How to Know When It’s Time to Switch Jobs

Many professionals are switching jobs at an increased rate to advance their careers, increase their income, and experience other benefits.

Changing jobs is a significant move, though. It requires a lot of planning and action, including interviewing, potentially moving, and initiating a 401k rollover. However, the effort can be worth it if the new job helps you meet your goals and increases your job satisfaction.

To help you decide, this article will dive into a few signs that it’s time for you to make a job change.

1. Examine Your Work-Life Balance

Are you working late? Are you taking work home on evenings and weekends? Is work taking time away from family responsibilities like being home for dinner or attending your kids’ sports games?

In this case, you may want to switch jobs for a better work-life balance. Ideally, you should find a job that pays the same or more and offers more of what would make you a happy employee. However, sometimes, a pay cut may be worth it for your mental health or personal/family life.

Finding a remote job at a company with a more flexible work schedule can be a great arrangement. You can build your work hours around other responsibilities, ensuring you work when you have time and can perform your best.

2. Consider Your Career and Income Goals

Sometimes, switching employers is the best way to advance your career and hit your goals.

For example, consider looking elsewhere if you feel you’ve outgrown your current role but haven’t been offered promotions or additional responsibilities.

Another example might be if you are no longer passionate about your current field and want to change careers. This can require a little more work — you may have to learn new skills or take classes — but landing in a more fulfilling line of work can be worth it.

Furthermore, switching jobs is okay if you feel like you aren’t getting paid what you are worth, and raise negotiations have failed. Similarly, consider changing jobs if your current benefits package doesn’t suit your needs.

3. You Are Not Enthusiastic About Your Role

You may have been excited to take on the role and help the company move forward when you started your current job. However, things can change. The workplace culture may have shifted, or perhaps new management came in and shifted the company’s direction.

You don’t have to stay at your job. You can look for roles at other companies that match your passions and interests. Working for such a company could drastically increase your job satisfaction. This improves your work performance and attitude — which can lead to more career advancement — and helps you maintain a healthier life outside of work.

4. Do a Cost/Benefit Analysis

The previous sections are all great reasons to consider a job switch. However, you must ultimately weigh them against the costs of changing jobs.

For instance, your new job may require relocating. You’ll have to factor in moving costs and time. You’ll also need to consider the new location’s cost of living and taxes. If you have a family, you must evaluate local amenities, schools, and more.

Another cost to consider is additional learning or skill development. Switching to a new job may require learning new software, taking classes, or gaining new skills. Even if the new employer pays for these, they take time. This could result in you investing personal time in the education needed to adapt to the new role.

The Bottom Line

Examine your work-life balance to see if work impacts your other responsibilities and personal life. Look over your career and income goals and consider how enthusiastic you still are about your current employer and job.

Weigh the benefits of switching to improve in these areas against costs, such as moving, additional learning, or training, and the potential for the new company not to be a good fit.

Sources:

https://www.gallup.com/workplace/231587/millennials-job-hopping-generation.aspx