Time to move on?
So you’ve been at your current job for a while, and you’re looking around and wondering if there’s something more. Should you go looking for something new?
Naturally, there are as many reasons to move from your current position as there are situations where it starts to sound like a good idea. There are some fairly basic criteria to look at when you’re considering a move:
- Have you done what you came to do? Let’s say that when you started at your current job you set out with a plan in mind of where you wanted a position to take you, it should be fairly easy to look at that plan and see whether you’ve reached those goals. If you haven’t seen those goals come to fruition and you can achieve them in your current role and you can stick it out long enough to do it, then it’s probably not the right time to move. Focus on reaching those goals, and plan to line up your next move after you’ve reached those milestones.
- Are you going through a bad patch, or are you stuck in a bad pattern? Sometimes we look at incidents like mistakes (not always our own), a bad assignment, or a not so stellar review and ask why are we doing what we’re doing. It’s important to remember that one problem doesn’t necessarily mean that the job’s not worth doing. Then again, if you’re always catching the bad assignments, or always caught up in your or someone else’s misfortune, you might actually be in a bad spot. If there’s a pattern of bad news, it’s probably time to think about moving on.
- What is it that’s making you want to move? Ultimately, something is making you think about moving on. Maybe you’re not feeling challenged enough. Maybe you don’t get along with your co-workers or, worse yet, your boss. Whatever the situation, think about what you like about your job, take the time to consider the positives along with the negatives. If the negatives consistently outweigh the positive aspects, it might be time to change positions. At the same time, if you find more you like about your job, try looking at the issues you’re dealing with a different way. You might find more there than you thought.
Ultimately, when considering whether to leave a position make sure you take into account the whole picture. Remember that if there are problems where you are, the same problems might be waiting where the grass looks greener. Take the time to think about the issues and really weigh them carefully against what you like. You might find a surprise or two.
Got your own criteria for leaving a job? Let us hear about it in the comments!
Peter Fitzgerald is the founder of CareerSherpas.com and is currently working on his first book, managing a team of project managers, and attempting to learn the bagpipes.