...at least not yet.
Recently, I was watching a gem of an episode of The Golden Girls (if you're a fan like me, they're all gems!) where Rose was feeling less than satisfied with her job. When she shared her malaise with Dorothy, she promptly suggested that it might be time for Rose to look for a new role.
Looking for a new role is the first conclusion we reach when we start feeling like our job is no longer meeting our needs, isn't it? The reality is, quitting may not be the answer. Instead of hitting the job search circuit, I invite you to first reflect on some key questions:
1. What Don't You Like About Your Current Job?
What has you feeling frustrated about your situation? Think about when you go to the doctor. If you cannot tell them what the pain is, where it is, what it feels like, and so forth, the doctor cannot help you, right? They don't know what tests to order or what treatment plan to provide.
Same with your job. If you don't know why you are annoyed, the source of the frustrations, you can't formulate a solution or a plan of action. By taking just a few minutes to identify your pain points, you can open your mind to a variety of ways to address the matter at hand.
It can seem easier to look for a new job rather than fix where you are. This is what I would call a fear-based thought, which I discuss more on an episode of The Femails.
2. What Would You Like to be Doing at Your Current Job?
I've found that a lot of people are afraid to define and ask for what they want. That or, they've thought of a project they'd like to work on, a way to better serve staff or customers, or a role they'd like to take on and they are afraid to ask their manager about what's possible. If you don't ask, the answer is always no. So, try exercising a little career courage.
Name that thing you'd like to be doing in your role, how it will help your company, how it will help you be a better contributor, and make your ask. You might be surprised by the response.
3. What Would Give Your Work Meaning or Purpose?
Increasingly, meaning at work is becoming the new money. A recent study found that nine out of ten employees would be willing to earn less money in exchange for more meaningful work.
ADP found in their Evolution of Work study, that today's workforce is more and more guided by the search for meaning and doing important work rather than just by earning a paycheck and benefits
The bottom line is that meaningful work is a key driver of employee engagement and success. If you are doing or can do work that you are proud of, not only will you flourish personally, but the likelihood of you thriving at work increases exponentially, as well.
4. How Could You Add Meaning, Joy, and Purpose to Your Work?
Now that you've done some brainstorming around what would make you feel like your work had meaning or purpose, take a moment to think about who can help you bring those ideas to life. Is it something on which you and a coworker could partner? Is it something that you could pitch to your manager?
Or perhaps an initiative was surfaced in a meeting that excited you, or you feel like leading the charge would help you make a name for yourself at your company or establish you as a thought leader. Whatever it is, don't let the opportunity pass you by.
You are in the driver's seat of your career. No one is going to fight for you and your happiness at work. It's up to you to make a play for what you want.
Oh, and if you are wondering what happened to Rose, she made a play for a more exciting role at work but it didn't work out so well for her. When the chips were down, she bombed in only the way Rose could.*shrug*
