Four (not so obvious) signs it’s time for a job switch

Posted by HR GO Recruitment on 01 Jun 2016

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There are some signs you can’t ignore that it’s time to look for another job. If the thought of going to the office on Monday morning has you feeling cold dread in the pit of your stomach from 6pm on Sunday, most people would take that as a flashing neon sign that it’s time to dust off your CV.

But what if the signs are not so obvious? What if your job is OK, but nothing is obviously terrible? How do you know when it’s the right time to look for pastures new so that your career doesn’t become stale?

We’ve met thousands of job candidates at HR GO and every day hear the main reasons for wanting to move on. Watch out for these four in particular to make sure feeling settled doesn’t slide into feeling stuck in your role...

1: You don’t want your boss’s job

One tell-tale sign of not seeing your future at a company is if you can’t imagine one day stepping into your boss’s shoes. If this is the case, would you be happy doing your boss’s role at a different company, or does your career need a rethink?

Perhaps there are other opportunities within your own company in a different team. Flagging up a training need with your manager or considering a secondment could be the answer.

If you’re like many, though, you’ll probably see this as a wake-up call to move on. The average person will have up to four career changes in their life and between 10 and 14 jobs – so don’t worry about taking a leap.

2: Everyone moans around you

Who doesn’t like a moan about work now and again? But if office chat is predominantly about how bored or miserable everyone feels, how they can’t stand the boss, how work conditions are unfair, the hours are bad and the boss is a nightmare, it could be time to go.

You might not be personally unhappy in your role yet feel there’s a sickness at the heart of your workplace. If this is the case, you can easily be dragged down by all the negativity and it can start to affect your morale - which won’t help your career in the long term.

3: You haven’t learnt anything new this year

If you like your colleagues and your job is fine, it may seem tempting to coast along. But treading water at work will eventually harm your career.

Let’s say you needed to put together a CV today - could you add any new skills or experiences from the past year? If not, your career may have stalled and you need to look for a role that offers a bigger challenge.

4: You’re feeling overworked

Are you putting in extra hours with no end in sight and no recognition for your efforts? Maybe you’ve noticed your workload slowly increasing or that you’re taking work home at weekends?

Or perhaps some colleagues have left and haven’t been replaced, leaving you to shoulder the burden? If your overwork isn’t a short-term situation and your manager hasn’t outlined how you’ll be rewarded, you could be headed for burn out and it’s time to move on for your own health.

5: You sense you’re worth more

You might not realise this, but as a job candidate you may hold some strong cards right now.

For some sectors of business, there have recently been more vacancies than there are candidates to fill them. Salary, company culture, perks and benefits are becoming increasingly important magnets for businesses to attract the staff they need.

If you’re feeling undervalued and not living up to your potential, it’s worth bearing in mind that there could be a vacancy - and workplace - that’s a much better fit for you this very minute.