Should I Stay or Should I go?

We’re sharing 4 points to consider and evaluate before deciding whether it's time to call it a day go and hang up your keys at your current job or, to re-energise, get excited, and stay!

1. Does the job still tick all your boxes?

Stop for a moment and assess where you are in your career, where you want to be, and what your current job does for you in terms of your career progression?  If your current job isn't getting you anywhere, you’re not learning, or, for example, there are no progression opportunities, or the progression opportunities that do exist aren’t suited to your desired career path and objective, then that is a motive to move on. After all, it's your career dreams and goals that are most important!

If you don't have a career plan, it’s time to get one! We’ve developed a free to download career planning guide. By knowing where you're headed, will help you uncover whether it’s time for you to stay or go.  If your current job is ticking the right boxes, then perhaps it will be easier to work through some of the other areas that don't quite work for you.

2. Having a few issues with the current business/job?

Have you been open and honest in addressing concerns you have in relation to the role or perhaps the benefits and incentives you need to keep engaged and motivated to stay? In most cases, reasons for wanting to change include the lack of work-life balance including the distance travelled to work, management style, company culture, or salary and benefits on offer. Fortunately, many of those points can be accommodated for (in most cases), and all it takes is honesty and communication. So if this is what's pushing you to go and you haven't had a chat with your report or manager, get it happening.

If you have had discussions but haven't seen action towards the preferred change, perhaps the culture of your workplace isn't quite aligned to yours. In this case, be sure to search and choose a new work place that is aligned with your culture and motivation. 

3. It’s not what I was sold...

If you’ve recently started in a new role and feel the pace isn’t happening fast enough or you expected the job to be different, take time to have a chat with your manager and see if there is an opportunity to get your dream job back on track.  Sometimes changing jobs can be like wearing in a new pair of shoes - it just takes time.

4. You were off but…. Now you’re not.  You get a Counter Offer!

Be very wary of the golden ticket being promised, perhaps there’s talk of promotion, a title change, changing hours and in most cases, with a counter offer there is more money involved!  As alluring as it may seem, take time to really review what will change in your organisation. Will you find that in 4-8 weeks the issues that prompted you to look elsewhere are in fact still there.  Traditional statistics aren’t great around the longevity of a counter offer.

Regardless of whether you are staying where you are or leaving your current business, it’s always a good idea to refresh your resume once a year, take the time while it’s current in your mind to update any changes in the last year and add in your achievements.