There comes a point in every job that you realize that it’s time to leave. The signs might be clear or vague, perhaps you just have a tingling sensation in your stomach when you say ‘morning’ to your boss that isn’t quite butterflies but isn’t a good thing either.
The clearest sign that it’s time to leave your job is that you are bored, looking for something new and feeling undervalued. The danger with these signs is that you can feel too demoralized to actually do anything about it until it is too late.
Instead of feeling down, the first step should always be positive.
Accept Your Fate
This might sound defeatist but wait just a second. Realizing that you need to change something is a really positive step because it opens your mind up to new options. Accepting that this job isn’t for you gives you a chance to step back and consider what might be for you.
Even if you have only been in the job for a few weeks, it’s never too early to realize that something isn’t for you. The first thing to do is dust off your resume. If you’ve only just moved, this won’t be too difficult but if it’s been a while, you might like to look at a resume template to help organize your experience and qualifications into something readable.
At this stage of the process, don’t worry too much about how you are going to make your move, just get yourself into a good state of mind. When you are feeling emotionally healthy and positive about making a move, you are much more likely to be successful. Even if this means quitting with nothing to go to.
Work Out What Would Make Your Career Better
You don’t always have to leave a job in order to find a more fulfilling role. In fact, most companies would much rather that you approached your boss and asked for more responsibility than simply upped and left at the first sign of trouble. But before you can ask for more responsibility, you need to work out what would make your career better.
For some people, the urge to work their way up the ladder is a key part of their personality. High achievers are often determined and sticking around in the same role for too long can be dispiriting. If this sounds like you, you should probably look for ways to improve your position by requesting to go on courses and learning new skills.
For many people, lifestyle is more important. If your job is grinding you down and making you feel stressed when you should be having fun at the weekend, a change of pace would be a wiser choice. Transferring between departments is one option but looking at jobs matched to your skill set rather than your current industry or trajectory could open your eyes to new possibilities.
Work Your Network
As you start to browse the different sort of jobs that might suit you, you should also start working your network. It is incredible how many people use their contacts to find out about jobs that might suit them and if you are even smarter, you could just use that contact to up your chances of success.
Your network is an ideal sounding board for finding a new job that will really suit you. Not only are these people likely to know you well enough to make a recommendation for jobs even if they are quite different from your current role. Similarly, while you might have your heart set on a particular job at a particular company, the more applications you send out the more likely you are to get something so don’t ignore any chances that might come your way.
If you are considering going freelance, working your network now to build stronger relationships is a really good idea. Once you leave, you will have a group of people to sound out for project work and find other opportunities. Even if you aren’t sure whether you want to leave, building these contacts up is a good plan.
Moving on from your job is never an easy process but when you know what you are aiming for and have a better idea of what will make you happy, it is a lot simpler. While your head might be full of all the reasons you have to leave, focusing on the reasons you want to be somewhere else will give you greater momentum for finding the perfect role.