It is easy to just drift along in the same job for a number of years, isn’t it? Far too easy, in fact. If you want to know whether the time is right for a change of job then here are some of the most common signs to look out for.
The Hands on the Clock Never Seem to Move
One of the first signs of being stuck in a rut in the wrong job is that you spend a lot of time looking at the office clock. When you first started in there it was probably good fun and the day sped by really quickly. However, now that you are bored and listless the big hand and the little hand seem to have decided to move around as slowly as they can. Wasting your days wishing away the minutes is a terrible way to live and isn’t going to do your career prospects any good at all. It’s time to find a job which entertains you more and in which the hours and minutes pass more pleasantly and more quickly.
You Spend an Awful Lot of Time at the Coffee Machine / in the Toilet
When you are in the wrong job there are a few classic places for passing the day. Oh yes, don’t think that no one knows why you have suddenly developed a serious caffeine addiction or the weakest bladder in the building. In situations like this the further away the coffee machine and the toilets are from your desk the better, as it helps you kill an extra few seconds every time you go there. If you have suddenly started jumping to your feet and offering to get some coffees every time anyone looks remotely interested in a hot drink then you have moved onto the next stage of the condition. After all, everyone else just sits there and holds on to see whether someone else will go and get the drinks instead. You, on the other hand, are so bored that the chance to press a little button several times and then carry a plastic cup a few metres seems like a great idea. Is this the sort of career you had in mind for yourself?
You Hate Your Boss
Let’s face it; there is no real reason for you to hate your boss, is there? Sure, he’s a bit annoying at times but the fact that you hate him with a passion is another bad sign. Some people lash out in different directions when they are bored or frustrated at work. If you have started really hating your manager for no good reason then it could be that you simply need to look for a new position. It isn’t his fault you are unhappy and it isn’t his responsibility to sort it out either. All you need to do is look for an online job finder and start to take control of your career again.
You Get a Horrible Feeling in the Pit of Your Stomach on the Way to Work
This was the first really annoying sign of being in the wrong job that I suffered from and I guess that it is pretty common. I used to travel on the bus to work and just as it crossed the final bridge before my office I would get a terrible sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. I tried to ignore it for a while but it soon became obvious that my body was telling me that it didn’t want to go to work. If you have been suffering from the same sort of symptoms then it is time to realise that it isn’t normal. Going to work each morning shouldn’t be some sort of punishment which leaves you feeling bad. You should look for a job which is going to make you happy and which helps you look forward to going there every day. It might seem difficult to believe that jobs like this exist but they do. It is simply a question of finding the perfect one for you.
You Have Started Counting the Days Till You Can Retire
I never cease to be amazed by the way some people start working out their retirement date 20 or 30 years in advance. Sure, it’s great to plan ahead and look forward to this event but you need to enjoy life and your career in the meantime. If you have started wondering when you can finally retire you would do well to look for a job which lets you live in the present and enjoy your work.
Aimee Coppock is an HR expert who has seen all of the symptoms of being in the wrong job and has experienced some of them too.