9 Signs That It Might Be Time To Find A New Job (And What To Do About It)

It’s no secret that the job market has shifted. According to a recent study, most people have felt stuck in a job they really weren’t happy with at some point in their lives… but these days, workers have options. So what do you do if you’re stuck in a career you hate? It can be difficult to admit that you’re unhappy and even harder to make a change, but it’s not impossible. You just need to know where to start.

9 Signs That It Might Be Time To Find A New Job

It’s no secret that the job market is tough. In fact, according to a recent study, most people have been in a job they really weren’t happy with at some point in their lives. So what do you do if you’re stuck in a career you hate? It can be difficult to admit that you’re unhappy and even harder to make a change, but it’s not impossible. You just need to know where to start.

1. You’re no longer challenged by your work
2. Your job is just stopping you from pursuing other interests
3. You’re starting to show your age in this career field
4. Your skills set is outdated and outclassed by your competition
5. There was a change in management or company culture that led to difficult changes for the employees
6. The salary, benefits, and/or work-life balance has become less attractive than when you initially joined the company (though it may not be something you can easily quantify)
7. The organization’s values are dramatically different than when you first joined (and they don’t align with yours)
8. It’s becoming clear that the organization is on a downward path
9. You aren’t seeing any opportunities for advancement

Once you’ve determined it’s time to make your move, there are four things you need to do to ensure you aren’t just trading one bad job for another.

Identify what your values are and what you want in a career

Most people have no idea what their values are. They go through life reacting to the circumstances and events that happen to them, without any real sense of purpose. But if you want to be truly happy in your career, you need to start by identifying your values. Get clear about your expectations about pay, hours, the kind of work and– most of all– the kind of person and company you want to work for.

Search For Jobs That Fit With Your New Requirements

It’s a whole new job market out there than it was two years ago. You have more leverage than you might realize. Don’t box yourself into the same kind of job, or even industry, that you are currently in. Employers are more focused now on just getting competent workers in the door. Experience and education are not the barriers to entry that they once were.

If you see a job that sounds like what you want and you match at least a couple of the “requirements” in the job description, you might as well take a chance.

Consider the company culture, management style, and if their values align with yours

But don’t just jump on a new job because of the payrate. Payrates as a whole are on the rise, but better than that, there are other elements that determine a job you “tolerate” and a job that fits.

When considering a new job, it’s important to think about more than just the salary. You need to make sure that the company culture, management style, and values align with yours. If they don’t, you’re likely to be unhappy in the long run. Here are a few things to consider:

• Is your new job going to get you out of bed every morning excited and ready to go (or at least NOT dread getting up)?
• Will you feel valued in the workplace?
• Is there a sense of urgency at work?
• Are people inspired, or just putting in their time?
• Are online employee reviews of the company more positive than negative?
• Do the employees show pride in their work and care about what they’re doing and how they do it?

If you can answer yes to most of these questions, you might have found yourself a really good fit.  

Do research on the company to put together a resume that will stand out from the rest!

You have the perfect framework for building a resume that will stand out from the others: the job description itself. Rather than treating a resume like a mini-autobiography, think of it as an advertisement for, well, you!

Spend a little time on LinkedIn and Google to learn about the company. Then write your resume as a response to the job listing. If it lists job responsibilities, then create  headings for those responsibilities and put in similar responsibilities from your past work experience, even if it doesn’t translate 100%. For requirements, list anything that fits. Then ask why they might want the other requirements? Education typically signals commitment to seeing something through to employers and the ability to employ critical thinking. Any projects or training you might have been a part of can serve the same purpose. Job experience reassures them that you will be able to do the job. Different jobs of equal complexity or difficulty can provide that same reassurance.

Ultimately, your resume’s job is to convince them that you are going to alleviate the hiring manager’s headaches, not add to them.

The job market is changing, which means that you have more leverage than you realize when it comes to finding a new job. Don’t limit yourself to the same kind of job or industry that you are currently in. Look for jobs that fit with your new requirements and do your research on the company before applying. If you can find a job where the company culture, management style, and values align with yours, then go for it! Your resume should be tailored to match the job description and emphasize what makes you the perfect candidate.