“Choose a job you love and you’ll never have to work a day in your life.”
But what happens when you stop loving that job?
Maybe you’ve outgrown it – you’ve learned all there is to know and now it feels stale and repetitive. Maybe you’ve lost interest in the field and you’re looking to take on something exciting and new. Or maybe the career Gods just woke up one day and decided it was no longer the right role for you.
“Chances are, it’s happening to you right now.”
Whatever the reason, it happens more often than you might think. And chances are, it’s happening to you right now (after all, why else would you be reading this article?)
Here are four signs it’s time to quit your job and move on to the next opportunity.
1. You could do your job in your sleep
Can you remember the last time you truly felt challenged? That you pushed yourself to work better and harder?
No? That’s the first sign you’re in a rut.
You might’ve already taken advantage of all the upskilling and training opportunities that your current employer offers – but that feels like a lifetime ago now. You might’ve had long conversations with your boss about your progression – but nothing came of it. So you went back to your day-to-day job and got on with it.
But is that really fulfilling you? Or is it just the easy thing to do?
If you’ve exhausted all the available opportunities that your current employer offers and you just aren’t getting anywhere, then that’s probably a sign that you need to move on.
Start to break out of your rut by learning a new skill. These days, there are online tutorials and webinars available for just about anything you want to learn how to do – and for free. This could give you the confidence boost you need to start your job search.
2. Your professionalism is slipping
Do you find yourself zoning out during meetings and not even feeling the need to pretend you were listening? Do you turn up late for work, take fake sick days, and visibly slack off at your desk without a second thought about who notices?
These behaviours are surefire signs that you’ve mentally checked out from your role and are stuck in a career rut. And it isn’t going to get any better until you get out of it.
In fact, the longer you stay in this particular rut, the more you risk damaging your professional reputation and stunting your opportunities for progression.
So, it’s time to hunt for some jobs that actually excite you, that make you want to turn up to work in the morning and work hard at.
3. You have career envy
Does it feel like every time you go on LinkedIn, you’re met with people getting promoted for jobs you should be getting and smiling faces holding awards you should be winning? Do all your peers seem to be successful and happy and you just can’t figure out why you just … aren’t?
We all feel jealousy from time to time. It’s human nature to feel that green-eyed monster on our shoulders when we see someone get what we want.
“What does your version of success look like – and how can you achieve it?”
But if you’re physically incapable of feeling happy for a peer who just got promoted or won an award, this is where your problem lies.
If you really felt like you were exactly where you were supposed to be, you wouldn’t feel bitter when someone else landed the job of their dreams.
So, instead, work on turning that envy into curiosity.
Ask yourself: What are these people doing differently to achieve these levels of success? What does your version of success look like – and how can you achieve it? And where do you start?
Get out of that envy rut. Step one might just be quitting the job you’re in.
4. You’ve lost your passion and sense of purpose
We all need a sense of purpose – a “why.” Something that lights a fire inside us, motivates us, and drives us forward to reach success.
What’s yours?
If you can’t answer that, this is your final sign that it’s time to move on.
Losing that passion that you had for the success of your team and company is only going to negatively impact your sense of job satisfaction and purpose.
So, how can you find a role that you are passionate about?
Start by cross-referencing the parts of your job that you do enjoy, plus your hobbies and interests outside of work, technical expertise, and soft skills. Throw these all together into a mind map and see what you come out with.
You might get some interesting results that you’d never previously considered.
Let us help you out of that rut
Finding your next job doesn’t have to be difficult.
At Identifi Global, we’re specialists in helping match candidates to their perfect roles. We use psychometric testing to help you gain a deep understanding of your interests, your ideal work environments, and your working styles.
Let us help you out of that rut.
Upload your CV to get started.
Images via Pixabay and Unsplash.
