I started this blog almost entirely as a result of quitting my job in the corporate world. That was the topic of my first real post, and the inspiration for most of the ideas I try to push discuss here. And while I don’t think everyone should quit their corporate jobs, at least a few of those reading this probably should.
Why? Many reasons, some of which I’ll spell out here. Making a radical career change certainly isn’t for everyone – some people are happy where they are, perhaps having found the elusive good job, or maybe they just function better in a corporate environment – but I think there are some telltale signs that indicate it might be time to hang it up and try something else. A lot of these are things I ran in to in my line of work, and helped nudge me toward the ledge.
1. You hate it.
Like, loathe it. Despise it. Can’t stand the idea of going back to work on Monday. Want everyone and everything in your office to die a fiery death. (Okay, maybe not everyone. The receptionist is cute and pleasant). Nobody especially likes going back to work after a weekend, but if you have this sort of deep-rooted disdain for your job – the kind that even can ruin a perfectly good Sunday by distracting you with dread about what’s to come – something probably isn’t right. Surely there’s a better vocation for you, one that doesn’t induce violent vomiting at the mere thought of going to work.
2. You aren’t productive.
I’ve found that I’m much happier when I’m productive, and I’m also much more productive when I’m happy. Either of these things being out of whack could be a sign the other is missing. If we work at something we care about, and we’re appreciated by those who matter, we’re going to be more productive. We’re going to focus our efforts on serving the company/client/organization, and serve ourselves in the process. If we’re watching the clock, we’re doing neither.
A clock-watcher sure as hell isn’t good for the company, and it isn’t good for the employee either.
3. You’re good at other stuff that has earning potential.
And you enjoy this stuff far more than you enjoy maintaining the corporate intranet for Pentatrode, or whatever it is you do from 9 to 5 everyday. Is there something else you can do, that other people deem valuable, enough that they’ll (potentially) pay for it? Have you ever said to yourself, “man, if I just was able to focus more of my time on [thing], I could probably do that for a living”? That’s the thing I’m talking about.
The key here is “earning potential.” It’s great if you dig riding your bike every morning, but chances are, someone isn’t gonna pay you to do that. (Unless you’re really, really good, in which case, cheers to you). But what about that website you put together for your friend, just for fun? Didn’t that random acquaintance ask if you could do one for him/her as well? Once people start asking you to do something for them, that’s a pretty good indication there’s at least some earning potential.
4. You don’t have meaningful work relationships.
The relationships we develop and maintain can and do drastically affect the quality of our experiences, in every area of life. And work is no different. If you don’t like or care about your coworkers, the job itself has to be pretty good to make it enjoyable.
5. There is zero fulfillment.
You don’t give a shit about the things you do. They bring nothing positive to your life beyond the paycheck.
You will never be entirely fulfilled by your job – total fulfillment comes from a variety of places – but it should at least give you something. If it doesn’t, then you don’t care, and if you don’t care, you’re a bad employee and probably an unhappy person.
6. Any of these things, plus the money sucks.
Here’s the truth: if you don’t particularly enjoy your job, but the money is great, it’s at least benefiting you in some way. Money definitely isn’t everything, but it’s something.
But if you hate the job and you’re underpaid? A sure sign you’re ready to take your talents elsewhere.
This is not an exhaustive list, but a place to start. And if any/all these apply to you…then what? What’s the next step? We’ll talk about that soon.