Sometimes, your job can look better on paper than it does in reality. Admitting that your current job isn’t a good fit for you is no easy feat. It takes courage to leave a well-paying job or a good title to look for something new.
Nonetheless, it is necessary to recognize if your current job is not working for you and is not meeting your career goals. Prioritizing yourself and your career goals do not make you a less competent employee. Keep in mind that having job satisfaction is essential in preventing burnout and maintaining passion for your industry in the long run.
I had a friend Caleb (not real name) who scored an amazing job offer in the industry of his choice. The job paid $6,000 (which he considered a good salary) even though he was not very experienced in the field. The company was well-established and one of the giants in the finance industry. He could get along well with his colleagues and peers. Everything seemed great on the surface.
But Caleb quickly realized that the job did not bring him happiness and that he dreaded going to work. Caleb felt overloaded with responsibilities – his boss would make him work overtime without sufficient compensation. He did not feel recognized for his effort in the company and he felt that he did not have the freedom to make his own choices and decisions in his projects. All these reasons cumulated and he began to feel that he was losing passion and interest in his career.
That was until one of his mutual friends highlighted to him a new job opening in the same industry. Caleb quickly made the transfer and strongly stands by his decision. While his new job doesn’t pay as much, he is given the ability to forge his own career choices, got along well with his new colleagues and found that he had a good work-life balance. Caleb also managed to rekindle his passion for his career and is looking forward to career progression in this new job.
Caleb’s story is a great testimony to the fact that a high-pay alone does not equate to job satisfaction.
If you resonate with Caleb’s story or find yourself unhappy in your current job, could these be one of the reasons?
- You Do Not Resonate with the Work Culture
Do you feel ganged up against or left out in your current workplace? It could be a sign that your personality is unsuitable for your work environment. For example, there are certain jobs that thrive on employee competitiveness and if you’re not the type to thrive in a highly competitive environment, you might start to resent your colleagues who are constantly trying to one-up you.
Ask yourself if you feel comfortable enough to voice an opposing opinion to your colleagues. If you feel pressure to constantly fit in or if you feel like you are uncomfortable being your true self in your work environment – you’re probably not suited for the role.
While there are some ways to tackle this issue, like going for lunches earlier than your colleagues or striving to maintain a purely cordial work relationship – consider if this is a feasible solution for the long term. If it isn’t, it might be high time to look for another job.
2. You are Underpaid
Look at the “exchange rate” of your job like you would an investment. Is the time, commitment, effort and energy you are investing into your work giving you a good return? You can measure a good return based on the income, possibilities of progression and whether you continue to be passionate about your job.
If you feel limited in your possibilities of climbing up the ladder in your company or find that you are not being paid enough for the effort you put in – it’s time to look at new career options.
3. You Feel Limited in Your Job Progression
Do you feel unmotivated at work? This could be because your job is repetitive, you do the same tasks every day and you’re craving change. This is normal, most of us would have experienced a plateau at some point in our career.
A challenging and invigorating environment that allows for personal growth is important in maintaining a drive and passion at work. Take the initiative to ask your boss for added responsibilities and tasks. Keep in mind that when you start executing bigger tasks well, you should also expect an increase in incentives.
If you find yourself relating to any of these reasons, you should take the time to reconsider if your job is actually right for you. Keep your options open with passive job searching or take a look at our website for new job openings!
