Immediately following summer vacations and hot on the heels of the New Year are two junctions where we have consistently over the years seen a sharp hike in online jobseeker activity and career transition enquiries as professionals take the time to reflect on their careers and ponder where it is they would rather be. Below your Bayt.com Career Consultant examines some answers to a question we are hearing quite frequently these days:- When is the right time to change careers?
Job Loss
Poor performance, unsuitability/un-enthusiasm for the role, corporate downsizing/reshuffling and/or any number of other parameters may have resulted in you being forced out of your job. Depending on the reason you lost your job and the state of the job market in your industry you may want to take this time to consider an alternate career.
Your health is suffering
Whether it’s your mental or physical health that is being significantly impaired by the stresses of the job, heed the early warning signs and don’t wait until the symptoms are long-term and severe. Common symptoms include being chronically fatigued, insomnia, poor concentration, inability to focus and chronic pains.
The demands of your job are unrealistic
If you find yourself doing a job that is best suited for two people or more and you have been unable to marshal the resources or support to lighten the workload to a more realistic level, it may well be time to leave before you completely burn out. Whatever it is, don’t allow yourself to be taken for granted and make sure your boss is made aware of the nature of the burden you are carrying before you call it quits and seek more realistic job responsibilities elsewhere.
Your relationship with your boss is damaged beyond repair
It may be that you have allowed your relationship with your manager to turn irreversibly sour over the years through poor communication skills, laziness, unprofessional conduct, poor judgement or simply an inertia to invest in the relationship. Needless to say, your future prospects with the firm may be largely impaired if your relationship with your manager cannot be salvaged.
Your relationship with co-workers is damaged beyond repair
Have you lost all interest in your colleagues lately and begun to find yourself left out of team projects, group discussions or even the office grapevine? Do you find it increasingly difficult to get along with your peers and elicit their support on projects? You may be better off learning from this experience and starting afresh elsewhere.
Your relationship with your key clients is damaged beyond repair
Burning bridges with key clients is highly unadvisable and may be a very valid reason to leave graciously. If you have acted unprofessionally, unethically or persistently underperformed for a key client or any number of important clients, you may want to spare your firm further embarrassment and leave before the clients do.
You have consistently been overlooked for a raise or promotion
The need to be recognized and appreciated by your employer is a key motivational factor and nothing is more demeaning and unsettling than being consistently overlooked for a raise or promotion. Make sure you talk the situation through with your boss before making any rash decisions as he may have big plans for you down the line that you are unaware of.
The job is unchallenging
When boredom sets in and the job becomes a routine monotonous ordeal with no learning curve left to speak of it is may be time to move to greener pastures. The means and opportunity to explore new challenges and acquire new skills and knowledge is an important aspect of any job, especially if you value your career progression and don’t wish to be pigeon-holed or unfairly pushed to a premature learning glass ceiling.
The dread factor is very high
Has going to work become a matter of grave consternation for you? While every job has its ups and downs, when the job loses all joy and excitement for you and you are confident that this is a chronic not a temporary phenomenon there is very little reason to stay on and suffer.
The company or your boss is unethical
Corporate scandals abound lately and should be a serious lesson to us all. If you find yourself working for an unethical organisation or asked to do something remotely unethical or that does not fully agree with your own values, standards and beliefs, leave immediately.
The company is in a state of permanent decline
If downsizing is around the corner and the company is in a state of sustained and long-term decline, there is no reason to cling steadfastly to a sinking ship. Rescue your career by seeking greener pastures elsewhere. For more tips on career transitions please visit Bayt.com, the Middle East’s #1 job site and read Mid-Career Transition.
