Have you hit a plateau in your current position? Do you spend a lot of your day on Facebook® because you finished all of your objectives and tasks for the week? Did your boss mention an opening he saw with a competitor? These are all signs it might be time to think about changing jobs.
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How do you spend your day?
Evaluate the amount of time you spend actually working vs. taking a break. If you are spending most of your time in the break room or visiting with other departments – regardless if you finished you workload or not, you aren’t increasing or even maintaining your current skills. This may also be a sign that your career path has reached its furthest point in your current company.
If you have to drink 10 cups of coffee to make it through the day and take naps on your desk, there may be a better job out there for you. Evaluate your skill set and what you have accomplished at your current position. Update your resume with the skills and experience you acquired and when searching for new jobs, and critically read the job description so you don’t transfer from one job that puts you to sleep to another.
You were told to move on
If your boss mentioned in passing that he knows of an opening at another company, consider it a sign to look into changing jobs. He may know of a shift the company will be making in the next few months or even a shift in existing positions and current employees. Although it may not be a definite thing that your position will be eliminated or you will be asked to leave, it doesn’t hurt to know your options with other companies.
Your desk is missing
If you get to work one day and your desk is missing, it may seem extreme, but it may just be a way your company is starting to reorganize. A less extreme example is if your workload lessens or drastically changes to be more relevant to another department. These are all signs to start looking into changing jobs.
Looking into changing jobs
As you start to consider new positions, even if it’s just to see what’s out there, review the requirements on the job description first. You don’t want to spend time applying for jobs that require a certain degree or X number of years of experience that you haven’t obtained yet. Be aware of your current position and what is going on around you, especially if you are falling asleep at work or don’t have the opportunity to continue building new skills.
Related articles
- How old do you have to be to start looking at second careers? (helpyourcareer.org)
- 10 Ways to Ruin a Job Interview (money.usnews.com)
- 10 Work Habits That Could Get You Fired (money.usnews.com)
