You know it’s time to start looking for a new job when you see your job posted on the company bulletin board or when you discover your computer password is invalid.
There are plenty of other, less blatant signs: day-to-day drudgeries becoming all-consuming oppressions; feeling stagnant or unchallenged, stunted in job growth or shortchanged in promotions or raises; or working for a tyrant boss or an employer whose values clash with yours.
“If you’re not happy in your job,” says Dr. Alice Bernstein, a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in career issues, “ask yourself if all the possibilities of happiness and self-development have been exhausted. If the answer is yes, then it’s time to look for another position.”
Elene Cafasso knew it was time to look for a new job when the learning stopped. “I had to look for a new challenge because there wasn’t one at that company,” says Cafasso, who now is happy working in a job that offers her learning opportunities and fulfillment. “If you dread getting up and going to an unfulfilling job, you have to listen to your gut and get out; it’s not worth staying there.” People tend to stay in a less-than-satisfying or unfair job situation, says Bernstein, because they fear change, loss of income or have low self-esteem as a result of the negative work experience. As it becomes more and more difficult to manage workplace frustrations and stress, the warning signals strongly flash that it’s time to find a better workplace.
“I dread going to work every morning,” says Sylvia, an office assistant who asked to be identified by first name only. “I’m really bored and frustrated with my job because I don’t use any of my skills; I’m tired of not being given the chance to prove I have some.”
Sylvia admits the longer she’s stuck in the dead-end job, the more her self-esteem is deteriorating; now, she feels insecure about launching a job search. “Friends and family don’t understand why I’m so depressed because they all have great jobs that they love. It’s too late for me to be that lucky.”
After suffering at work for two years with a tyrant boss, Rebecca says she woke up one day with an ulcer and decided enough is enough. “I have this horrible boss who yells at everyone and insults me every day. I used to love the work, but she’s made my life so miserable that I can’t even function on the job anymore.”
A supervisor at a Chicago-based non-profit organization, Rebecca admits she has endured the no-win situation longer than she should have because she feared change. But a job search, she adds, is rebuilding her self-esteem and giving her the gumption to settle for nothing less than a decent boss in a dream job.
Sometimes employees receive signs from their bosses that their futures are bleak. Being passed up for a promotion or continuously receiving a lower-than-cost-of-living raise can chip away at an employee’s confidence. Experts say most employees take these signs as a snub from their bosses and a confirmation that their career at the company remains static.
“You don’t have much time in life to develop your career,” says Diane Wilson, a career consultant with Grimard Wilson Consulting Inc., a Chicago-based career-management firm. “If you’re not given the chance to gain new skills or experiences through promotions, you’ll never advance. If that’s the case, leaving the company is the only way you’ll be able to acquire and cultivate career-advancing experiences and skills.”
For Flora, a graphic designer at a Chicago-based advertising agency, it wasn’t only the stagnant position that triggered her job search, it was the 60-hour workweek. “I’m working full time, seven days a week because my boss gave me more projects to do instead of a promotion,” sighs Flora, who’s been applying for jobs via the Internet since she doesn’t have time to hit the pavement.
“My boss said I didn’t get a supervisor position because I was doing a great job where I was. I know my skills are marketable for better companies; I’ll wait for the right one before I quit.”
If you’re caught in a moral dilemma between what’s right and how your employer operates, it’s also a sign that you’re in the wrong place. If you feel you’re compromising your integrity and honesty by treating customers poorly or sacrificing human safety and product quality for the bottom line, then stick to your beliefs, says Wilson, and find a healthier workplace.
Other more serious signs that you’re in an unhealthy work environment include a discriminating boss, a company that reneges on wages and commissions or a boss that forces you to do something illegal, such as altering financial records or creating false invoices.
Whether you have internal signs of distress, such as unfulfilling work, or external circumstances beyond your control, such as tyrannical behavior from a boss or illegal acts, don’t think you have to quit on the spot. All it might take is a trip to your company’s human resources department, where an explanation of your situation could lead you to a better job in a different department.
With law-violating problems, it’s even more important to plan a strategy. “Quitting should be your last resort,” advises John O’Connor, an attorney with Hubbard and O’Connor Ltd., a Chicago-based law firm specializing in employee rights and litigation. “It could prevent you from collecting unemployment benefits and could significantly weaken any legal case you may have against your employer.”
O’Connor says quitting a job prematurely also weakens the bargaining power employees have for a severance package. “Bosses don’t like having unhappy employees at work. It scares them,” he said. “They fear the problem will be brought to management’s attention.”
O’Connor advises going to human resources to put your complaint on record and the company on notice that you’re not happy with the situation. Also, seek counsel from an attorney or a government agency.
Persevering in a job until you find a better situation takes a lot of patience and a strong backbone, but it’s less stressful to find job while you’re still collecting a paycheck.
Experts advise job hunting before and after work, during lunch hours and, if possible, on weekends. Network with people in your desired industry and work with a career counselor to help you through the job transition.
“Life is too short to be spending your days doing something you hate at a place you hate,” says Rebecca, who now is contemplating two job offers. “You have to change what needs to be changed.”
To find a reputable employment lawyer, contact the National Employment Lawyer’s Association of Illinois, 30 N. LaSalle St., Suite 1724, Chicago 60602 (312-759-0838).
To locate a certified career counselor, contact the National Board of Certified Counselors (910-547-0607).
QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF:
– Are there opportunities to learn and grow on the job?
– Am I being fairly compensated and rewarded?
– Am I sacrificing my morals and values for the job?
– Are my talents being used and am I challenged?
– Do I dread going to work?
– Am I unhappy on the job?
– Have I experienced symptoms of emotional or physical distress as a result of my job, including depression, insomnia or stomach or intestinal problems?
