Is It Time to Change Positions?    

By Mary Anderson

How often have you said, "I've got to get out of this place?"  You may have stayed too long because you are uncertain as to what the problem is.  The best time to find a new position is when you are not disgruntled with your present one.  Don't wait until things are so bad that you cannot stand one more day in your current place of employment.

So, How Do You Know When It's Time? 

You may be humming along and enjoying life, when all of a sudden, it happens.  You notice the excitement has begun to fade.  Remember the day you started your current job?  You were challenged, optimistic about growth potential and making more money. 

• How and why have things changed?
• Has your manager or the firm's philosophy changed?
• Has the company grown so dramatically that it no longer provides that warm, fuzzy feeling you liked when you first
  joined it?
• Are the things bothering you within your control to change, or do you even want to try?

If some or all of these points leave you feeling exhausted and hopeless, it's time to leave.
 
Prolonging the inevitable will not only make you unhappy, but those around you, as well.  Worse yet, staying in a situation that makes you feel hopeless and unfulfilled could actually make you physically ill.

Leave the Negative Thoughts Behind

Make the move while you are still feeling somewhat positive about your current situation.  Try to remember some of the positive things (there must be something).  

Make a list, stating why things were good and what you contributed to make them good.  This exercise will help you prepare for your next move and keep you from wallowing in negative thoughts.

Identify Your Next Move

In order to evaluate a position, you must first know what is important to you.  Divide your factors into the following categories:

• Environment
• Management
• Job Duties
• Compensation
• Growth Opportunities

Environment

• Can you describe the environment in which you found yourself the happiest?
• Was it smaller and more entrepreneurial?
• Was it a fun place to work?  If so, why? 
• Did they have fun things, like ping pong or basketball, to entertain you during lunch?
• Was it a relaxed or intense environment?  (Believe it or not, some people thrive a fast pace.) 
• Was it a very young or more established, seasoned environment?
• Did you have a private office or a more open environment?
• Did you like being part of a team or working one-on-one?
• Were the hours flexible?

Management

Decide which of your managers was the best.  Did they have:

• A strong personality and decisive manner?
• An analytical personality, always exploring every idea and coming to a general consensus only after all possibilities were thoroughly evaluated?
• A "shoot from the hip and make things happen" attitude?
• A fun-loving and unpredictable nature?   

All of these personality types can be good managers if they are right for your style.  Before taking a position, you should find out as much as you can about your potential boss.  When interviewing, do you:  

• Grill them?
• Ask questions to get a good sense of their leadership style and management philosophy?
• Ask about their background so you can gain a better understanding of their career path?

The responses may also tell you something about promotional possibilities within the organization.  Find out whether they came into their position from within the company.  Speak to some of the other people in the department.  A good manager will not be intimidated by allowing this.  In most cases, they will actually offer to make it happen.

Job Duties

Jobs are not simply about great environments and wonderful managers.  You need to think about the actual job duties as well.

• What duties do you like? 
• What challenges do you like and need to feel alive?
• Do you dislike challenges and prefer a position where you know that you can absolutely accomplish all tasks set before you, with no question?
• Is there risk and do you like it? 
• Do you like working with people?
• Do you like working on projects?   

Think back to your earlier list of positive things -- what were they and what type of position will encompass the activities that once made you so happy?

Compensation

This is one of the chief reasons most of us work.  Consider the following:

• How much money do you need?
• Do you need a firm salary or would you prefer commission?
• What about bonus potential?
• How often do you expect to receive an increase?
• Are you aware of other benefit components in the compensation package?
• What have you had previously and what do you need now?
• Do you know when to compromise, what is negotiable and what is not?

We all know that if you don't like what you are doing, no amount of money is enough.  But make a specific list based on these categories.  Also, do some market research to make sure your compensation goals are in line with industry standards.  There are many sources available online, as well as through career centers and staffing organizations.

Growth Opportunities

Give some thought to your next two or three moves.  Is it important to find opportunities within the next organization or are you willing to move again?  Things change and no organization can promise there will be an opportunity when you are ready to make your next move.  However, some organizations provide more opportunity for growth than others.  Ask yourself these questions:

• Will you need additional training?
• Is it important to have that training component within your own organization?
• Will you seek training on an independent level? 

A smaller organization may provide more growth potential but offer fewer resources.  A larger organization may provide various levels of career paths and management training.  Know what is important to you.

You Are Now Ready to Make That Move

You've evaluated your environment, boss, job duties, money and future growth requirements.  So, make the decision.  Move on before your coworkers say, "Thank goodness (s)he's gone!"

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