Is It Time to Start Looking for a New Job?

The Great Resignation is upon us. Here are five signs that it’s time to start looking for a new job. 

Does it seem like everyone is moving on to new opportunities right now? That’s because, well, they are. 

Last year, a staggering one in four people left their positions, with 4.4 million people seeking new employment in September 2021 alone. Economists have termed the mass exodus as The Great Resignation and can be traced a direct result of a reckoning in the work-life balance experience during the pandemic. 

Still, even if nationwide trends say otherwise, leaving a job is a large and important decision. Finding a new position can be overwhelming, and it can often be difficult to determine whether you’re in a bad place or just having a bad day.

If you find yourself vacillating between should you stay or should you go, here are five signs that it’s time to start looking for a new job.  

You Don’t Have Upward Mobility

A smart employee is always thinking about their next step. Ideally, any position you are in has a clear path towards upward mobility, if not in job title then in compensation. 

Many people can suss out their future prospects on their own, but this is not always the case. If your company seems tight-lipped on their plans for your promotion, you may have to take matters into your own hands. Set up a meeting with a supervisor or manager and be frank about what you are looking for in your career. This can be far-ranging, from increased salary and leadership positions to better networking or opportunities for career development. If there is little enthusiasm around your desire to grow, it may be time to move on.  

Your Value is in Question

Perceived value has been a huge driving force behind the Great Registration. Workers, justifiably, became emboldened to demand a better work-life balance. Companies mobilized to expand services, such as paid time-off, parental leave and wellness initiatives, to keep their best people.

Companies that care about their employees want them to stay, plain and simple, and ones that want their workforce to stay have accommodated their demands. See if your organization feels likewise: bring any and all issues about work-life balance to your superiors to gauge their reaction. If they accommodate you, they value you. If they dismiss your concerns, you should start polishing your resume. There are plenty of places out there that will both appreciate your work and honor your time. 

You Aren’t Being Compensated Fairly 

Surprisingly, compensation is not the top reason that employees leave their positions. In fact, only 12% of workers quit their job because of compensation (a huge disconnect for the 89% of bosses that believe it’s the reason). 

That said, unfair compensation is absolutely a reason to leave a position. Today’s competitive job market allows for applicants to negotiate salary more than ever. Begin researching what is normal payment for your position, and bring that number, along with your full job responsibilities, to your supervisor. If your company is unwilling to negotiate a raise, or give you a solid timeframe on when to expect one, it may be time to say goodbye.

You Don’t Feel Challenged

Being challenged is different from being overwhelmed. While you shouldn’t be stressed to the breaking point, you should feel as though your work is stimulating your mind and adding to your career development. 

Feeling like you might need to be tackling new challenges? Start by doing a little research on positions like yours, potentially in different industries or on a larger scale. That can be useful in determining whether you are just looking for a new project or ready for new opportunities. It could be that your current employer is able to expand your scope of work to help your career development. Or it could be that you should be moving onto bigger and better things. 

You Feel Excited for Something New

Sometimes, you just need to listen to your gut. It could be that your job is perfectly fine but that you have outgrown it. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing! If you find yourself daydreaming about your next big move, why not make it a reality? 

Are you ready to start looking? Check out this blog for your next steps.