How to Know if This is Your Year for a New Career
Whether or not you’re one to define resolutions, a clean-slated new year can be an inspiring, empowering entity. It is hard escape pondering the 365 days gone past and the possibility for happiness in the year ahead. As you’re renewing your gym membership, clearing your fridge of leftover holiday treats, and making plans for 2015, it may be time to evaluate if your career needs a makeover, too. According to The Conference Board’s 2014 Job Satisfaction Survey, less than half of Americans have been satisfied with their jobs for the eighth year straight, so it stands to reason that job search sites saw an increase in traffic by 24% in January 2013. And apparently this New Year’s optimism isn’t unique to the US-- a poll by Jobsite.co.uk of 1500 British adults suggests that two in five people hunt for a new gig with the turn of the new year.
It’s clear that 2015 will bring its own want for renewal, and where better to start than the place where you spend 40+ hours of your week? Use these seven indicators to decide if it’s time for a career change:
1) It’s not fun (anymore). - You’ll spend about 90,000 hours at work in your lifetime, according to Business Insider. That's a lot of time spent on something you don't find fun or interesting.
2) Your boss is unsupportive. - Your boss considers the projects that you love to work on-- that you also believe will be beneficial to the company-- to be a waste of time.
3) You don’t like your team. - You don't have to be great friends with the people you work with, but if you can't even get along it won't only affect you-- it'll affect your work.
4) You’re absent a lot. - Have you noticed that you tend to get sick around big projects at work? Your work may be the cause. According to researchers at Tel Aviv University, the most stressed workers are 79% more likely to develop coronary heart problems than their less-stressed colleagues. This means that work-related stress is a stronger predictor than smoking!
5) You can’t remember the last time you did something new. - You’ve either stopped taking on projects that challenge you and could lead to more opportunities at work, or you haven’t been given any projects that force you to go outside of your comfort zone to grow in your role at the company.
6) Your tasks have increased, but your pay or benefits haven’t. - This can be tricky, depending on how your company is doing. More responsibility isn't always associated with money, but you should be compensated with more stock, vacation days, a title change, company benefits, or simply be publicly recognized for your efforts.
7) Your friends and family have told you to quit. - You’ve become “that person" to the people you love. They’ve either stopped inviting you out, or you’ve seen them get steamed about your continuous complaining.
Don’t be “that person.” You deserve to have a career you love. Make 2015 the year you discover it.