This article originally appeared on DollarsAndSense.
There was a time when loyalty used to be worth something, and it was normal for employees to stand by the same company for entire careers. Fast forward to today and that mindset has taken a 180 degree U-turn. Employees of today don’t just leave when greener pastures come, they actively seek these greener pastures.
For some, the time to leave a job is crystal clear, whereas for others, it may not be that obvious. So how would you know whether it is the right time to move on to a new job?
Here are 5 signs that you might be subconsciously ready to take the plunge.
1. “ Emily who?”
It always feels good to be surrounded with colleagues who appreciate your presence. They want to go to lunch with you and are up for drinks after work. You have mutual respect for one another and are more than willing to cooperate and compromise to get the job done.
However, if you find yourself regularly excluded from certain after work social outings (not referring to those official ones), and the boss asks your colleagues to delegate work to you, then it might be time to start worrying. It could be time to review your position in the company and look to newer environments.
If this happens too often, do take note that you might be the problem.
2. It’s Monday over and over again
There is no better way to put this. You feel miserable waking up, you feel miserable taking the MRT to work and you feel miserable eating lunch having to stare at your colleagues’ faces. And you feel miserable on the way back home.
These are telltale signs that you hate your job. Not to fret, it could be that you’re just drained or in a job that doesn’t suit you.
For such circumstances, what you need may come in the form of a short break away from all the misery to clear your head. You’ll come back recharged and ready to dive in…or head out the door. Either ways, you’ll be doing something positive for your career.
3. Titanic
Your company is heading in a direction you no longer believe in. From where you’re sitting (which is right in front of stacks of papers and dozens of unread emails), you see an iceberg. The truth might be that you do not see progression for yourself or believe in the company’s vision anymore, and your work performance will be greatly hindered. Word of advice would be, “no point waiting to hit the iceberg to see what happens”.
4. Water boy
For some reasons, things have changed. You are tasked with very menial duties in projects and your potential and skills are not tapped on. You find yourself being the “water boy” for the main football team, and as we all know, a “water boy” has the least chance of playing first team football. He’s just there because no one has the heart to fire him…yet.
It can also mean that despite your contributions and hard work for the company on various projects, you are not given much credit, or there is a sneaky colleague claiming all your hardwork, or you’re a terrible worker (at this job at least).
If you want to start playing professional football, you need to roll up your sleeves and prove your worth, or head to a new environment where you also have to prove your worth.
5. “What’s in a weekend?”
Your work might be taking up a large portion of your time. Too much.
It is affecting your time with your family and your social life. You are always at work, and there are constant urgent deadlines to meet and more work piling on top of your unfinished tasks. To make things worse, it is affecting your health. If your pay isn’t worth the adverse effects the job has been having on your life, it sounds like it’s time to get out.
Family and health or work? The answer is clear…to us…
