Written by Katherine Jackson, Regional Director at Michael Page
Katherine Jackson
It’s March (how did that happen?) and, like it or not, the promises we made to ourselves on January 1st may be slipping. If qualms about your career were among the things you vowed to resolve in 2018, now is the time to do something about it.
You might find yourself dreading Monday mornings, taking sick days for no reason, or lacking the passion and drive you once had. Whatever challenges you’re facing at work, it’s probably time for you to take a step back.
Here are five situations we tend to experience when our job just isn’t a good fit anymore. So, if more than one of these apply to you, and if you don’t see things changing for the better, then it might be time to start job hunting:
You don’t agree with the company culture
You don’t have to get along with every single person in your office, but if you often find yourself fundamentally disagreeing with most colleagues, or not sharing their values and beliefs, it could be that you simply aren’t a good fit for the organisation. In time, this can really wear you down, so you might be better off working somewhere with likeminded people, where you’ll most likely be happier and more comfortable.
The company you work for is behind the times
Many companies have taken huge steps forward in terms of offering progressive, equal and inclusive work environments to their staff. If you don’t easily sense that your organisation is dedicated to becoming a more diverse and modern employer, it might not be the best place to progress your career. Are female members of staff given the same career progression opportunities as your male colleagues? Is your boss open to flexible working solutions?
If you feel like your employer doesn’t treat its employees the way it should, or doesn’t offer them the opportunities they deserve, you should probably move to a company that believes in prioritising and supporting its people.
You don’t get along with your boss
We can all experience difficult working relationships, but if you’re struggling to get along with your boss – the person who is supposed to guide and work closely with you – this may affect your performance and the way your perceive your job.
If you’ve tried to resolve these issues with them, and failed to find a way to work better together, this could lead to many more difficult times ahead, which could impact your career in a much bigger way.
You’re not given the right career opportunities
If you’ve performed well in the same role for a while, but haven’t received a promotion or been given more responsibility, this may affect your motivation at work. If you’ve already raised this issue with your manager, but there’s still no solution or progression path for you within the business, it’s probably time for you to seek out a new challenge.
Likewise, if your employer is not providing you with the necessary support to achieve results and perform well, you could be better off working somewhere with better resources and training programmes.
You’re seriously underpaid
If you’re not getting paid as much as everyone you know in a similar role, you might want to check the average salary for your role and location, to see whether you’re currently being underpaid.
If you feel like you’re underpaid, and your employer cannot justify this rationally, you could look at roles within a different industry or location that provide better remuneration. It could also be that with your current skills and experience, you would be a suitable candidate for a more challenging role that has a better salary.