A job is more than just a source of income – it’s a fundamental part of who we are and how we see ourselves. It’s where we spend most of our waking hours, shaping our relationships, outlook on life, and sense of self-worth.

However, there are times when it becomes clear that our current job is no longer serving us. So maybe it’s time for a change. The number of people quitting their jobs in the United States peaked in November 2021, when 4.5 million people resigned.

Many factors might have led to this mass exodus, which we will not discuss in this article. Instead, this article will focus on 10 signs that it’s time to start looking for a new job.

Signs that it is Time to Start Looking for a New Job

Do any of the following resonate with you? If so, it might be time to start looking for a new job.

1. You don’t have a Good Work-Life Balance

Most people understand the importance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance. After all, working too much can lead to burnout, while failing to work enough can make it hard to meet ends.

But what happens when your work-life balance ticks too far in one direction? If you’re regularly putting in extra hours at the office, skipping vacations, and neglecting your relationships, it may be time to start looking for a new job.

1. Your Work no Longer Feels Meaningful

We all want our work to feel meaningful. But unfortunately, as the years go by, it’s not uncommon for people to find that their jobs have become increasingly pointless. So if you can’t remember why you’re doing what you’re doing, it might be time to start looking for a new job.

1. You Feel Undervalued

Being undervalued can have a profound effect on an individual. It can lead to feelings of worthlessness, insecurity, and general dissatisfaction with life. In some cases, it can even lead to depression.

Therefore, when you are not valued, it may be time to start looking for a new job and feel undervalued in your current position. Likewise, if you think your contributions are not being recognized or your voice is not heard, it can indicate that it’s time to move on.

1. You’re no longer Learning

Another sign that it may be time to start looking for a new job is if you feel like you’re no longer learning. If you’re not being challenged in your current position, it may be time to find a role that will help you grow and develop as a professional.

1. Your Relationship with Your boss has Deteriorated

A good relationship with your boss is essential for a healthy work environment. But what happens when that relationship starts to deteriorate? If you constantly argue with your boss or feel like they’re out to get you, it may be time to start looking for a new job.

1. You’re Unhappy

Happiness is not only a state of mind but also impacts our physical health. According to research, happiness positively affects our cardiovascular health, immunity, and longevity.

Happiness also boosts creativity and makes us more resilient in adversity. 

In sum, happiness is essential to our well-being and has numerous benefits for our physical and mental health. So if you’re unhappy with your current job, it may be time to start looking for a new one. After all, life is too short to be spent in a position that doesn’t make you happy.

1. Your Ethics is Compromised

If you feel that your ethics are being compromised in your current job, it may be time to look for a new one. This could include feeling like you’re being asked to do something unethical, pressured to make unethical decisions, or witnessing unethical behavior from your colleagues.

1. You’re Stressed All the Time

Stress can have severe consequences on our health. For example, it may be time to start looking for a new job if you’re constantly stressed at work. Your Health is Suffering.

Similarly, it may be time to make a change if you find that your health is suffering due to your job. This could include physical health problems, mental health problems, or both.

You are not Renumerated for your Worth.

As a professional, you know that your worth is not simply based on the number of hours you work or the amount of effort you put in. Your value is also based on your skills, experience, and results.

That’s why it’s so important to be aware of your value – and to ensure that you’re adequately compensated for it.

However, if you feel like you’re not being paid what you’re worth, it may be time to start looking for a new job. This is especially true if you compare your salary to others in your field and find that you’re being paid significantly less.

Not being well paid will affect your morale and how you see yourself. So it might be time for a change of scenery.

1. Your Job Security is Constantly Undermined

Having job security means you can count on a regular income to help pay bills and cover other expenses. In addition, job security can provide peace of mind. Knowing that you have a steady job can help to reduce stress and anxiety.

Finally, job security can offer opportunities for career growth. When you have a secure job, you can focus on developing your skills and advancing your career.

However, if you feel like your job is constantly under threat, it may be time to start looking for a new one. This could include feeling like you’re about to be fired, being told that your position is being made redundant, or reducing your hours.

Conclusion

So there you have it, some tell-tale signs that it might be time to start looking for a new job. As unpleasant as the idea might be, it’s always better to make a change before things get too stagnant.

If you find yourself in any of the above situations, it might be time to start dusting off your resume and preparing for a job search. Who knows, you might end up in a position that’s even better than your current one.

