideration of a fresh start elsewhere. If your heart AND head are both telling you it’s time to move on, it definitely is.

Understanding the common reasons – the WHYs – people leave a job can help you determine whether it’s time for you to move on, or if your current employment relationship is actually in a good place. If one, or more, of the reasons outlined above apply to you and your current situation, you should consider addressing each concern directly prior to deciding to make a career move. In doing so, either your current work situation will improve, or you’ll move on with confidence that you gave it everything you had AND are consciously choosing a better-fitting career opportunity and healthier employment relationship. 

[Originally published on LinkedIn on 5/3/21: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/signs-indicate-its-time-look-new-job-bill-leonard-mhrm/?trackingId=9jc2rQKMGUCYe9LhZPcYRA%3D%3D]