Did you make any New Year’s Resolutions? Perhaps you’ve told yourself you’ll learn a new language with Duolingo, or maybe you’ve said that this year is the year you really commit to Park Run. But what about a resolution to change jobs?
Going into a new year offers the perfect opportunity to review and reflect upon your current employment, and whether you’d be better off elsewhere.
In this post, we’ll explore this topic in more detail, helping you decide whether a new position is the right move or whether staying put is optimal. First, though, why contemplate these decisions in the New Year?
Why the New Year?
Picking out a particular day or time of year to contemplate career moves might seem like an arbitrary decision; after all, what’s the difference between 1 January and 1 July when it comes to your job?
But there’s undeniably something to be said for using the start of a new year as your springboard to make more significant life changes, and changing jobs is inarguably a significant life change.
You’ve undoubtedly felt it yourself – that feeling of renewal that comes when January comes around, where opportunities seem fresher, and you feel like you have the chance to make this year your year.
Don’t worry, though, because the questions we’ll highlight below can be applied to any time of the year, not just January. It’s just that if you’re already reviewing the more important parts of your life at this time of year, reviewing your work as part of that makes sense.
Question #1: Do You Enjoy Your Current Role?
The most important question is whether you get enjoyment and satisfaction from your current employment. Does it healthily challenge you? Do you (overall) look forward to going to work – or are you filled with dread each morning?
Try to answer this question more holistically; there will be days when you find work less enjoyable and you’d rather not go in the morning. However, so long as those don’t outweigh your positive days at your job, you can probably conclude that you enjoy your work.
Question #2: Do You Feel Valued in Your Current Role?
You can have a rewarding and enjoyable job, but if you don’t feel valued in your role, then it can significantly negatively skew your attitude towards the position and leave you wondering whether you’d be better off elsewhere.
This topic of value can go in two directions. Firstly, do you feel valued monetarily speaking? Does your current job pay you what you think you’re worth? Ask yourself this question truthfully. Do you believe you’re being paid a fair and proper amount for your role?
Besides money comes the question of being valued by your employer, line manager, colleagues, etc. Are your contributions to the job recognised as they should be, or are you often left feeling overlooked? Consider both the financial perspective and the human side of things to help you come to a decision about your future job and whether you want to stick or twist.
Question #3: Have You Given Your Current Job the Chance to Improve?
It can be easy to harbour resentment towards a job you feel is letting you down without giving them the chance to do anything about it. Often, if you just talk to your line manager or employer about how you’re feeling, they can adjust and make accommodations to help improve your overall job satisfaction.
Changing jobs can be a significant stressor in your life, so don’t jump to another ship before you’ve given your current one the chance to patch up its leaks.
Poor boat metaphors aside, you’d be amazed at how much your job might be improved just by going to your supervisor or line manager because, as is often the case, they might’ve had no idea you were feeling how you were feeling.
Question #4: Are You Still Happy in Your Career?
A broader question to ask yourself is whether you’re still happy in your career. If the answer to that question is no, then it might be time to consider retraining and segue into another job altogether.
Ask yourself whether it’s the specific job you want to leave or the role in its entirety. If it’s the latter and you move to another company in a similar job position, then you might find yourself encountering the same issues as previously, because it wasn’t necessarily the employer that was the problem, but rather the job/career itself.
Question #5: How Long Have You Felt This Way?
If you’ve found yourself itching for a new position somewhere, ask yourself how long you’ve been doing so. Have you been feeling disillusioned with your current role for months, or years even? Or has it been within the past couple of days that you’ve found your mind wandering to pastures new?
Everybody has bad days and doing so doesn’t automatically mean you need to look elsewhere for a job. However, if that disconnection continues for a more extended period, then it might be time to move. Give yourself a few weeks to note your thoughts and feelings towards your current job mindfully.
If you find that you’re consistently highlighting and noticing negatives, rather than positives, then this is a sign that you may need to look elsewhere.
Why You Should Consider Seven Resourcing for Your Recruitment Needs?
Here at Seven, your job is our job. We’re dedicated to placing candidates in amazing job positions, and if you’re looking to transition into something new this January, we want to help you do so. With our innovative recruitment technology (PayTech, SafeGuard, and SmartSearch) and 24 major awards (and counting), ours is a recruitment agency you can trust and depend upon.
We’re tried-and-tested, reliable, and have an Excellent rating on Trustpilot. As members of the REC – the Recruitment & Employment Confederation – we can display our ethical standards and adherence to best recruiting practices to candidates. If you want a healthcare, social care, education, or recovery and criminal justice job, you ought to contact us!
