Should I Be Looking For a New Job – Volume 2

Should I Be Looking For a New Job – Volume 2

I realized in my most recent post, Should I Be Looking For a New Job, that I had more to share.  There are more reasons that you or me might be looking for a new job.  I’m sure there are plenty more as well but I can certainly add to the reasons here.  Therefore, I decided to write a follow up post to keep the topic going.  That’s how you get should I be looking for a new job – volume 2.

Here is something else to consider.  Right now as I type this article there are more open jobs than there are people actively looking for a new job.  I was recently at a recruiting conference.  Numerous companies spoke to how they are trying to hold onto their current employees by any means necessary.  The war for talent is brutal right now.  Which is a good thing if you are looking for a new job or exploring the market.  With that, let’s take a look at some further reasons you might be asking yourself should I be looking for a new job.

I Got Laid Off

This is a no brainer of course.   If you get laid off you should probably look for a new job.  Layoff’s at companies happen for a lot of reasons.  There are 2 companies in the city I live in that have done big waves of layoffs over the last 10-15 years.   This is mostly because the industry they are both in is changing rapidly.  Even though they do a decent job of trying to be innovative they have to do layoffs from time to time.  I was recruiting in the 2008-2010 time frame when the recession was going on as well.  There were all kinds of layoffs during this time period.

Another big reason layoff’s happen is when companies merge.  I’ll mention this in my next section as well.  Normally when two companies merge really one of them is acquiring the other one.  They always say things will remain the same, business as usual.  And they are right.  For 6 months or a year or maybe 2.  Most of the time the changes start coming along, little by little.  When that happens be wary of layoffs.  Especially if you are in a role that there’s bound to be some redundancy.  Things like accounting or human resources.

The Writing Is On the Wall

The writing can be on the wall for a lot of reasons as you might imagine.  I mentioned above that a merger can lead to layoffs.  This bleeds right into the writing is on the wall.  If your company just got acquired and there’s someone in the other company doing your job, look out.  The writing might be on the wall for you.

The writing could be on the wall if you are an an evolving industry.  If you work for a company and you know they aren’t keeping up with competitors, better brush up your resume.  Your company might get 50% of it’s revenue from one client.  Guess what happens if they lose that client?  That’s right, can’t keep all the employees that take care of that client.  This is a common occurrence with advertising agencies.

Many other reasons can lead to the writing being on the wall.  Best advice is to keep your eyes and ears open at your place of business.  If you know some things are changing in a bad way, start looking around at other options.  It’s the smart thing to do.

I’ve Outgrown This Place

Sometimes you just outgrow your company.  Could be that you’ve got career aspirations that don’t bode well for a future at your currently company.  Might be you are just bored with what you got hired to do.  I’ve been at a job where what I got hired to do changed dramatically.  While I was fine with it for a while it then kept changing.  After a while I wasn’t doing hardly anything that I got hired to do.

If you’ve been with your company for 10 + years maybe your company has changed.  Cultures do change in companies when there is new leadership.  Maybe you loved the boss who hired you and now they no longer work there.  I hear this on a regular basis and it sucks.  That goes back to people leave bosses as much if not more than they leave jobs.  There are many reasons why you might outgrow your company.

My Drive Is Ridiculous

I drive 22 miles each way to work.  That might be fine or it might suck depending on other factors.  Well one of the factors over the last couple of years is they are ALWAYS doing construction along parts of the highways on my drive.  On a great day my drive is 25 minutes each way.  On a bad day it can take an hour.  I really dislike it.  It’s not a deal breaker but I don’t like it.  I’ve asked numerous times about working from home during different times and it’s a real struggle.  They don’t provide me the tools to do remote work from time to time then use that as the reason why I can’t work from home.  It’s silly.

If you work for a company that lets you work from home on a regular basis that’s awesome.  It is common in some industries and company cultures.  Others not so much.  Personally I’d love to work from home twice a week and go into an office 3 times a week.  I like the interaction and energy of working with other people.

Keep an eye on how much time and money you spend commuting.  Sometimes it’s worth making less money but not driving an hour plus each day.  When you factor in the cost impact to your car AND your loss of time, it can be eye opening.

I’m Not Passionate About What I Do

Look, we spend a major chunk of our lives at work.  I don’t always like that but it’s the way things are.  With that in mind it makes sense to do something you really like.  I think being passionate about what you do sometimes is asking a little too much.  In a perfect world we’d all absolutely love what we do.  This probably isn’t reality but at least really enjoy what you do.  Being a recruiter I really enjoy connecting someone with a great opportunity.  It gives me a big smile every time I get to make someone a job offer.  It’s fun and exciting and is a big deal in someones life!

I’ll leave you with this.  So many people dread going to work on Monday’s.  They talk about how short the weekends seem and how every Sunday night all they can think about is how they don’t want to go to work the next day.  Don’t be like this.  If you live for the weekend that means you don’t like what you do to earn a paycheck.  That’s no way to trade your time for money.

I Got A Great Opportunity – And It’s Not Here

Sometimes preparation meets opportunity and a great new gig becomes available.  Sometimes this happens if you are actively looking for a new job.  And sometimes not.  You might just have been thinking should I be looking for a new job and BOOM you have a chance encounter with someone that leads to a great opportunity for you.  When an opportunity presents itself that aligns well with your skills and what you want to do, sometimes you have to go for it.  Especially if your current company isn’t offering much in the way of job growth.

I met a VP of Human Resources at a networking breakfast event.  We hit if off and had a lively and engaging conversation.  She mentioned her company was looking for a corporate recruiter and would I be interested in discussing the role.  I said it sounds great but I wasn’t a very good recruiter, I was better at sales.  To this day I am so glad she wanted to keep talking to me. I went to work for her and besides loving my new gig I had one of the best mentors I’ve ever had.  Keep your eyes and ears open.

Should I Be Looking For a New Job Resources

If you find yourself asking should I be looking for a new job here’s a few more resources that might help you.

The Right Job, Right Now:  The Complete Toolkit For Finding Your Perfect Career – by Susan D. Strayer

What Color Is Your Parachute?  2019: A Practical Manual For Job Hunters and Career Changers – by Richard N. Bolles

Forget A Mentor, Find a Sponsor:  The New Way to Fast Track Your Career – by Sylvia Ann Hewlett

Oh, the Places You’ll Go! – by Dr. Seuss

No You Can’t Be an Astronaut:  Why You Shouldn’t Follow Your Dreams and What to do Instead – by Patience Fairweather PHD

Wrap Up

Well, there you have it.  More reasons to potentially be thinking should I be looking for a new job.

There’s lots of reasons you might be considering a new gig.  I’m sure I’ve only discussed a handful on my last two posts.  Whatever the case remember what I mentioned earlier.  We spend a lot of our lives working at something to pay the bills.  Some of the smarter of us have figured out how to pay the bills doing something they love.  That is certainly doable if you’ve got the drive and the will to go get it.  At the very least work at something that you enjoy and is worthy of your time.

Anything else is selling yourself short.

Mat A.