Expert Panel, Forbes Coaches Council
Forbes Source:
Some jobs aren' t meant to be long-term. What once felt like a great fit may no longer serve you and your evolving career goals – and that's okay.
When you're starting to question your future at a company, you might feel a bit of anxiety or increased stress. However, there are some clear warning signs that you've reached the last straw. The members of Forbes Coaches Council named a few red flags that indicate you're not in the right job.
1. The Company Doesn't Practice What It Preaches
Find out what the companies values are before you take the job. If it is a match for your values and beliefs, then take it, but if afterwards you start witnessing that the company and its officers aren't living up to what they say they represent, it's a sure sign the job isn't the right fit for you. Choosing to stay after clear evidence of a mismatch will only delay your success. - Linda Zander, Super Sized Success
2. You Don't See A Future There
One tell-tale sign that it's time for a new job is the realization that you have no vision for the work. When you are no longer dreaming of what can be, taking initiative toward innovation or finding purpose in what you are achieving, burnout occurs. Job fit is more than just competency-based. It is purpose-based. If even the immediate horizon is void of a vision, it's time for a new landscape. - Patrick Jinks, The Jinks Perspective
3. You're Having Intense Emotional Reactions
Emotions can sometimes run high if an employee feels a lack of connection with their employer. An angry or frustrated reaction could signal that an employee does not feel aligned with the company’s environment or culture. For example, a worker who values competitiveness and recognition may feel out of place in an environment that places a higher value on cooperation and teamwork. - Rick Gibbs, Insperity
4. You're Consistently Bored
One of the most common signs of being in the wrong role or organization is boredom. When you find yourselves doing your job without enthusiasm and are easily distracted by minor issues, it is a sure sign that you need to make a change. While we all experience boredom sometimes, it is important to differentiate between occasional boredom and consistent boredom. - Kamyar Shah, World Consulting Group
5. You Dread Going To Work
If you wake up in the morning and dread going to work, that job isn't right for you. Take a step back to assess and reflect. Is the environment you are working in healthy? Is this job truly your passion? Do you enjoy the work you do? Does the job plays to your strengths? Are you happy where you are? Don't undervalue what you bring to the table. Move on if it doesn’t serve you or make you happy. - Nadidah Coveney, CTM Consulting Group LLC
6. You're Surviving, Not Thriving
You can find a job with all the right people, the perfect industry, nicely designed space, free food, excellent clients and work that aligns with your skills -- and still be unhappy. The trick is to look at yourpersonal satisfaction drivers, energy drivers (and drainers) and the cultural fit in the organization. Figure out what makes you tick; if you're becoming someone else, it's a sign. - Joanne Markow, GreenMason
7. There's A Shift In Management Messaging And Expectations
The leadership in your organization should set the vision and performance standards for you and your team. If you've received positive and productive feedback on your work to date, and the tone begins to suddenly focus on perceived gaps in performance, it's time to understand what's driving this shift. If you find the feedback lacking in substance, you may not be part of the organization's plans. - Scott Singer, Insider Career Strategies
8. Your Strengths And Skills Don't Match Your Employer's Needs
If your employer consistently gives you work that's misaligned with your strengths and is unwilling to offer training or support, this could be a sign that you're in the wrong job. Before you consider leaving, try to do some job crafting to find other areas in the company where you can use your strengths. If this doesn't work, it could be time to explore other opportunities. - Beth Kuhel, Get Hired, LLC
9. The Reality Of The Job Doesn't Match What You Were Offered
Often times the job you interviewed for is not the job you accepted. Within the first week, you realize that the job is not what you expected and not what you want. Promises were made that haven't come to fruition. Support staff was promised, but there are only a few, if any. A budget for your area of responsibility was discussed but has been severely reduced. These issues are demoralizing signs. - Beverly Harvey, HarveyCareers, LLC
10. You Are Constantly Complaining
"Do you hear what you are saying?" If you hear this phrase inside or outside of work, it is a sure sign something about your job is amiss. Looking forward to or overcoming challenges at work and speaking about tasks at hand are normal. What is not a good sign -- and is a clear warning sign -- is negative talk. Watch and, more importantly, listen for this spoken trend. - John M. O'Connor, Career Pro Inc.
11. No One Listens To You
If you are at work, and no one cares enough to listen to your ideas, problems or suggestions, it is time to go. That usually means they don't perceive you as a valuable member of the team. So, unless you can turn the situation around quickly, it is time to find other options. - Donald Hatter, Donald Hatter Inc.
12. No One Is Measuring Your Value
You know that your job is not a fit when you have no idea how your value is being measured and no one seems to be interested in creating metrics for you. Without any clear measures for your work and effort, you will quickly become disconnected from the company and its business mission. Soon, your boss(es) will start wondering what you are doing there -- and so will you. It's time to leave. - Warren Zenna, Zenna Consulting Group
13. Your Gut Is Telling You To Leave
While it's important to consider any visible red flags, often people know when their job isn't a fit. Sometimes they realize it immediately, and other times it becomes apparent after something changed at their company. It may even happen gradually if you've been in the same role for years and no longer feel challenged. Look at the situation objectively, but don't ignore your gut. - Charlotte Weeks, Weeks Career Services, Inc.
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