Deciding to pursue other career options puts us in a difficult position. The stability of a job you know and office you’re familiar with tends to outweigh the desire to try something new. Sometimes it’s time to look for other employment. Check out these 8 signs you need a new job and decide for yourself:
1. You’ve stopped learning
Everyone craves personal growth, even if it’s simple steps to make your job easier, you should always be learning something at work. When you feel like you’re not facing any challenges or picking up new skills, it may be time for a change. If leaving your job isn’t an option, ask your manager if they can give you any new tasks or put you on a team to work on a project that might allow you to expand your knowledge and skill set.
2. You avoid socializing with colleagues
When you’re feeling like you don’t belong, getting along with your colleagues can be more weight on your shoulders. If you’re not feeling happy about where you are, it’s more difficult to be amiable. Despite those feelings, try to make an effort to get along well with others even if you’re planning on leaving. You don’t want to leave your job with a reputation for being a grump.
3. You’re apathetic
When we start to tire of our jobs, it’s easy for everything to become mechanical and passionless. Too much apathy at work can make your life overall weigh heavy on you. Work isn’t supposed to be easy or always exciting, but it should make you feel something.
4. You’re always looking forward to leaving the office
Obviously, we all are excited when Friday evening comes along and we are able to cut loose and get away from the office for a couple days. However, if you’re counting the minutes to when you can leave, you may not have a job that’s right for you.
5. You get tired easily at work
If you’re getting plenty of sleep and still finding it hard to stay alert at work, it could be a sign that your job isn’t challenging you enough. There’s boring “grit” work associated with every job, but you should still be able to feel like you’re working towards something that makes it all worth it – whether it’s a sense of accomplishment, a paycheck or an interesting experience.
6. The quality of your work has diminished
When you’ve spent too much time at a job, sometimes your attention to detail and overall motivation can fall so much your work gets even worse. Constant avoidable errors are one of the biggest signs you need a new job. Try to find ways of motivating yourself to keep the quality of your work up. If you don’t, you may end up with a bad reference from your boss when you look for a new job.
7. You procrastinate all the time
As you feel less and less motivated by your job, getting work done can be more and more of a struggle. Even if you’re ready for a new position, avoid procrastination. Waiting until the last minute will cause more errors and mistakes in your work.
8. Career envy
Whenever you’re feeling frustrated at work, it’s easy to get jealous of friends with a better situation. Let that envy motivate you to pursue other opportunities that might suit you better.
Now that you know 8 signs you need a new job, apply now for an internship abroad to learn about a new field.
Photos:
1. based on IMG_4544, by Masa Israel Journey, CC-by-ND 2.0
2. based on Work, by Kent Nguyen, CC-by-ND 2.0
3. based on Jessica at the office, by Jeremy Keith, CC-by-2.0