By Kristin Granero
There’s no such thing as a perfect job. (Unless you have one — even still, you may not have it forever so you should still read this!)
You dread getting up for work every day.
To put it in Office Space terms, it’s not uncommon to experience “a bad case of the Mondays” every once in a while, or even every week (it is, after all, the day you have to put your thinking caps – not to mention non-yoga pants – back on after two long days and three nights of complete and utter stretchiness).
That said, if you’re finding you have to really force yourself out of bed come the middle and, especially, end of the week, that’s a different story, not to mention a good time to start reviewing what it is you have such a strong resistance to.
And pretty much everything waiting for you when you get there.
Maybe it’s not just one thing; it’s a multitude of things. Moody or unappreciative superiors, a lack of interest in the roles and responsibilities at hand, or a generally weird culture fit can do a lot to curb one’s enthusiasm and, over time, really wear someone down.
When it comes to your outfit choices, you’ve professionally let yourself go.
It happens in a lot of relationships, and your job is no exception. Regardless of whether it’s that you have a maybe-too-casual work environment or, with time or any of the other items aforementioned, you just stopped caring, you’re no longer keeping appearances like you used to.
If you’ve gone from an off day here and there to no longer practicing general hygiene (showering, brushing your hair, etc.), or your workspace looks like a tornado hit it, you should either really let yourself go (as in, to a company you’re willing to try for) or clean up your act before your boss notices and does the cord cutting himself.
You no longer brag (at least about the right things).
You used to seize the opportunity to join peers for happy hour after work or catch up with loved ones over the phone because it was another excuse to share updates on your latest projects and swap intel.
Now, you avoid them at all costs or, when you do meet up, can’t think of anything positive to talk about. If you do find yourself bragging, it’s not about the work or company itself, but things that once seemed secondary to you – such as a big paycheck, good location, or discounted movie tickets – to make yourself feel better.
You happen to really like your job, but there’s nowhere to grow.
Maybe you have a ton of things to brag about, and have for years, but there’s nothing new in your actual role. If you’ve plateaued mentally and are no longer challenging yourself, and don’t see any room for physical growth to allow you to do so, you might need to start looking outward before upward.
The price isn’t right.
If you’re still learning, and even have some promotions under your belt (in which case, congrats!), but are still struggling to pay your bills or at least know you’re underpaid when it comes to your industry, you may likewise have no other choice but to leave in order to earn what you deserve.
You don’t see the light of day.
They might as well call you Bill Compton from True Blood because you can’t remember the last time you left the building before the sun went down. Time is money, and if you’re constantly working unpaid overtime or are raking in funds but constantly missing out on friends, it could be time to start looking for a job that offers a better work-life balance.
In the past few weeks, you’ve referred to your job as <insert hilarious, yet sadly true synonym for soul crusher, here>.
It’s all fun and games until you have a panic attack. If you’ve repeatedly voiced your concerns to friends, or even internally to yourself, it’s time. And there’s no better time to look for a new job when you already have one — so get to it!
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