Should I stay or should I go How to tell when its time to leave your job Viewpoint careers advice blog

Should I stay or should I go How to tell when it’s time to leave your job At 6.30am on any Monday morning I am usually found cajoling my 4 year old son to wake-up, accompanied by his cries of “I hate school, I don’t want to go”. Of course, by the time he has a bowl of CocoPops inside him (and accepted my occasional bribe of a new Transformer toy!) he is brimming with excitement about the new school day. When we are young we don’t have a choice about how to fill our days, now we do. Waking up and wishing you didn’t have to go into work may feel familiar but deciding whether to act on those thoughts can be harder. How do you know whether you would be happier if you changed jobs or whether you are better staying where you are? You need to ensure you are moving for the right reasons before you begin to search for an alternative role. Personal performance Through my years working in recruitment, I have interviewed many people who have had a criticism or poor review of their performance from their boss and consequently have decided to move jobs. A combination of personal embarrassment and sometimes resentment of the criticism meant that they felt unable to stay. If you are in this situation, you should try to remove the emotion and consider whether you are able to improve your performance in your current role before you look at alternatives. It will lead to a greater sense of personal achievement and will enable you to move on from your role at a later date with your head held high. Of course, this may not be possible if you are over-extended in your current role or the environment is not conducive to superior performance. If you do decide to move, consider carefully your next role and look for an environment where you will be able to thrive. Challenge If you look back at your Outlook calendar and discover you were doing exactly the same thing on the same day three years ago, it is probably time to consider your options. You may not be averse to routine but when that routine equates to monotony, your enthusiasm for your role is likely to wane. Discovering opportunities to develop your skills and expertise in your current role or taking on more responsibility will ensure that you are challenged both personally and professionally. Consider a career move if these opportunities do not exist where you are. Promotion Can you see a career path for you in your current firm? Even if you can’t see a long-term plan, you could be gaining valuable experience that will be a good stepping-stone to a more senior role within another firm. So mull over whether an immediate job change is necessary or whether you should stay in your role and develop your skills and expertise before making a move upwards elsewhere. Team dynamics We’ve all been here â€" a new boss or colleague or a team restructure can result in you working with someone that you do not instantly bond with or even like very much. Invest time in building the relationship, you may be surprised how much you learn and grown from the experience. But however hard you try, you cannot get on with everyone. Staying in a role where there are extreme conflicts can be stressful and ultimately can have a detrimental effect on your health. Don’t let things get this bad before you decide to make a move it will impact on your confidence and therefore your ability to secure another role. Reward Are you enjoying your role but think you are underpaid? If so, research the market to arm yourself with the facts and then speak to your boss before you start applying for other roles. There may be more money available and your boss may not be aware of current market pay scales. Your boss is likely to appreciate your professionalism in not just deciding to leave but giving him or her the opportunity to enable you to stay. You could also suggest that your boss incorporates a performance-related bonus scheme instead of a basic pay rise a win-win outcome! If there is no flexibility on your pay, your job search can begin. Should you stay or should you go? Well ultimately that’s your call. But do everything possible to ensure you wake-up tomorrow and think “I love my job”! About to start your job search? Reading our job searching tips will help ensure it’s a success Ready to risk it all and take the jump? How to optimise your LinkedIn profile Are you a global citizen? How I coped with relocating 11,000 miles for my new job, twice Stop waiting to be recognised Dont accept a job unless it scares you