We humans are creatures of habit; we fall into routines & find comfort in them which is one of the many reasons we stay in jobs after they have “lost their shelf life”…for us or for our employer…or both. It has long been known that lifetime tenure in any one job is a thing of the past. Venture capitalist, CEO, & author Reid Hoffman addresses this in his recent book The Alliance: Managing Talent in the Networked Age, where he encourages employees to look at their job more like a “tour of duty” with an approximate 2 year run to be possibly renewed only if it works out for both sides & only for another 2 years. However, right now, that isn’t the operating paradigm so how do you know when it’s time to start looking for a new job? Here are 5 tips that it’s time to update your resume & look for a new position:
1. People you trained are getting plum assignments, or getting promoted ahead of you
2. While you once loved your job, now work feels boring; you have to drag yourself
to work every day to pay your bills
3. The company is experiencing re-structuring or is merging; job duplication is
almost inevitable
4. If you have to “clock in,” your work schedule starts to change where your hours
are cut
5. If you are being honest with yourself, you know it because you “feel it” like
the rumbling in your stomach telling you it’s time to eat, you can usually feel
when it’s time to go
It Is Always Preferable To Look For A New Job While Still Employed
If 3/5 of these things are happening, yes, it is time to look elsewhere. If all 5 are happening, then it’s time to put on your professional track shoes & move ASAP. A couple of thoughts on that-it is always best to look for a new job while you still have your old one. Not only do your bills still have to be paid but prospective employers are more interested in people presently employed & not those who appear desperate. Also, never lose sight of the fact that you will need references so while it's most unwise to "burn bridges in front of you," try not to "burn them behind you" either. Never publicly speak ill of any former employer or colleague because today’s colleague could be tomorrow’s boss!. Finally, no matter how content you may be with your present position, NEVER stop networking because in it is the relationships you build today that will keep you "out of the cold" tomorrow.
