B.B. King’s “The Thrill is Gone” said it poignantly. Work just aint the same for nearly half of all Americans, according to a Quality Digest survey. The alarm goes off, we trudge out of bed and make the best of the next eight hours with similarly dismayed co-workers. All along thinking, is this really what I went to college for?
“As technology transforms the workplace—accelerating the pace of activities, increasing expectations and productivity demands, and blurring the lines between work and play—workers are steadily growing more unhappy with their jobs,” Lynn Franco of the Conference Boards Consumer Research Center said.
An unfulfilled job doesn’t have to be the answer. Yes, 17 percent of working Americans remain jobless, but 162,000 have been added to the workforce since the beginning of the year. Regardless of the recession, it’s never good to stay in a job that doesn’t fulfill. Even if you don’t see the immediate result, your work quality over time may diminish from lack of enthusiasm.
Here are a couple signs that might mean it’s time to move on:
- You’re not challenged
- There’s no room for advancement
- Your company is in trouble
- You dread going to work everyday
- A better opportunity comes along
If you’re not confident about your skills for a different field, there are tons of classes offered for part time, quarter time, or continuing education students. The golden rule is to have another job lined up before exiting your current position. Meaning contract has been made, W4’s filed and the benefits packaged has been agreed upon.
