Should you really stay at a job you hate? Maybe, maybe not.
There are few things that can make your life more miserable than working at a job you hate. Still, many people are in this situation. Everyday, they go to work and keep growing more and more dissatisfied. Some people stay because they are afraid to leave and others are worried that it will hurt their career over the long term.
Instead of launching a new job search, they stick with the not-so-perfect job and try to make it work. For these people, the question is, should you stick it out and when do you know that it is time to leave?
If you're in this position, here are some things to consider before making a decision:
- Do some research – Before you accept a new job opportunity, do some research to find out if the job and the company are a good fit for you. It's much easier to find out that a job isn't for you before you start working there. The interview process is a way that both you and the employer can get to know each other and determine if you are the right person for the job. Don't take any job you can get, because you'll run the risk of being equally unhappy at the new position.
- The grass is always greener – It's natural to think that a different job will make you happy, but often, that isn't the case. Take a hard look at why you are unhappy and think of ways that you could make your current job better. Sometimes there are simple changes that you can make that would make you more productive and help you feel more satisfied, without having to start over.
- Think about what you love to do – There are many people who change jobs frequently and find that they are almost always unhappy at their jobs. If this is the case for you, maybe you aren't passionate about what you do. For example, if you have always worked in the legal field, but always seem to be miserable, maybe you should think about how to use your skills in another industry. When you are doing something that you love, finding job satisfaction is a whole lot easier.
- Don't let yourself get stuck – If you are miserable, do something about it. Whether it means working toward a career change, starting your own business or just improving the job you have, make a commitment to yourself and make a change. It's easy to get stuck and grow increasingly more unhappy and depressed. When you get to that place, finding the motivation to change gets harder and before long, other areas of your life suffer. Change is a part of growing and when you are stuck in misery, you aren't growing at all.
You don't have to stay in a job you hate. Making a change can be tough, but your happiness is worth it. The most important thing is to attempt to be honest in your self-evaluation and come up with a reasonable plan to make your career more fulfilling.
Have you ever been stuck in a job you hated? What did you do to make a change? Feel free to share your thoughts and suggestions in the comments.
By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for Administrativejobsblog. Along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.
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