The Problem
Are you unhappy with your job? Thinking of chucking it all in, sabotaging your colleagues’ work or throwing something heavy at your boss? Or are you contemplating quietly walking out, leaving the country and going to live a simpler life on an island? Thinking of changing jobs is normal for everyone – you have no monopoly on any of these thoughts – but whatever IT is, doing it right is important.
Career progression means changing jobs by definition – but why and how you do it can improve your life or totally screw it up. Changing jobs at the right time for the right reasons and in the right way may seem obvious – but emotions and feelings and irrational thought get in the way and can seriously mess up your career.
I have changed jobs and made a few career changes in my life and some were cleverer than others!
So before you start booking plane tickets, selling the house, moving to or from the big city, emigrating or physically throwing stuff at the boss, why not balance out the loud emotional voices of your feelings with some sober, boring logical stuff.
The first thing to consider when deciding to change jobs is what the Problem is. Is it you or is it them? Is it the job or the employer? Without knowing what the problem is finding a solution is impossible.
Here are 10 questions to ask yourself to find out what the problem is before changing jobs:
- Why do you want to change jobs? Make a list of five reasons in no particular order. Write them down. Seriously, it helps.
- Do you want to change professions or just change your employer?
- Would it be different if you were doing the same thing for someone else? Are you sure? Explain why? Write it down!
- Are you in the right job – or just at the wrong place or with the wrong people?
- Why did you choose your current career? What attracted you to your career in the first place?
- What has changed since? If anything?
- Why do you think that is?
- Why did you choose your current employer? What attracted you to your current employer in the first place?
- What has changed since? If anything?
- Why do you think that is?
This is part 1 of a 4 week series. Coming up in the following three weeks are the (really exciting) sequels to this career-based mini-series:
10 questions to ask yourself before changing jobs (The Fix)
10 questions to ask yourself before changing jobs (The Decision)
10 questions to ask yourself before changing jobs (The Deed)
Image courtesy of Grant Cochrane / FreeDigitalPhotos.net