According to statista.com the top three New Year’s resolutions for 2018 were to eat healthier, get more exercise, and to save money. Having read this list, I’m sure we’re all in agreement that those top three resolutions have been on our list many, many, many times and will probably still be there come next year!
Lower down the list is ‘learn a new skill’ and ‘get a new job’ – which for many people are more important and have a huge bearing on the top three being achievable in the first place. Eating healthier and joining a gym can be tough, and with a busy work schedule and lots of bills to pay we may just find it difficult to stick to these resolutions.
If you’re wondering whether or not getting a new job is the right move for you in the New Year, here’s our list of the top 7 reasons to start your job hunt:
“The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity.” ~ Amelia Earhart
No opportunity for promotion
If you’re not happy with your current level or employment and would also like to earn more money, then maybe a promotion is the next step. However, if you’re unfortunate enough to be in a job with little to no scope for advancement, then maybe it’s time to look for a new job.
Sometimes a company is too small to have any real opportunity for promotion, and the only chance you have at working at a higher level and earning more money is to look elsewhere for a larger company that offers more scope. Before you jump ship however, you could consider speaking with your manager to let them know you would like to take on more responsibility.
You will often find that a company or manager gets too comfortable with its staff if they are continuing to do a great job, and are happy to just let you carry on. But once you let them know you are seeking a promotion and want to advance further up the ladder, you may be surprised at what becomes available. You might find out that a manger is due to leave soon and you could now be in the running, or there may be other opportunities at another branch or department.
Be careful however not to make it seem like you are absolutely going to leave the second you find out there is nothing available, as you don’t want to hold them over a barrel and make any threats to leave. This could end up putting you and the employer in a very difficult situation, so approach this with caution and try and be tactful and constructive.
“The future depends on what you do today.” ~ Mahatma Gandhi
Low pay
If you are unhappy with your pay then this could be a good reason to move on and find another job in the New Year. If your chance at promotion is slim for whatever reason or you think that you are underpaid for your role, then looking for a similar job for more money makes a lot of sense.
A great way to check how much you could be earning is by visiting Pay Scale to use their salary checker. Please bear in mind that this isn’t 100% accurate and the wages on offer will always differ from company to company, but it will certainly help you decide if you are being underpaid or not and may also present another opportunity you’d never thought of.
Remember; don’t just choose a job because of the pay. Most people are more content with a job because they enjoy their work, and the salary is the icing on the cake. Job satisfaction is equally if not more important that salary, so don’t make this your only reason to choose a job.
“Fear, uncertainty and discomfort are your compasses toward growth.” ~ Celestine Chua, writer and founder of PersonalExcellence.co.
A lack of support
Have you always struggled to get the right support and training to do your job to the best of your abilities? Do you find that your manager or supervisor pays little attention to you and takes little interest in your development? These are all very good reasons to want to find another job, and one of the most common issues to be found in the workplace.
If you are someone who wants to develop their skills further and provide more opportunity for promotion, a pay increase, or increased job satisfaction, then training and support is vital – and the employer should always ensure it is given to its workforce. Unfortunately, this is not always the case and you could find yourself wanting much more from your employer than they are willing to provide.
Some companies offer management training courses and lots of opportunities to cross train with other departments, and this kind of approach may be more to your liking. When looking for a new job you should always ask the employer what training and support they provide so you can ensure you are happy before you make a decision.
“The best way to predict the future is to create it.” ~ Abraham Lincoln
You don’t enjoy the work
It doesn’t matter how much you get paid if you don’t enjoy the job. It’s easy to assume that even bucket loads of cash, a swanky company car, and 40 days paid leave per year is what’s important – but it just isn’t.
If you are happy with the pay and any other benefits the company offers but you really don’t enjoy the actual job, it will slowly grind you down to the point where you just down want to get out of bed in a morning – sound familiar?
