How can you tell when the job that once motivated and excited you, now no longer fits? It can take some time to admit to yourself that this is the case. You often invest so much of yourself in your job role that it’s hard to let go. Your identity can feel bound up in the job you do. What will happen if you let that go?
I once had such a job. In my case, it took several years to admit defeat and to decide it was time to move on. At the time, a friend described my job as ‘hitting the target but missing the point‘. Once she’d given voice to what I’d been feeling for such a long time, I knew it was time to leave.
If you no longer love your job, it’s important to take a thoughtful, strategic approach rather than making impulsive decisions. The feelings you’re experiencing are valid and more common than you might think.
Recognising the Signs
Job dissatisfaction becomes serious when it starts affecting other areas of your life. You might notice a feeling of dread on Sunday evenings, and find yourself frequently complaining about work. You may feel physically ill at the thought of going into the office.
Here are some red flags to watch out for:
- You’re losing sleep over work stress,
- You feel undervalued, even though you know you’re doing a good job
- You find yourself disengaged during meetings and tasks
Bad days are temporary and specific – maybe a project went wrong. Perhaps you had a run-in with a colleague. A bad fit feels pervasive, affecting your motivation, energy, and sense of purpose consistently over time.
Taking Stock of Your Situation
Before you make any major moves, assess what’s driving your dissatisfaction. Sometimes it’s the job itself – perhaps you’ve outgrown your responsibilities or the work no longer aligns with your values. At other times it’s the organisational culture, management style, or lack of growth opportunities. Occasionally, it might be that you realise you’re in a career which is no longer working for you.
Distinguish between temporary burnout and deeper issues. Burnout often stems from being overworked or overwhelmed but can be addressed with better boundaries, time off, or workload adjustments. Deeper dissatisfaction usually involves a fundamental mismatch between who you are now and what the job requires of you.
Exploring Your Options
Sometimes jobs can be refreshed. Start by having an honest conversation with your line manager about your concerns, exploring new projects, or seeking additional responsibilities that excite you. Consider lateral moves within your organisation or negotiating changes to your current role.
However, if you’ve tried to improve things and nothing has changed, or if the issues are structural and unlikely to be resolved, it may be time to plan your exit. The decision often comes down to whether the energy required to fix the situation is better invested in looking for another job.
Making the Transition
Plan your exit carefully. Update your CV, build your network, and ideally secure your next opportunity before leaving. It’s much easier to secure a new role when you’re already in work. If that’s not possible, ensure you have adequate savings to support yourself during your job search.
Leave professionally and gracefully. Give appropriate notice and maintain positive relationships. Your reputation matters, and you never know when you might cross paths with former colleagues again.
If you find a new role that’s a better fit but which pays less initially, create a realistic financial plan. This might involve reducing expenses, taking on freelance work, or transitioning gradually while building skills in a new area.
Moving Forward
Use this experience to better understand what you need in a role. Consider factors like company culture, growth opportunities, work-life balance, and alignment with your values when evaluating future opportunities.
Rebuilding confidence after experiencing job dissatisfaction takes time. Focus on your accomplishments, seek feedback from trusted colleagues, and remember that leaving a job that wasn’t right for you is a sign of self-awareness, not failure.
Career disappointments, while painful, often lead to better opportunities and clearer self-knowledge. They force you to examine what truly matters to you professionally and can ultimately guide you towards more fulfilling work.
Remember that loving your job doesn’t mean every day will be perfect, but you should feel generally engaged, valued, and aligned with the work you’re doing. Trust your instincts, plan carefully, and don’t be afraid to make changes that serve your long-term happiness and growth.
My experience
Working within the field of careers for so many years, you’d have thought leaving my unsatisfying role to find a better one would have been straightforward and reasonably quick. In fact it took me several months of deep self-reflection before I was bold enough to apply for other roles that would be a better fit.
My approach
I invested in Richard Bolles’ ‘What Color is your Parachute?’ and worked through multiple exercises to rediscover what was most important to me. I identified my core values, motivations, skills and strengths. Next, I explored other considerations, such as whether I was willing to move location for the right job.
I contacted several connections -staff who were already working in Higher Education careers work, to pick their brains. I carried out information interviews and did my homework. Only then did I start to apply for jobs. It took me three applications to land my next job and to plan my escape route. After the first two interviews, I received encouraging feedback, narrowly missing out to candidates with prior HE experience.
The outcome
I was offered a job on my third attempt, an eight month maternity cover opportunity. I moved from the security of a full time permanent role to an 80% one with a long commute until I eventually relocated.
The decision to move was a calculated gamble, but one that felt right. That move turned out to be best career decision I’d ever made. Once I knew I was leaving, I felt lighter and happier than I had done in a long time.
Of the many people I’ve spoken to who had the courage to make the move out of a job that wasn’t working, none had any regrets.
My advice
If you’re unhappy at work, acknowledge it. If you can’t improve or change things within your role, investing the time in focusing on what’s truly important to you will be time well-spent.
In a chronically leaking boat, energy devoted to changing vessels is more productive than energy devoted to patching leaks.
Warren Buffett