4 Signs Your Current Job isn’t Right for You

It may be hard at times to identify when the job you’re in isn’t working for you—or not feeling like the right fit anymore. For many, some factors weigh into our need to ignore signs that we are no longer happy in our current role or in a toxic environment that leads to stress, health issues, and a sense of misery. Longevity, financial obligations, devotion to a boss, or a fear of not being able to find something else can all play into our need to ignore when a job is no longer right. However, there are ways to plan ahead and find something that will make you happier both in your career and life! Here are four signs you should be mindful of that the job you have may no longer be the right fit.

1. Your thinking becomes muddled

If the job messes with your natural thought process, you may find it difficult to grasp the fundamentals of the role and the systems put in place. Suppose you’re a creative thinker, for example. In that case, a systematic role may cause immense confusion as you continuously struggle to get to grips with methodical processes which require you to be extremely organized and analytical. Likewise, if you are a methodical thinker, a role requiring creative, intuitive, and out-of-the-box thinking may make you feel all out of sorts and disorganized. Working against your natural rhythm can have its benefits. It can challenge you and develop a whole new side of you. However, find that continuously working against your innate thought process leaves you feeling insecure or finds it very hard to navigate your day-to-day duties. It may be time to start looking for a job more suited to your way of thinking.

2. The job isn’t bringing out the best in you

Any time someone starts a new job, there’s a sense of excitement, nervousness, pressure to do well, and a thrill for “what’s to come,” but along the way, that changes, and your nervousness becomes something else. Any insecurities you may have had about your abilities are heightened; you feel like an imposter, you’re frayed, stressed, and anxious, and find yourself getting angry at the slightest things. Not only will these feelings become impossible to ignore, but if you feel that deep down inside, this role is definitely not suited to you. It’ll begin to plant major self-doubt within you, and seep into other areas of your life. Also, take note of any new habits you may have taken up to cope with this unsuitable role. Excessive drinking, smoking, eating (or under-eating), or any self-destructive patterns need to be addressed immediately. If you feel the job is indeed changing you for the worst, it’s time you find something that will help to bring out your best.

3. Your skills are under-utilized

All those years of training, experience, and skill-building, and you’re not putting any of it to use? This is a sure way to leave you feeling completely down and discouraged about your career prospects. If it doesn’t utilize at least some of your skills, what’s the point? Your skillset is extremely important and provides you with the confidence and ability to be successful at a role, knowing what to do, when, and how best to utilize your knowledge. If you’re not putting to use any of your skills, this means you’re not able to improve upon them within the job, which means your skills will lay dormant. If this is the case, please begin looking elsewhere. Continuously building on your skills is a sign you’re progressing.

4. Your heart isn’t in it

You need to be honest with yourself. You not only dream about your ideal job, but you’ve also trained for it, bought the tools, and worked at it. But for whatever reason, you’ve put it aside, or downgraded it to a “hobby.” But the more you think about it, the more you realize how unsuitable your current job or path is. Look, it’s commendable to work on your dream career while doing a job that pays. It is advisable to provide you with the necessary means to fund your dream, but you also acquire work experience that may be invaluable in the future. However, the risk is that you may become completely sidetracked by the money, benefits, or routine of the job. Your dream remains just that, a dream. If you know, you’ve relegated your dream job to solely dream status and are bored out of your mind in your current role, maybe it’s time to take that leap of faith and just go for it. Trust yourself. There will be other jobs, there may not be another dream.

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