If in doubt, should you change roles?
Do you find yourself logging into work on a Monday morning wondering if the grass could be greener in a different role?
We’ve all felt that familiar itch as you sit through yet another meeting that could have been an email and wonder… ‘is it time for me to find a new job?’.
But changing roles isn’t as simple as you might imagine it to be. We examine some of the signs that you’re ready for a change and the pros and cons of taking a new job.
Signs you might be ready for a new role
You’re bored
If you find yourself bored by the work you’re doing, it might be that your skills have developed to a point where you’re no longer challenged enough by your existing role.
This could be a sign that you’re ready for a new role, or it might be time to talk to your manager about some further training and additional responsibilities.
Feeling fulfilled in your work is key to job satisfaction so if you find yourself constantly bored at work you might want to consider changing your role.
You’re stressed
Equally, if you’re regularly stressed at work, or if this stress is leaking out into other parts of your life and keeping you up at night, this could be an indication that you should start looking for a new role.
It’s not good for you to maintain high levels of stress for extended periods of time as this can lead to health complications and burnout.
Burnout is a form of exhaustion caused by ‘excessive and prolonged emotional, physical, and mental stress’. It’s a serious issue which can take a long time to recover from and is most commonly attributed to work stress.
Stress like this can really impact your quality of life and prevent you from enjoying any kind of work/life balance. If you’re starting to feel that your work-related stress is becoming unmanageable then this is a good indication that a change of roles is needed.
You feel underappreciated
Does it sometimes seem like no one is taking your ideas seriously? Or that your input in meetings isn’t valued?
It’s not fun being talked over and ignored, but don’t let this affect your self-confidence. If you don’t feel like your work is having any impact on the company, it’s probably time to take your skills somewhere where they will be better appreciated.
You’re underpaid
Ever searched for the industry standard salary for your role and realised that you’re not being paid your worth? Or discovered that a colleague with the same level of responsibilities is earning far more than you?
It’s not a nice feeling, and it’s potentially easier to negotiate a raise by changing roles rather than appealing to your existing company.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the base wage for Australians rose an ‘average of 2.4 per cent over the past year’. In comparison, many employers are planning to combat the great resignation by ‘increasing starting salaries for new hires this year by offering a 10 per cent increase on average compared to last year.’
If you’re happy in your current role, we’d suggest talking to your employer before making any drastic moves. But if you’re not, then changing roles might just be the career boost you’ve been missing.
You don’t see any career growth within the company
This is a big one. If you have a clear idea of where you want your career to take you, but you can’t see any room for growth in your existing company, then you should definitely consider looking for a new role.
If you think that your company could help you achieve your goals, be proactive and set up a meeting with your manager to make your ambitions clear and find out what they need from you in order to get there.
Pros and cons of changing your job
Pros:
- Chance to negotiate a higher salary
- Widen your experience in a new industry
- Chance to take a role more suited to your personal interests
- Potential to improve your work/life balance
Cons
- Getting to grips with a new role can be tough
- Work culture might not be what you’d expected
- A new job might not necessarily be the solution to your previous dissatisfaction
What to do next?
If after thinking about the reasons you want to change roles, and considering the pros and cons of doing so, you’re still sure that this is the right decision for you, then here’s what you should do next.
Start by casually looking for a role in your desired field or industry. This is also the time to tidy up and update your CV and take note of any achievements or stats from your existing role which you could mention in interviews and applications.
Don’t just stick to LinkedIn for your job search, have a look at job boards created by recruitment companies such as Conquest Recruitment Group to see if they have anything that matches your skills.
If in doubt, should you change roles? Reach out to a member of our team and we’ll help you answer this question.
