5 Signs It's Time To Look For A New Job

Is it time to create a big shift in your life? Is it something going on with you personally, or is it truly what you’re walking into on Monday morning?

Is it the stress of having to juggle life + work, or is it truly just work?

I remember in one of my first jobs out of college I was miserable every day. I wanted to quit. My parents were horrified, my colleagues said “Me, too, just hang in there”.

I had read somewhere that when you have an urge to make a drastic life change, change something small and see how you feel. 

I went out and got highlights in my hair for the first (and only) time in my life.

It felt different…it was okay.

I quit four months later.

Some things can’t be fixed with a bandaid of endorphins.

Let’s explore some facets of your workday and work-life to really determine if it’s the job that’s causing the fear-based mentality and the anxiety-ridden weeks.

Does this sound like you at work?

1) You’re scared to speak up

2) You dread Mondays

3) You’re constantly waiting…

4) A 1:1 on the calendar sends you into a tailspin

5) You don’t believe in the product/service/people/leaders

You’re scared to speak up

If you’re experiencing the urge to say things in meetings, or to reach out to your boss, but something physically stops you from taking action, it’s something to look at closely. This experience could mean that you don’t feel supported by your leader, and that they don’t have your back.

It’s common in “leaders” that should not be leaders. Those that take the side of the business they report to IMMEDIATELY without asking about the two sides of the story.

You dread Mondays

Why, though?

Think about what’s truly on your mind. Take a moment to meditate on this, to really be still with your thoughts. It could be everything in your life - marriage, kids, work, self-esteem.

The goal is to get to the root of it.

I spiraled in a previous role - “everything in my life was wrong”, and I suddenly started believing that I had cancer because I felt a lump, which turned out to be due to caffeine intake and stress. I imagined it and created more chaos in my life because I didn’t want to see the real problem.

Are you creating problems in other parts of your life so that you don’t have to look at the one real problem closely?

I did.

You’re constantly waiting…

Do you find yourself distracted during the work day? Are you staring at a screen, waiting for something to happen? That’s fear. That’s anxiety. That’s waiting for someone to reach out on Slack, or over the phone to deliver you the news.

Now, it’s normal to feel this way with the job market we’re experiencing.

Take a moment to reflect on the “why”…is it because of the 96,551people laid off already in 2024 in tech, or is it truly about your fear of YOUR workplace, YOUR boss?

A 1:1 on the calendar sends you into a tailspin

When you have frequent (weekly, bi-weekly) meetings with your boss and lately those invites are haunting you, it’s something to marinate on.

When your palms are sweaty and you’re taking some deep breaths to prepare for the meeting, or getting really defensive in your internal dialogue prior to the meeting, it’s something to marinate on.

When your meeting suddenly gets pushed out to the following day, and you think, “&%@!, I need to wait another 24 hours!?”, it’s certainly something to marinate on.

You don’t believe in the product/service/people/leaders

This one is a dead giveaway. If you’ve read this far, and you’re still on the fence…if this resonates with you, it’s quite possibly time for you to look for a new role.

We all know at least one person in our lives who has an unwavering capability of compartmentalizing.

I’m not one of those people. In fact, I’ve shared publicly that the second I feel like I'm lying to a candidate about the culture, company, or role, I’m out of there.

It’s always better to have a plan…so maybe this is your first step. Realizing that it may be time to move on.

This market is awful, you’d be crazy to leave your job.

NO!!! There are plenty of incredible companies hiring.

If you need a plan to get started, see this previous newsletter, and sit tight until next week. We’ll be diving into how to stand out from your competition in interviews.

If you can’t wait that long, I’m here. Feel free to set time with me for a quick intro call.

That’s all for this week.
Happy Hunting!

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❤️ Ashley

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