It’s 5:30pm on a Thursday, and you’ve had a good day at work. Your coworkers were all pleasant to be around. No drama landed in your lap. You even got a few laughs on the conference call you led in the last hour. You also managed to clear out your inbox and calendar of all of the ‘To Do’s that were waiting for you when you started the day. You take a minute to bask in the glow of a successful day and feel good that you are not only a person of respect in your organization, but you are likely among those ‘next level’ people that should be considered for future opportunities that arise. It’s a good day, and a good feeling.
Before you sign off and head to dinner, you do just one more thing that has become a growing habit in recent months. You go to a few of your favorite job boards and ‘see what else is out there’. Why is that? You just wrapped up a good day, feeling productive, respected, and believe the road ahead is paved with opportunity. You are realizing that satisfaction is not fulfillment. The fact is, more than half of everyone currently working is doing the same thing, and likely, feeling the same way.
Each click is a new opportunity – a new job, new people, leadership, new responsibilities. New Everything! It is exciting to envision it all, as no one envisions it not working out, only that it is scratches that career itch they’ve been unable to reach right in the middle of the back. And while that certainly could be true, it may be worthwhile to look within first before looking outward. Remember, using today as a benchmark of some of the important factors in job satisfaction, you enjoy your experience, you completed your goals for the day, you feel respected by your colleagues, and have been given an impression by your leadership that there are good things in store for you in the future. So, what is it so many are looking for that they feel they are not getting today?
While that curiosity is consistent across today’s active workforce, it is critical to look at why you feel the way you do before jumping into the next opportunity, as you may find yourself feeling exactly the same way a year or two later. That doesn’t mean to ‘suck it up’ and stay put no matter what, which is often the safe play, especially if you have some critical aspects to your work situation currently that are working in your favor. It just means that in weighing the risk and reward of any career or life change, that you properly account for the rewards you are getting today to assess how much a change makes your risk worth it. Don’t make the mistake of understating the positives you have today, as you’ll also be minimizing the risks and make it very easy to jump ship for just about anything that seems marginally suitable. The allure of ‘What is behind Door #3’ is a powerful magnet, even when Door #2 is open and has a nice new car sitting right there.
It is incredibly important that you look, not just at the job you have today, but you look at you. Analyze what brought you to the job, the role, the company. Was it out of necessity? Was the job market tough when you were looking, causing you to put aside some of your wish list criterion? Did you believe that the job would meet all of your criterion upon accepting the role, only to learn as the weeks and months moved along that it was quite different than you expected?
Only you know why you took the job you have, and at this introspection point, look to understand those reasons, and re-examine your wish list for your ideal job. Where and how does your current position fall short? What are the key missing items that, if there, would keep you long-term. If the likelihood of attaining those things is remote, then be sure that, as you look and fantasize about what the next job could bring to you, and your goal of being fulfilled in your work, in your career, and in life, that you list out and prioritize what is most important to you.
Join Hire Boost Product to understand prospective companies and hiring terms. Ask powerful questions during the interview process and be sure to make clear what you expect in return for delivering your blood, sweat and tears. In doing so you will have a as clear a picture as possible of what an opportunity could mean for you and allow you to make the right career decision.
(And you’re not alone. We ALL want to see what’s behind Door #3!)
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