Everyone knows the perfect job is almost impossible to find. It takes time and effort and even sacrifice to find the sort of role that fulfills you emotionally, mentally and professionally — in the cases where it’s even possible. In fact, according to the Society for Human Resource Management, only 38% of U.S. workers are “very satisfied” with their current work.
If you’ve talked to your manager, have a safety net (this is the hard part), and feel that more than one of the ways below apply to you, it’s probably time to go.
You dread waking up in the morning
If you can’t even stand the thought of going into the office–because the walls are painted that horrible color and your employer’s voice sounds like mice and you hate yourself when you’re there–you’re never going to feel happy. A job isn’t a stroll in the park-that’s for sure-but it shouldn’t be something you absolutely hate with all of your being. When you start feeling like you’re waking up to hell, it’s only going to get worse.
You spend all of your time complaining about your job at happy hour
Loads of people complain about their bosses, the workplace atmosphere and corporate bureaucracy, sure. But when your partner, mother or friend tells you that they’ve heard it all before (and when they get that, “I’m bored of hearing this” look on their face) that’s a wake-up call.
You are genuinely being under-utilized
If your employers and coworkers aren’t seeing your potential, that’s an issue-perhaps an even greater one than being generally unhappy. Why? Because you’ve worked hard to learn the skills you have, and you have a lot more to provide. When you’re not exercising your brain and passion, it can be a truly depressing affair, and if there’s no room to move up or onward, well-that’s a problem unto itself.
You stand out (and not in a good way)
If you don’t fit the workplace culture, that can be a problem. Everyone should be unique (in an ideal world) but some offices are simply filled with Type As, and if you’re an obvious Type B, you can feel isolated and alone. That’s just no good. If you not only stand out, but you’re also being bullied in the workplace (you’re not invited to coworker events, you’re the center of gossip, your coworkers are rude to you), this is a definite red flag.
Your salary is atrocious
If you genuinely believe you’re being underpaid, it’s a no-brainer: you need to look for other work. Dealing with pay issues, but making excuses (you like your coworkers, your job is fun, you have great clients) doesn’t mean you should sacrifice your financial worth.
You’ve gotten complacent
Guess what? You put your time in. You gained experience. You maybe even got a raise and a promotion. That doesn’t mean you can’t try new things and/or even find something better. There is, most of the time, something better. Change is good.
