Should You Stay Or Should You Go?

A mid-life crisis could happen in your late 40s or early 50s. A career crisis may have been much sooner. You could find yourself in a job predicament and it looks as if your career is starting to stall. This can make you wonder if you should continue with the current employer. While you should not do anything rash, this is a case that requires some thought and analysis. You do need to decide whether you should stay or leave.

Stalled Careers Are Frustrating

A career that is going nowhere can be frustrating. You want to be able to use the skills that you have to do your job. Unfortunately, that does not always happen and you may find yourself stagnating as your career grinds to a halt. Here are some warning signs to consider.

1. You are Ignored by Your Supervisors

No one is seeking your opinion and you are not getting feedback on how you are doing. Worst of all, you sense you are not learning anything new and your skill tools are getting rusty.

2. Your Mentor has Retired or Left the Company

It is no secret that people need a helping hand up the corporate ladder. Your mentor, someone who was always looking out for your best interest, has retired or left the company. A valuable ally is no longer at your side because of this.

3. You are Dealing with Constant Change

Some change is good for a career while other types signal danger. A revolving door of employees is a sign of trouble, but the same holds true for constant re-structuring. You could be dealing with a steady stream of managers and each has different expectations. This may cause a “one step forward, two steps back” work environment.

4. Your Health is Beginning to Suffer

It isn’t just physical but mental as well. The stress of an unrewarding job can cause havoc with your blood pressure. Depression brought on by a feeling of going nowhere is going to affect your attitude and physical well-being. Health issues are a definite reason to leave.

What to Do?

A false sense of loyalty is not going to help. Too often people feel leaving a job is the wrong thing to do. The working environment has changed dramatically from the days of your father. It is acceptable to have several jobs in the course of a career. As a matter fact, sometimes the questions rise about someone who stays too long at a job going nowhere. If your career is suffering then you should take proactive steps to move along.

You need to set some benchmarks. If after a certain amount of time you have not received the promotion you feel you deserve, or the projects you are assigned show no potential for learning new skills, it is time to start thinking of leaving. Whether you leave or not you ought to review your resume at least every quarter. Downsizing and layoffs can occur without any notice. If you do not have a LinkedIn account is in your best interests to create. Hiring managers and employment recruiters use LinkedIn to look for talent. You would be positioning yourself to take advantage of new opportunities when you join this social media platform.

On the other hand, as you monitor your career notice if there is an upward move. If you are still learning and being challenged on the job, you may not feel the need to leave. Job satisfaction is extremely important and if you are doing what you enjoy then you do not need to move on. The most important lesson for all of this is to continually watch your career as it is progressing. Signs of things slowing down are the first indications a change of jobs may be in order.