Plan to Change Jobs? Here Are Things You Need To Consider
Have you recently caught yourself saying “I hate my job”? Are you modifying your resume to apply for new potential job openings? There might have been times when you would have thought of leaving your current company and moving to a potentially better employer. Chances are that you might have decided to change your job on impulse… STOP and consider these factors first!
To help you decided when it’s time to change your job, Citadel Search surveyed 127 candidates recently on Top Motivation Factors of Leaving Your Job. Our analysis showed that the top driving factor that the candidates shared was a lack of prospect for career progression. Interestingly, 30% of candidates also indicated that organisational culture was another prime reason to be on the lookout. Money factor was interestingly not the top factor but the third factor.
Time to Change Jobs?
But when is the best time to change your job? Here are some thought-provoking questions you should ask yourself.
Are you being valued at work?
Are you getting recognised for your hard work and efforts put in just to finish a deadline? Do you feel that they have gone unnoticed or are your colleagues taking all the credits for your efforts? We have heard from many candidates who felt that they were not being recognised and appreciated for their efforts and who wanted to move to an environment that recognises their contribution.
If you have tried to make things right and better, and yet have continued to face the same issues, it might be good to have a genuine career discussion with your Manager first. The criticality of having a conversation regarding your career where there is a genuine sharing of thoughts, feelings and rationale cannot be further underscored.
With your Manager, explore value-adding projects. As businesses are continuously pivoting and looking to innovate, it is an opportune time for you to shine and help your organisation achieve greater heights. Put up your hand and suggest projects to train others up, improve productivity or even directly contribute to sales and make a difference to your organisation!
We believe with resilience and the right attitude, you will naturally stand out from the crowd. Your organisation will be sure to notice that you are constantly making an impact towards the growth of the organisation.
However, if all else fails, then it may be the right time to look for a company that values your efforts and whose culture is more encouraging and acknowledges you.
Your True-North!
It is true that if you are passionate about the work you are doing, it doesn’t feel like work anymore. However, the clearest sign that you need a change is how you feel about the work you’re doing every day. Do you dread going to work in the morning or feel like you are staring at the clock all day just watching the minutes tick by? Do you feel unhappy, demotivated, or uninterested most times while working? Are you in your true north? Don’t be in denial about your feelings – they’re pointing you to a very real situation that needs to be dealt with. It’s never too late to take a step towards the work you’ve always thought about doing.
If your True-North calls for a job change, confirm your calling through doing the work on a pro-bono basis, and if that gives you the adrenaline, then perhaps you have to truly anchor.
We remember a candidate who wanted to confirm her True-North but was astute enough not to leave her job. Instead, she took a short sabbatical of 1 year to pursue her passion. It was a good opportunity for her to determine whether that was indeed something she wanted to do in the long term. She returned to her original job eventually.
A Toxic Work Environment
According to Citadel Search’s Insight Survey, 30% of candidates we interviewed mentioned that they wanted to change jobs either because there was a lack of culture fit or that there was toxicity in the company that impacted their performance. Rather than being subjected to uncomfortable and unfavourable circumstances, it is always better to move on to a place where you could realise your maximum potential. If you continue to notice red flags from your current job, then it may be the right time for you to change jobs.
If You Plan to Change Jobs
However, during uncertain times like this, with Covid lingering all corners of the world, do take a step back and see things from the perspective of your employer. Do appreciate the fact that your employer could be doing their best to keep you in the job.
It is encouraged to always ask yourself a lot of questions and do a cost-benefit analysis and consider all factors to decide if it is truly the right time to make a job switch given the current situation. Be truthful to yourself and recognise what are some of the factors that are most important to you in the longer run.
However, even after looking holistically at your job, assessing all the factors in determining whether you are right for the role and concluding that you have not made any irrational or knee jerk reactions, you continue to notice red flags from your current job, then it is safe to say that it might be time to change your job.
Contact us and see if we can find you a match, whether you are a company or a candidate. Also check out our job board for the latest job postings, you never know this may be where your career begins.