Jim Weinstein

I’m lifting this title from an article (actually an ad) in yesterday’s Washington Post (by Leigh Goessl) that I want to share. It lists seven signs of why your job may no longer be a good fit for you,  to which I am adding two more. Briefly summarized the seven are:

1. Days are stressful – and only stressful (there are relatively few moments of true satisfaction).
2. You’ve changed yourself to fit the position (the fit was good when you started but the position has evolved away from your strengths/likes).
3. Your job is a dead end (your career is at a standstill).
4. You chased the money (money is not as important as we think; fulfillment is more important).
5. Quitting time is the day’s highlight  – No explanation needed!
6. There’s been a shift in organizational values (more emphasis on the bottom line? Less ethical?)
7. You’re having performance struggles (your evaluations aren’t decent, feedback from superiors is negative).

The other two:

    8. Work/life balance is progressively getting worse – Unless you can confidently predict that a deterioration in work/life balance is temporary, it is often a sign that your organization is investing in fewer resources than is necessary to get the job done well. This situation crops up repeatedly in takeovers, where the acquiring company is looking to reduce costs. This sign relates to #2 above – the job you were working in has morphed into a job that requires you to make fundamental changes in your life.

     9. You’re having difficulty getting along with your boss – It may happen that you find yourself with a new boss. If your day-to-day relationship with that boss becomes uncomfortable, or in the worst case scenario contentious, you should start considering moving on. Most people underestimate the influence that their bosses have on their career trajectories; it is generally enormous. So even if you are doing an outstanding job in the eyes of your co-workers, and even others in management, a bad relationship with your boss is frequently fatal.