Is it time for a career change? These are the warning signs your job isn’t for you.

This article written by Artur Meyster of Career Karma.

Questioning whether you job is for you might be the first step

Sometimes we may feel amazed by a job opportunity because it seems like the job of our dreams. However, we get to the point when we realize it might not be the best decision after all. 

When this happens we usually feel frustrated because we don’t want to leave our job for one reason or another. But we continue to feel bad about going to work and it’s just a very awkward situation.

The fact that you’re currently reading this article might be a clear sign that you should re-evaluate your job. We’ve done some research and discovered some of the most common signs that warn you if you should quit your job. If you ever feel you’ve experienced all these signs maybe it’s time for a career change.

The company’s values don’t match yours

We’ve all fallen for a job position because they offer a good salary. Maybe they also have other benefits and it seems like an overall great match. But once we discover the company’s values we just don’t have a good feeling about it. This happens because our values don’t match the company’s values.

For example, let’s say you’re working at a cosmetics company as a digital marketer. Everything’s good, you enjoy the environment, the salary and you feel motivated. But you discover a dark secret: the company tests products on animals and you’re an animal lover. 

Maybe you could ignore it for a couple of months, but soon this bad feeling will only grow. If this is your situation, then you shouldn’t stay there for too long.

You feel mistreated

According to a recent survey, mistreatment is one of the first reasons to leave a job. This is something you shouldn’t tolerate. Even if you don’t have all the other signs, this one would be enough to consider leaving your job. However, we must not confuse this with a small observation from your boss. Mistreatment is related to insults, anger, and impolite behavior.

Another thing that could happen is that you’re receiving this mistreatment from a manager or any other coworker, but no one else. In this case, you can let your boss know about this behavior and see if there’s a solution to the problem. However, if it’s a general attitude in the whole company, it’s not the right place to work.

You get assigned tasks that weren’t in the job description

This is something very common and it may have happened to most of us. There’s nothing wrong with this if they assign you tasks that later on will help you with your career advancement, even if your boss asks for your help once in a while for other not-so-relevant tasks. However, if your bulk of work gets reduced to those “other duties,” then it’s time to consider another option.

You’re constantly begging for the weekend to come

If you read this you may think: “Everybody gets excited when the weekend comes.” And this is true, at some point or another we all want to be on Friday and enjoy our weekend. But it is not normal when you feel it’s the only way to escape your job because you feel frustrated during the week.

If you ever feel this way, it may be a sign that you’ve lost your motivation. Sometimes this isn’t a long-term feeling, but if you continue to feel this way, regardless of your efforts to feel motivated, then you should consider quitting your job.

Your accomplishments are never enough

Career satisfaction should become your main goal. We’ve all experienced challenges in our careers and we’ve all tried to overcome them. But when your boss doesn’t value your efforts or skills and it’s never enough for him, it’s time to ask yourself: “Is all this effort worth it? Will I improve my career with this company/job?” If the answer is no, then you should start looking for another job.

If the answer is yes, and you still want to push yourself to hit a milestone, then go for it. But have a conversation with your boss so they can expect realistic outcomes.

You’re constantly feeling negative about work

It’s okay to feel negative about your job at times, as no job is perfect and there will surely be tasks you don’t enjoy. However, what’s not normal is to overly feel negative about work, when you can’t find a single reason why you would like to go to work. 

If you ever feel lethargic about your work, ask yourself the right questions, and if you can’t find the motivation or any reason to love your job, maybe you’re in the wrong position.

You don’t feel motivated

Losing motivation is something we’ve all been through for many reasons. Maybe you don’t feel you’re hitting your goals, you don’t feel valued or you simply don’t enjoy the activities you do. 

Regardless of the reason, it’s not a good sign. Try to spot what’s making you lose motivation, and if you can’t fix the problem or you can’t even put a finger on it, then this job might not be a good fit for you.

You’re not included in relevant projects

This is one of the most accurate signs of a mismatch. Not being included in relevant projects means your work isn’t that relevant for the team as it used to. You may be included in the team, but you don’t get assigned any tasks or activities. 

It would be good to talk to your boss first and ask him how you should actively contribute to the team. Let him know that you’re open to performing any task to help the team. If even after that you continue to be excluded, you may be in the wrong job.

Conclusion

We’ve all had bad days in our job, it is normal. But if bad days surpass the good ones, you may work at the wrong job. Don’t be too hard on yourself if you realize you made a mistake. All experiences are good if you can learn from them. Once you notice it’s time for a career change, try to look for a job that offers you career satisfaction.

Author: Artur Meyster is the CTO of Career Karma (YC W19), an online marketplace that matches career switchers with coding bootcamps. He is also the host of the Breaking Into Startups podcast, which features people with non-traditional backgrounds who broke into tech.
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