Should you quit your job? Probably. The majority of people are unsatisfied in their jobs and the odds are you should have a new year’s resolution like “Get a new job.” Proactive job hoppers tend to make more money and gain career satisfaction. See my previous post for more thoughts on this topic.
The best time to look for a job is when you are employed and doing well in your current role. The next best time to look for a job is when you are employed and not doing well. Consider these classic examples of two people who recently contacted me…
Last week, a Group President for a Fortune500 was referred to me because he has a new CEO boss and sensed that things may be changing for the worse. This president anticipates that the management direction will not be a good fit for him and he is motivated to reduce his risks by conducting a proactive job search. The week before last, a B2B salesperson at a small employer was referred to me because he had taken a commission-only job a few months earlier and saw no opportunity to earn what he needs to support his family. It was evident to the salesman that he is in the wrong job and hence he wants to jump ship ASAP.
It’s a new year and you have lots of options. Tens of thousands of people are changing jobs every day. If you find yourself in any of the following job situations, I want to encourage you to consider quitting your job:
– I don’t enjoy the work I do
– I am underpaid or underappreciated for what I contribute
– I don’t like the people or culture
– I see no opportunity for development or advancement
– My boss is not supportive or is incompetent
– My employer is losing ground or heading in the wrong direction
For these situations, it is likely you can benefit from taking POSITIVE STRATEGIC actions. I emphasize “positive” because it is important you not act destructively and I emphasize “strategic” because these are serious matters that require pre-planning and effective execution. Before jumping to the conclusion that you must quit your employer to improve your situation, however, ask yourself:
– Have I stood up for myself in a professional manner?
– Have I asked directly for what I want changed?
– Have I attempted to change jobs/bosses/departments in a politically advisable manner?
– Have I developed myself and increase my contributions to demonstrate my value?
If you have not considered such options for improving your current circumstances within your employer, then I encourage you to develop a strategy and add to your new year’s resolutions list. Here’s an example: “I will get at 10% salary increase by developing an effective strategy and asking for it.”
On the other hand, if you have taken reasonable actions internally and achieved no results, it may be time to change employers. Most of the time, I would advise you to consider acting as the president and salesman intend to do. I describe this in Fast Track Your Job Search (and Career!) as giving your current employer “your two week notice pink slip” after finding a better job. In other words quit. But, quit on your own terms on your own timetable. Check out my 37 previous blog posts for ideas on how to conduct an effective job search.
Good luck and happy hunting in the new year!
