4 Main Signs Indicating It’s Time To Switch Jobs
Posted on:
by Sean Whelan
IT Jobs and Recruitment Insights
This is always an interesting topic to discuss. It's important to be conscious of these signs. It may be the time you take the leap and take that next career move. In this blog let's dissect these signs and see how each of these can contribute to deciding it's time to go.
The signs that suggest you are losing interest in your current job
-
Complaining more, enjoying it less
This is one of the most common signs that may indicate that you need to move elsewhere. The bad times start outweighing the good. When we complain about work or anything for that matter, we instinctively think of the negatives and the reasoning behind them. It is a learned behaviour that keeps on getting worse as it develops.
This sort of negative perspective will not be good for you or your company in the long run as this will relect in your work and your contribution which could then leave a negative impression on the minds of your leadership team and peers. So, it's important to be able to find the right outlet (maybe a friend or family) to get things off your chest in a healthy way. It's normal to do so and can give you a sense of relief and a “weight lifted off your shoulder”.
-
You’re always tempted by new opportunities out there
After a few weeks of thinking about it, you have finally done it. You have started constantly browsing through jobs online. Every opportunity seems more exciting than the situation you are in at the moment.
Main reasons people are looking for new opportunities currently:- Fully Remote
Ever since our world changed in the year of 2020, there has been a split in the way we want to work. As employees we now know that we can work from home which saves money, increases productivity and saves time. As more and more companies are moving towards a hybrid approach, many candidates are citing this as a reason for jumping ship.
- Higher Salary
Money really makes the world go round. Wages are one of the first things we think of when we want to switch jobs. We have often heard candidates admitting to taking a higher paying job that is in an industry that they generally would not have taken interest in. If you’re looking for some insight into the current market rate for your role explore our salary guide.
That being said, one trend we have noticed recently is that candidates are willing to take pay cuts for more flexibility. So it’s really important to reflect on your own personal situation and understand your motivations for looking for a new role.
-
You are no longer motivated when it comes to your work
It's important to have a sense of satisfaction when doing your job. It gives the feeling that you have accomplished something and that you are pleased with what you are doing for a living, if you as the employee do not feel that way over time then it could indicate a change in careers.
Some examples that indicate you are not motivated by your job may be that you are no longer sharing ideas with your peers, you have no interest in developing your knowledge and growing within your career with your current employer and you simply have stopped taking initiative.
Another popular reason for feeling demotivated at work could be due to your superiors. You and your boss are not getting along which creates a tough and uncomfortable work environment, which will reduce your level of productivity. A supportive leadership team is incredibly important for your progression.
-
Your mental and physical health have taken a hit
A job that you are not happy in, and one where you are unsatisfied with your surroundings may have a huge impact on your mental and physical state. It is important to seek help when needed but sometimes the right thing to do, to protect your mental health is to switch jobs.
Signs to watch out for form your health perspective:
- Sleep patterns may be changed which causes tiredness during the day.
- Eating habits can be affected. You resort to eating quick and non-nutritious meals.
- Your general peace of mind, your behaviour and attitude towards daily routine.
- Mentally, it can lead to negative thoughts which can in some cases cause anxiety
Candidate motivations
It's important as a candidate to be aware of what are some of the main reason as to why candidates change jobs. There are so many external and internal factors as to why someone wants to leave and these reasons are ever-changing with a few factors which always remain consistent. Below I have attached some stats in today's candidate behaviours and what drives them to look for a new job.
-
88% of candidates consider salary as the primary motivator when changing jobs.
-
63% said that work-life balance is a key factor when considering a job offer.
-
64% prioritise work-life balance over a higher salary.
-
87% of millennials would rate professional development as an important factor in a job.
-
77% would consider company culture before even applying for a role - glassdoor.
Career Change in 2025 and What to Watch Out for?
Office vector created by stories - www.freepik.com
So what can you expect in 2025? Perhaps less flexibility on remote working. We are seeing more and more candidates having to come back into the office more than twice a week. Following Amazon's on-site model, I can see a lot of companies follow suit.
We are already starting to see new titles in roles related to AI; eg: AI Prompt Engineer. This will just become more prevalent in 2025 and create more options for software professionals that have experience in AI. So, if you’re looking to up-skill in a particular area this is the one to dive into.
Learning to adapt to new surroundings and circumstances is something both employers and employees need to take on board and it's not always easy. That's why here at GemPool we always make sure we ask our candidates what it is they want, and we help connect them with job opportunities based on those motivators and use a similar approach with our clients.
If you have any questions or would like to discuss this topic, or perhaps you are looking for a new opportunity do not hesitate to contact us or head over to our careers page for more information.
Cover image attribution: People vector created by pch.vector - www.freepik.com
