How do you know you are in the right job?
Photo by Ian Schneider on Unsplash
It’s hard to figure out sometimes whether you are in the right job and if your job is making you happy. I wrote a few months ago about whether your job was making you unhappy and things you can do to make you happier. Now, I want to focus on whether or not you think you are actually in the right position.
Here are some questions you can ask yourself to help make that determination:
Are you passionate about what you are doing? Do you wake up every morning thinking I can’t wait to tackle this problem to get my team to the next level? Passion is really important because it helps you be productive.
Do you see career progression in the future? Does senior management know who you are and what you are doing? This is important if you want to get ahead in your career. Does your current position offer the opportunity to engage with senior managers? If senior managers do not know who you are, it makes it more difficult to get promoted.
Are you the right fit for your position? Sometimes people are put into roles when they do not have the right skills or experience. For example, people who are really good at their day to day functions may be promoted to a manager position without any experience or training. The person may not be happy with their role and the people they manage are even more unhappy.
Do you feel valued by the work you are doing? Feeling valued helps fuel passion which fuels productivity. If you don’t feel valued, you most likely are not going to be happy or feel passionate about what you are doing.
Are you in the right work environment? We have all heard of toxic work environments. If you are in one, it can be damaging to your emotional health.
These are just a few questions that you can ask yourself to make a determination about whether you feel you are in the right position. It can be difficult at times to make a career change.
Sometimes people feel safe where they are because they have been at a company for many years. I know I was in this predicament years ago. I stayed at a company because I had worked there for a long time and I had young kids so going to a new company was scary to me. I thought what if it doesn’t work out. I should have asked myself - what if it does work out?
As I get older, I want to enjoy my life and my career so I think about being happy in all areas. If I’m not happy, I’m going to let people know and I’m going to do something about it to change the situation for the better. It isn’t always easy to speak up or make a change, but it is your life so it is something you should be doing. Don’t stay where you don’t feel you belong.
I know this is a challenging time for people and may not be the easiest time to look for a new position, but there is time to put a plan together for your future. Whether it is looking at new opportunities or learning something new, today is always a good time to start.
I’m here to help give you guidance if you want to put the plan together. Email me today!
Here’s to your success!
Best,
Rene