Job satisfaction is more important than pay for most people, and for obvious reasons. We spend so much time at work that our lives outside of employment can be affected by how much we value our job. The stress and negativity a job can sometimes inflict will very easily spill over to your personal life, and if this sounds like your situation, then it’s never too late to find a new job.
Before you make any big decisions, you should consider expressing any concerns you have to your manager. You just might find that once you’ve gotten a few things off your chest things could get much better. It’s always worth a shot if you think they might listen, but at the end of the day if you feel there is nothing to be gained and nothing will change, then don’t waste any more time in a job that’s getting you down.
“I’ve learned that ‘making a living’ is not the same thing as ‘making a life’.” ~ Maya Angelou
No recognition
We all like to get a pat on the back for our hard work from time to time, and whether it’s a pay rise, a promotion, or even just a ‘well done’ from your boss, having that well deserved recognition goes a very long way to keeping you motivated and passionate about the job and the company.
Without the recognition for your efforts and the job satisfaction we all crave, going to work each day can become a chore. Sure, getting a consistent wage to pay the bills is very important, but without recognition things will slowly turn sour.
Not only is being recognised for your efforts important, but also being acknowledged for your ideas, or not, is just as frustrating. If you find yourself constantly offering great ideas for them to either be shot down or ignored, you could consider looking for a new job where you’ll be able to feel like a valued member of the team.
In some cases you may even find that your boss is stealing your ideas and passing them off as their own! This is certainly not a very good way to treat an employee, and unless something changes you’d be better off with an employer that gives you the recognition you deserve.
“If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?” ~ Steve Jobs
You don’t get along with your colleagues
When spending so much time at work it can be a bit like the Big Brother house, and you may occasionally see arguments between co-workers. If you’re not getting along with a colleague or even your manager, then it could be time to find a new job.
It would be quite a drastic move to look for a new job just because of a disagreement with a colleague, but if you don’t think there is any chance of a resolution then something has to change. It can be especially difficult when you don’t get along with your manager and attempting to resolve this with them can often be much harder.
When it comes to another colleague then you should always try and speak with them first to see if you can work things out. It may just be a difference in opinion with a task, which could be quickly resolved by realising that you are both working towards the same goal and are just looking at things from a different angle.
Having a difference of opinion with someone at work can often be turned into a healthy debate to generate ideas and work towards a solution. If it comes down to a personal disagreement, then this can be much harder to resolve. When all else fails and you feel it’s time to move on, consider a move to another department if one is available or even look for a new job altogether.
“It is not as much about who you used to be, as it is about who you choose to be.” ~ Sanhita Baruah
You spend too much time at work
Having a good balance between work and personal time is essential if you want to keep your sanity. If you find that you’re working all the time and have very little time for you or your family, then now might be a good time to consider a new job.
Paying the bills can be tough, and if you have to work a crazy amount of hours just to get by, then it may not be easy to find a new job. However, it’s always worth looking around to see what’s out there, and you just might find that you can get away with working fewer hours for the same pay.
Before it comes to that there may be other solutions, so speak with your manager and let them know you’d like to cut back on your hours. Working every weekend can also be very frustrating, and you may be able to rotate with someone else. Often you will find that your manager will let you carry on with the same hours if you don’t say anything. It’s easy for them to assume that you’re fine with that, so if you’re not then you should definitely let them know.
“If it scares you, it might be a good thing to try.” ~ Seth Godin
Ready to make the jump? Bag yourself a great CV template
If you do decide to look for another job in the New Year, don’t forget to use a CV template before you apply. There are hundreds of professionally made CV templates to choose from online, and will make your life much easier. Gone are the days when you had to sit and design your own template, spending hours and hours trying to fiddle around with the layout and design.
Giving your CV a well-needed revamp before you start applying by using a quality CV template ensures that your details presented in the best possible light. With such a huge amount of online resources at everybody’s disposal, the quality of the CVs that prospective employers receive has risen dramatically. Choosing a professional CV template ensures you don’t get left behind. Here are 9 of our most popular templates to get you started:
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