Corporate loyalty is dead.

Long gone are the days of working one job for 40 years, retiring, and receiving a shiny gold watch.

Today the average worker changes jobs every 4 years and receives about a 10-20% raise with each job jump.

With turnover and incentives like that, the next question naturally is: How do you know when to move on?

As everyone’s career is different, there is no bulletproof framework for determining when you should jump ship and try something new.

That said, there are a few indicators we can point to that can tell us it might be time to move on.

5 Signs It’s Time To Move On:

- You dread going to work
- You are bored/unchallenged
- Your colleagues question your role
- There is no upward mobility
- A better opportunity comes along

Let’s unpack these indicators a bit more.

1/ You dread going to work

It’s one thing to not like your job. That’s called just being an adult and unfortunately, for millions of us, that’s just the way things go.

That said, if you absolutely dread going to work in the morning and find yourself feeling unsafe, anxious, or depressed, it’s probably time to move on.

No job is worth sacrificing your health and future for.

Even if you don’t absolutely love what you do, you still deserve to be treated with respect, feel safe at work, and be paid fairly.

If those boxes aren’t being checked every day, start looking elsewhere.


2/ You are bored/unchallenged

The average employee will spend 90,000 hours of their life working.

To put that into context that’s the same time as:

- Watching The Lord of The Rings Trilogy 8,181 times
- Driving from New York to LA 2,195 times
- Approximately 10 full years of our lives

Put simply, we will work a lot. As such, we might as well find that work stimulating and engaging.

If you find yourself finishing projects early, easily bored and unmotivated, and doing the same thing repeatedly, it is time to look elsewhere.

A good chunk of our personal fulfillment and identity comes from work. If we aren’t challenged and stimulated we open up a whole can of worms as it pertains to our personal development and sense of self.


3/ Your colleagues question your role

In a lot of ways, the biggest source of truth in an organization can stem from office drama/gossip.

As “high school” as it may sound a lot of the time these rumors lean true.

If your colleagues are murmuring about why you haven’t been promoted or why you choose to stick around it may be time to listen.

At the very least, grab your closest work friend and ask for an unfiltered opinion on your role at the company.


4/ There is no upward mobility

One of the most frustrating things at work is not being recognized for your contributions.

If you take a look around and you’re not seeing room for growth it may be time to look elsewhere.

Some telltale signs of this include:

• Promoting from outside

• A greedy/stagnant manager

• Out-of-touch leadership

• Lack of company depth and organization

If more than one of these signs is true for you it may be time to ask why.

What’s the point in working somewhere where you can’t continue to grow?

5/ A better opportunity comes along

At the end of the day, your company most likely isn’t as loyal to you as you may think.

If a better opportunity comes along, TAKE IT!

Minimize the thoughts of “but what about my team”, “I love it here”, or “I’m so close to that promotion.”

If another company/person values your work more than your current company you should be doing everything in your power to entertain that idea.

Great careers don’t just happen. They are made and require you to grab them.


Until next time,

Ben

Thanks for reading today! Whenever you're ready, there are three ways I can help you:

1. Go from “resume so-so, to resume pro” in 60 minutes
   

2. Reach out for some 1:1 Coaching
   

3. Check out my FREE resources to help in your job hunt

Found this edition of The Career Kickstarter online or got it from a friend? Subscribe below!

Want to help a friend and earn a $25 Amazon gift card? Refer a friend my way!