A career pivot can be done at any point of your career and for whatever reason. People change jobs for the topmost reasons of a better work-life chance, a more fulfilling career, or to expand their professional skill set. Anyone or even none of these reasons could be yours. Similarly, an average employee in the United States is bound to change career every 2-4 years. Whether you decide to make a career pivot, following some actionable steps holds promises of a successful career pivot.

In this article, we have identified 5 practical steps to successfully pivot your career. 

1. Know your why and determine your what.  

Your reason for considering a career pivot is fundamental in determining your new career path. Changing your career can be very challenging, regardless of how driven you are. Therefore, your new career path should be carefully considered so that your efforts can be sustainable.

Foremost, you need to ask yourself if you need a new career or a new job. More often than not, some of the reasons that make you consider a career pivot can be addressed if you get a new position in the same industry you currently are in.

If you have reflected and resolved the need to really pivot your career, then choose a new occupation that you feel will fulfill the needs and wants that your present job lacks.

Next, your decision to change has to be tested. Do you know what the reality of pivoting to this new career is? Will you mind a pay cut? Are you okay with starting at a lower position? Will you be dedicated to getting the education and skills you need in this new career?

If you are really confident of the positive responses to the questions above, we can move to the next step.

• Create an action plan and skill up

A career pivot cannot be freewheeled. You need a concrete strategy that states your goals and lays out the tasks and the timeline to accomplish those goals. This is an action plan.

For an effective plan, research or set up informational interviews with hiring managers or recruiters about the new occupation you want to pivot into. You need to be familiar with everything it takes to get you there. This includes education, certification, and skills to be acquired.

The tasks to assign to yourself so as to get the required knowledge for this career should be stated in your action plan. The actions you need to take should also be on a daily or weekly basis to give a snowball effect. Your small steps compound, and gradually, you see yourself getting closer to being qualified for the occupation.

Remember to track your progress. Monitoring your efforts keeps you accountable and informs you of your strengths and the inadequacies you need to work on to keep up with your action plans. Tools like ClickUp and Strides are very excellent progress trackers. A simple Excel spreadsheet can also do the trick. 

• Rebrand yourself professionally   

Crafting a new professional narrative for yourself is also essential. It is easy to neglect this. Rebranding yourself allows prospective recruiters or employers to see you as a fit for a role in your aspired occupation. You have to make that connection for them.

This includes writing a new professional resume tailored to your newly-acquired knowledge for your new career. This resume can also have your past expertise in your former career but should not include past experiences that will not serve you in the career you are looking to pivot into.

For example, if you are pivoting from a career in health to one in teaching, your new resume should include your degrees and certifications in your health career. However, only past experiences that exhibit or allude to your teaching skills should be displayed in them.

Cover letters and personal statements should also be rewritten. Your transferrable skills from your career should be sold there. Newly acquired hard and soft skills must be mentioned. Because you have competition, you have to brand yourself in a way that makes your pivot logical and makes you fit, or even perfect, for the available position.

Your profiles on business networking sites like LinkedIn should also be tweaked to position yourself for employment and make it known that you have pivoted your career. Remember to update your personal websites and business cards too.

• Utilize your existing network and network more

Now that you have rebranded yourself, you need to go out there. Tap into your existing network; your friends and your former co-professionals. Inform them of your career pivot if they do not know about your professional rebrand yet.

Do not be afraid to ask for help from them. It could be as little as needing help with your child, so you can focus on your study or needing them to link you up with professionals in your new field.

Tweaking your social profile to convey your new career interests enables faster network growth. You can send out connection invites on LinkedIn and follow thought leaders in your new industry on social media. Attend networking events too.

These networks you acquire will come in handy when you need shadowing, internships, and volunteering opportunities that give you an edge over your competition.  

• Apply, apply, and apply!

Applying for jobs as a new entrant should be easier with your network and some work experiences you might have gotten in the industry. Inform your network that you are looking to take up jobs. Because they are more experienced in the industry, they could point you to available opportunities or companies that need the services you can render.      

Job listings and professional networking sites are worth looking job for job opportunities.

We list jobs that pair job seekers with employers at the Professional Diversity Network. We seek to provide diverse professionals to employers who need them to meet the need of their increasingly diverse network base. Getting jobs after a career pivot is easier with our job listings. Check them out

In conclusion

Change is nerve-wracking, especially in essential parts of life as a career. But being religious with action plans, taking one step at a time, and showing up every day will surely get you the desired results.

It is your turn to do this, and you will be on the other side of your pivot—satisfied with your job— in no time.