Is it time to quit? This is a question every working person would have asked himself at least once in his life. Most people wait till they have to quit and this puts them at a disadvantage.
Instead, be proactive and evaluate your work and the company at least once in a year, your position in it and your personal growth within the organisation. The following three questions would help you assess where you stand
Are you working for the right organisation?
- A merger has taken place and you are not part of the new structure.
- Criticism on the press about the management repeatedly.
- No new products, services being launched.
- Respectable employees leaving the company.
- Profits going down consistently.
- Outsides being appointed as managers.
- Cost-cutting measures being implemented without rationale.
Take a critical look at your company if many of these factors are observed. There may be situations when you may want to work for for a company in trouble but only if there is a career advantage or you are in the turnaround team.
Are you in the right position?
Analyse your job. Is the reason you chose the work at the beginning still valid? Check if you are learning and growing in your job or you are where you were before. Check if you are recognised for your work and if what you are doing excites and rewards you. As soon as you start thinking that office politics are more important than your work, take a closer look at what you are doing. Some indicators
- Salary increments/ bonuses are decreasing.
- Your superiors talk directly to your subordinates.
- You are no longer asked to attend important meetings.
- Certain things you o are against your wishes.
- You are making dumb mistakes.
- Your mentors have left the company.
- You are no longer in sync with what is happening in the company.
If the company is a good one and your job is not progressing ask for a change of job in another division of the company. You can seek the help of people who have moved up recently or whose work spans more than one division. Else, it is time to move.
How are you positioned for a career change?
Focus on the current risks in your current job and review your balance sheet. Check the following
- Your reputation both within and outside the company.
- How well you help other employees and how much they seek your help.
- What are the hot positions in your field?
- What are the new challenges in your field?
- Who are the professional contacts you can call for support?
If most of the responses are positive then you can confidently look for another job. If not, focus on establishing contacts, contributing to your colleagues work, community and profession, your network and work on expanding it.
In summary, do a quick analysis, and if things are in your favour, look for a similar job with another company. Build personal assets to position your career for the future.
Don’t Quit Your Job Before Asking Yourself These Questions
by Priscilla Claman HBR 2020/02
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