Tom O'Neil: When's the right time to change your job?

Despite all our bestlaid career plans, hope and dreams, sooner or later you will start to think "should I look for a new job?"

When is the right time to pull the plug and move on, before your job starts to become toxic? The following are great indicators that it's time to polish up your CV and get out into the job market.

Poor Leaders

The polling researchers Gallup found that in a survey of 7000 working age adults, 50 per cent of them had left a job to flee a poor manager at some point in their career. This is true in my experience, where I left a great company due to a bully in the workspace. Sadly every other factor (including income, benefits, awesome organisation, growth opportunities etc.) may be positive but having a poor leader taints everything and makes the working week a genuine slog at best.

Hate Sunday evening?

I hated one job I had many years ago so much that I would get really sad on Sunday evening, staying awake as long as possible so I wouldn't have to face the first day of the working week. If you find yourself in a similar situation, this is a great indicator that it's time to move on.

No career path

It is always frustrating when you want to move forward in your career, but doors keep closing, (or there are no doors to choose from …) If you see yourself in the same position, doing the same job in five years' time, it's time to look elsewhere.

Work is boring and does not challenge you

Its firstly important to remember that every job has its boring elements and no job is awesome all the time. However, if you genuinely feel you are mentally putting "tab A into slot B" again and again, day after day, it's time to ask your manager for new learning and development opportunities. If they say "no", you have to ask yourself if this position is right for you in the long term.

You fantasise about a new career while at work

If all you do while you are at work is think about cool other jobs you would love to be employed in, you may want to research new career options and retraining opportunities. Soon the "50-60 year career" will be the norm, so who wants to spend the best years of their life fantasising about doing something else?

Weigh up the Pros and Cons

However before you make the jump to leave your job, weigh up the good and bad, future opportunities, current salary and benefits, style of leadership and other factors. You might just find that the best place for you right now career-wise, is right where you are!

Contact Tom O'Neil and the team at cv.co.nz for a free CV or LinkedIn assessment or to be your personal career coach. Visit cv.co.nz or CareerCoach.nz to find out more.