Adam RicoWith a new year starting you may be considering changing jobs.However, when you begin your job search you’ll begin to ask yourself, “Should I really start looking for a new job or is my current job still working for me?”
Photo Credit: Shawn Carpenter
So how do you know if it’s time to start looking for a new job? There are good reasons and bad reasons for changing jobs so here are five reasons you never want to be the primary factor when changing jobs.
1. A Title. That bigger, better, beautiful title may beckon your name and your ego. However, after about 6 months that title is still what it always was. A j-o-b. It’s work, and not all that glitters is gold. While titles may look good on a resume, if the job itself doesn’t excite you the title isn’t worth it.
2. Company Brand. While the brand of a company can be alluring, you want to make sure the company’s mission, culture, and leadership are in alignment with your personal philosophies. If you’re not in alignment with those items you won’t have the emotional connection to the bigger picture of the organization and ultimately you won’t enjoy your work.
3. Convenience. There may be a company five miles from your house or maybe there’s an opportunity down the street where you could walk to work. While this is definitely a bonus you never want this to be the only factor you consider. A short commute will never ultimately fulfill your career desires.
4. Compensation. Who would’t want more money when changing jobs? However, when this is the primary motivator for a job change you will eventually run out of excitement and energy for the actual work. When you’re in the middle of working a 50 hour week your salary isn’t usually something that meets your deepest longings.
5. Feeling Antsy. Maybe you’ve been in your current job for a few years now and you’re getting the itch to do something new and different. If you don’t know what you want to move toward, versus what you want to leave behind, you will jump from job to job in hopes of finding “the one.” You’ll be like the old U2 song, “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For.”
Honing in on your motivation for changing jobs can be difficult when you feel ready to move on. However, taking the time to truly evaluate why you want to change jobs can mean the difference between making a wise change or a foolish change.
The good news is you’re in control of your motivation and when your reasons to make a change are strategic and thoughtful you can be confident you’ve made a good decision.