It could be time to leave your job.

David* reached over to switch off his buzzing alarm clock, and his stomach tightened, with the sinking realisation that it was Monday.  That feeling of a lack of excitement was getting to be an everyday part of waking up to go to work.

David used to enjoy his job as Sales Director with a global capital equipment business. When he joined the company ten years ago he was really excited about his work and took every opportunity he could to work hard and achieve his and the company’s goals. He new he was kicking some goals, and doing well because he had been promoted a number of times over the years. But now…well..where did the challenge go? Now it all just seems a bit routine, day in day out. The excitement David had when he first started working there – about what he was doing and the challenges ahead – had dissipated.

He knew as well that he was probably not being paid at the right level for his job responsibilities as his friend Steve* was in a similar job for another company and earning $50K more. The thought of that bigger salary was enticing, plus the excitement of being somewhere new,  with further advancement opportunities….was it just time to head for the exit?

When is the right time to leave?

We find that executives often ask us “when is a good time to leave a company? When should I look to new challenges and something to get me beyond my comfort zone? A recent executive I met with said “I know the products, I know the industry, I know our company and the processes and whilst it’s enjoyable, I feel like I am not pushing myself and have more to give”. There isn’t a simple answer to this; it really depends on what you are looking for and understanding the reasons why you might want to leave.

Identifying the warning signs

Lacking passion, being miserable or stressed, are just a few of the triggers that give an indication to gearing up for facilitating a career change. Others include boredom, not feeling compensated for what you do, and lack of opportunity for promotion. An interesting overview here from The Guardian as we navigate Covid and a desire for new career challenges. Ready to quit your job? 17 questions to ask yourself first

Sometimes it’s not that obvious what you should do, like the executive I met with, who wasn’t unhappy exactly;  just not feeling really excited and challenged. If you still believe in the company and are happy with the work culture, it can be worthwhile to really explore whether there are further challenges for you internally before you jump ship.

What’s out there for me?

But if your talents are untapped, there’s not that much to aim for in your current role and you have the niggling feeling that there might be better opportunities (with better pay!), it might be time to explore opportunities. If you do decide that leaving your job is the right decision, make sure you are well equipped with some good options before you make that crucial move. We’re lucky enough in Australia to have a fairly robust economy and though some sectors have been hard hit by Covid 19 and global economic conditions, we’re still pretty well placed for jobs compared too much of the rest of the world (unemployment rate for Australia was at 4.6% in July 2021, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics). Your age, financial responsibilities and family circumstances will also undoubtedly factor in your decision making process.

We work closely with our executives, and will help you really understand what motivates and excites you about a job (despite what you might think, it’s usually not all about the money!). If you love your job and are passionate about what you’re doing, going in to work Monday morning is just another opportunity to do what you love.

*not real name

Article written by Stuart Chandler, CFR Global Executive Search Australia

Photo source: Pexels