Is Staying Where You Are The Best Option For Your Career?
The decision about whether to change jobs or not can be a difficult one to make. Staying in a job that is not quite working for you as well as you’d like it to can be demotivating. But changing jobs can also be challenging.
In my last blog, Is It Crazy To Change Jobs Right Now If You Don’t Have To? I suggested that you consider three questions before you make a move:
- What’s your reason for wanting to change jobs?
- Are you actually ready to change jobs?
- Have you fully explored the options that might be available in your current organisation?
I want to address these questions in more detail and give you some ideas for things you can do from right where you are now without necessarily needing to change jobs. One thing is for certain, following through with some of these ideas will help you better position yourself to change jobs at some future stage. The key words here are:
- Career Development (yours)
- Win-Win (for both you and your organisation)
Ready to Change Jobs, or Not?
If you’re feeling a bit stuck, changing jobs might look like your only option, especially if you think that your skills are not being utilised as well as they could be. Feeling a bit ‘tired’ of your current job, for whatever reason, can easily cause you to lean back away from it. By this I mean you can begin to mentally disengage and look for reasons to leave, instead of looking for ways to stay.
If this is the situation you are in now, you might want to ask yourself:
Are you sure that you’re actually ready to change jobs?
Have you made the most of the opportunities in your existing organisation?
There are a number of ways you can do this, but you need to look for the opportunities and be prepared to have the conversations that will help you make the most of these. If you’re valued where you are and have been doing well, you might be surprised at the outcome.
Finding Reasons to Stay
Put Your Hand Up To Take On More Responsibilities
You might be feeling bored in your current job. You might have been overlooked for promotions. One sure fire way to start to get noticed is to take on new responsibilities, especially ones that help you to be more visible. This might mean putting your hand up to do things, or it might mean finding things that need to be done and just getting stuck in and doing them.
Upskill
You don’t need to be working towards a degree or formal qualification to improve your skills. Attending conferences and workshops will also widen your skill set and broaden your perspective. Many employers are willing to send employees off for short courses and training opportunities if they can see how it will benefit the organisation.
Talk to Those Who Can Make a difference
Have you actually discussed how you are feeling with your boss or manager? Many employers are very willing to discuss options with employees, especially if you are considered to be a valuable member of the team. Try to approach these conversations in a positive way and make sure to take some ideas with you for things you could do or would like to try.
Consider a Sideways Move.
Take a good long hard look at your existing organisation. Are there jobs in other areas that you might find interesting? Moving sideways in an organisation can often bring a more positive experience as well as provide the opportunity to develop new skills. It can be a win-win scenario. You become more valuable to your organisation because of your breadth of experience. And you are adding to your skill set, which makes you more marketable.
Career Development isn’t always about moving onto greener pastures in new organisations. The grass might well be as green right where you are. It can often be as simple as tweaking your current responsibilities or changing where you sit in your current organisation.
The decision to stay where you are, but making some changes can often provide you with new opportunities for development and refresh your perspective.
Remember that employers often want to keep good employees so could be willing to discuss alternatives within your current organisation.
It may well be a lot easier to stay than to start looking elsewhere.
Remember to ask yourself the three questions before you consider making a move:
What’s your reason for wanting to change jobs?
Are you actually ready to change jobs?
Have you fully explored the options that might be available in your current organisation?
If you'd like to discuss your options and whether you should stay or go, please give me a call. I'd love to help you work it out.
Janet Tuck
Career Management Specialist
M: +64 21 526 387
E: janet@careerclinic.co.nz