You may well have been very happy and successful in your role, you may still be happy in your role, but there’s a nagging voice in your head telling you it’s time to think about moving on.
You might work with a great bunch of people who make work feel fun, maybe it’s flexible and close to home, you’ve been there a few years now and know the drill. But perhaps there are other factors that aren’t so good - perhaps the management team isn’t forward thinking, maybe the work has got a bit stale and you feel a little bored and that voice is telling you to think about what else you could be doing.
Maybe doing something that challenges you a bit more, earning more, stepping up the ladder, trying something different, starting your own business. Maybe there is just something that feels off and you’re not quite sure what. Maybe it’s the “Is This it"?” question that keeps popping up - is this really what life should be like?
If you’re having this conversation with yourself, here are 7 questions to ask yourself to help you gain some clarity:
Do I want to do this for the next five years? Examine your reaction when you ask yourself this question - does the thought of that make you panic or make you feel excited? You don’t have to have the answer to what else you might do if not this right now, but your immediate reaction will tell you a lot, so be honest with yourself. Even identifying that actually, no I don’t want to be here in 5 years, gives you clarity; you can work out now what the next step is going to look like.
When I look at the opportunities ahead of me at my job am I excited and chomping at the bit or do I feel stressed, anxious or bored?
Are there other roles, opportunities or projects, or clients I could work on at my current job that look interesting to me, or not? Do a little research into what’s going on in the organisation at the moment to see if there are other roles or areas that feel exciting to you . Chat to colleagues, your manager, people in other departments, check out the intranet/company newsletter or website, look at other vacancies to get a feel for how the company may be expanding and what direction it’s going.
Am I still excited about my work? When people ask you what you do for a living, do I enjoy talking about it or am I holding onto this job because it’s what I used to do , because it’s what I thought I wanted to do, or because I’m afraid to make a change? Be really honest with yourself, again, you’re only short changing yourself if you’re not honest. Yes, it might be really scary to even admit to yourself that this job is a safety net and really, you want to do something different - often it’s the not knowing what else is next that’s scary. Take the pressure off; you don’t have to know now; but if you give yourself permission to answer this question honestly, you’re on the road to making a change to give yourself a more fulfilling life.
Does this job make the best use of my skills or am I feeling frustrated that my abilities aren’t being put to good use? Make a list of the skills you have, the things you’re naturally good at and enjoy doing and ask yourself how many of those are you using in your current role. Would you be happier using more of your skills?
Does my current employer value growth, learning, and new opportunities for employees? Do I feel valued and cared about at work or do I feel like a disposable number on a financial statement?
Is my work still aligned with my values, interests and goals, or have my needs and the things that are priorities for me now changed over the years? What was important to you when you joined the organisation, may well not be so important now.
Being honest with yourself when answering these should help you answer that bigger question.
If you’d like some more help, book a free 1/2 hour call with me: