A career move, whether to move up the ladder or simply to stay gainfully employed, requires careful consideration. You need to give thought to an offer for a job change or a transfer before agreeing to it. There are times when a job change may not be the best alternative. As a rule of thumb, a job change made for the right reasons usually turns out right.
Let’s take a look at seven occasions when a job change might not be such a good idea.
When you already have too many things on your mind, handling the stresses of a job change may not be a good idea. A new job may be accompanied by unfamiliar demands and may take some getting used to. A good first impression counts. And taking on the burdens at a new workplace while dealing with stressful life issues is never a good idea. Marriages, deaths, births, etc., are life events that exact a physical and emotional toll on a person. A professional move is best executed when other aspects of your life are stable and you can handle them comfortably.
If your current job is proving to be too stressful and you’re tempted to jump ship, it may be a good idea to hold on and give yourself a chance to tide over this phase. Of course, if the stress is an ever-present feature and you think it’s not worth the money or the risk to your health, then a job change is justified. But a few stressful days in the office, maybe because of a project or pressing deadlines, should not cloud your judgment into contemplating a shift. It’s preferable to try and develop the fortitude to take a bad boss in your stride rather than shift jobs for this reason. There’s no guarantee that the management in your new job will be kindly inclined to you. Significantly, job hunting for a weak or negative reason weakens your position at the negotiations table.
Again, nothing wrong with seeking greener pastures, but if your prime consideration is a pay hike at the expense of all the other things that contribute to job satisfaction, then you might be making a mistake. Do not take a rash decision if a pay hike is not to your liking or you’ve received a job offer that’s a substantial increase on your present earnings. Consider the pros and cons of quitting the current job. What’s the commute going to be like? Does the job require a relocation? What’s the cost of living in the new city? What can you find out about the growth prospects with the new employer? Does the new company’s 401(k) plan allow rollovers?
Don’t let your perceptions about how your peers are doing guide or influence your judgment about your current work scenario. Everything that you see on social media is not the objective truth. There’s every chance that there’s more to what your friends and colleagues share on their social media pages. Know your own worth. Assess the market situation. Ask logical questions. While ambition and drive are essential, so are establishing a degree of comfort with your job and staying content.
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You may experience varying levels of unease and distress because of a number of issues. Often, if you’re unable to perform to your high standards or if, despite your performance, the desired results cannot be achieved, then you may, possibly, want to look for a change of scenario. Take a step back and take stock of the situation. Are you being a tad hasty? Could it be that the kind of results you’re pursuing take some time, and that you’re likely to witness better results sooner rather than later? A decision about a job change taken under any kind of duress is best avoided.
On average, an employee changes jobs about a dozen times or so during a career. Invariably, you need to spend time with an organization to give your best with it. Frequent job hops do not look good on any resume, more so for mid-level and senior-level posts where you need some time to make a difference with your decision-making and experience. It takes time to get a feel of the nuances that underpin the functioning of an organization. Job hops may seem like an attractive method to climbing the corporate ladder, but the move is fraught with risks.
If it’s not an easy decision and you’re not too excited about it, then let it be. Just as offers that are too good to be true generally are, things that fail to enthuse you mean that your heart and mind are raising objections. Assess those objections. If you’re trying too hard to convince yourself about a job change, then maybe you don’t really need it, and your reasons for seeking a change are either flawed or based on superficial concerns.
