Written by: Sarah Jones, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
There is nothing more demoralizing, demotivating, and—let’s face it—downright depressing than feeling like you’ve outgrown your job. Perhaps it’s simply that the honeymoon period has ended, or it’s a quiet, dull period, or maybe you’re just burnt out. Some jobs can be improved upon with a solid break, some diplomatic communication, and a bit of initiative. But sometimes, it truly is just time to make a change.
A career switch can be intimidating, and as painful as a bad breakup, but it can also be an immense opportunity for growth. Countless celebrities have garnered success with a swift career change. Just look at ex-carpenter Harrison Ford, or Brad Pitt, who drove a limo and could sometimes be found dressed as a giant chicken outside El Pollo Loco. And long ago, a bouncer called Francis at a specific Buenos Aires nightclub would have called you crazy if you’d told him that he’d one day be the Pope of the Catholic Church.
A career change can take you places you never even imagined. The truth is, you won’t know until you make that leap. But before attempting such a big life change, it’s wise to know exactly how you feel about your current job—whether improvements are possible, or whether it’s simply time to move on.
So, how can you be sure it’s the right time for a change?
1. Your body is no longer co-operating
If you feel consistently run down and fatigued, this may be your body calling out for change. Stress can cause headaches, frequent colds, and infections. You might even suffer from insomnia or heaviness in the limbs. While these symptoms aren’t specifically associated with an unhappy career, they are signs that something needs to change.
2. The psychological spiral
Ennui can get the best of all of us, especially in a repetitive job. That feeling of resignation can spiral into a depressive state, and suddenly you’re dreading going to work, heavily depending on coping mechanisms to get through the day, and no longer enjoying your regular passions and hobbies. If you’re plagued by a vague feeling of boredom, apathy, and listlessness for months on end—it’s time for a career switch.
3. A crushed self-esteem
A surefire sign that you need a change is a sudden lack of confidence in your skills, expertise, and decision making. You may feel insecure about your role, or sense your colleagues and supervisors no longer trust you. Whether it’s true, or simply a projection, we need to know that we are valued for doing our best work. No one can succeed with their self-esteem in the gutter. Everyone deserves a supportive working environment, where our skills are validated, and we can feel we are making a difference.
4. You’re not quite yourself these days
An unhappy career makes it difficult to focus, affecting your job performance no matter how hard you try. Signs of discontent can manifest as a need to complain all the time, arguing with your boss or coworkers, crying in the bathroom, bringing work-related stress home, or just a general resentment towards your workplace.
Not only are these behaviors affecting the work, but they have a negative impact on your loved ones, your colleagues, and, most importantly, on yourself. Life is too short to spend your days bitter, lost, burnt out, and under duress. If you can barely recognize yourself anymore, do yourself (and everyone else) a favor by broadening your horizons and trying something new.
5. Your values are not aligned to your workplace
In a perfect world, our principles wouldn’t get in the way of our careers. Alas, we are human, with a sense of integrity and deeply ingrained values. Disillusionment with the ethics and culture of your workplace or organization can have a painful impact on your sense of self and overall wellbeing. Many of us have to believe in what we’re doing to do it well. We need a sense of purpose and meaning to stay motivated. So, if you’ve found yourself hating the system, it’s wise to move on so you can find an environment that aligns with your principles.
6. You see no future for yourself in your current career
Do you sense your career isn’t going anywhere? Is there a lack of potential for upward mobility in your workplace? A dead-end job can be incredibly discouraging and demotivating. We need to know our investments will pay off. If there’s no room to move up, it’s time to move on.
7. You’re still reading this article.
Well, the bad news is you hate your job. The good news is now you know! And now you can do something about it. There’s a world of possibility out there, with a wide range of work cultures and potential for growth and exploration. Your dream career is out there, waiting to be discovered.
If you want to help to improve your virtual influence and gravitas, contact me at sarah@sarah-j.com or visit www.sarah-j.com to book a free call!
Sarah Jones, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Sarah Jones - Published author, speaker, accredited personal & executive coach helps motivated, ambitious professionals & executives improve their career, find a new career, and help teams accelerate success & performance.
Due to significant early challenges in her own life, Sarah has always been tenacious, entrepreneurial & unafraid to speak her mind.
At times being the only woman in the boardroom amongst international corporations in her early 30s, she is a beacon of strength for leaders and individuals.
In Sarah’s former career, she was a leader in corporate affairs but founded Sarah-J Coaching to help individuals & leaders become their personal best in life and their careers.
She is dubbed the phrase 'regroup, reboot, and reinvent' - a three-step change process - having helped to pull out individuals from the trenches & into their own spotlight through her transformative and action-based coaching approach.
Her book ‘From Vulnerable to Invincible’ helps readers identify how to step into their challenges, reframe & learn, to launch themselves to success.
She also regularly contributes to the media such as BBC, The Guardian & Sky. She regularly speaks and has delivered empowering talks for Pearson Business School and Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH).
