Not every day at work is going to be full of sunshine and roses, but if day after day is thunderstorms and thorns, you’re probably thinking of making a change.
But how do you know when it’s the right time, and how can you switch jobs in a way that will benefit your career as a whole?
Start with our checklist:
Think about the goal
Setting your sights on exactly what you want out of your career can clarify how your current job fits into the plan.
For example, perhaps you are working as a product photographer for a furniture company. It’s a good job, but your dream is to become a freelance wedding photographer.
While your job is in your field, it’s not helping you build the portfolio or connections you need in order to get to where you want to be.
In order to optimize your chosen career, you might need to change jobs — or even strike out on your own.
Take stock of your experience
You shouldn’t have to dread going to work or tolerate how often you spend Monday morning thinking longingly of Friday afternoon. But resist the very human temptation to only count the bad days.
One way to be sure you’re accurately taking stock of your overall well-being is to journal or keep some other kind of record. If your journaling shows that your job has become something you endure rather than enjoy, or if you realize you’re no longer growing or excited about your work, it’s time to start looking for the next job. When you reach that point …
Start planning
If there’s definitely something better out there or because you can’t imagine it being any worse, make a plan to find a new job at a time that works for you.
Take stock of what you have (skills, experience, savings); what you need (higher salary, good benefits); and what you want (new location, flexible scheduling, more autonomy).
Figure out what’s non-negotiable and what you can be flexible about. Knowing exactly what you want will make it easier to find.
While the end of the fabled job-for-life is sometimes touted as a tragedy, the real tragedy would be spending your life in a vocation you loathe. Luckily, the increased flexibility and fluidity in the modern workforce means a better position — one that fills your soul as well as your bank account — is easier than ever to find.
