Are You In A Job That’s Wasting Your Time?
Time is a valuable commodity—especially your time. The last thing you want to do is put years of hard work into a job, only to discover you should have been laying groundwork for your future elsewhere. Are you wondering if you’re in a role that’s wasting your time? Ask yourself these questions.
How Much Further Can I Go Here?
When you first accepted your position, you might not have been thinking about opportunities for advancement. Were you so excited to land the job you decided to worry about everything else later? Now it’s later, and you have very little to show for your time. Even if you’ve received promotions along the way, stop and ask yourself, “How much further can I really go here?” If you can’t see a clear path forward, it’s time to look for opportunities elsewhere.
Are My Talents Being Maximized?
Wasted time isn’t just about a lack of upward mobility—it’s about getting the most satisfaction out of what you’re doing. All the promotions in the world won’t make up for feeling your talents aren’t being appreciated or utilized. You may be comfortable in your middle management position, but are you energized? Are you excited? Are you brimming with new ideas? Or did your creative juices stop flowing a long time ago? If you’ve pushed your interests and abilities to the side in order to earn a steady paycheck, it’s time to think about new opportunities either within your present organization or outside of it.
Do I Feel Appreciated?
Are you stuck giving yourself a pat on the back for a job well done? Obviously, no one feels appropriately valued 100 percent of the time, but if your ideas are muted, your hard work ignored, and the most challenging and interesting assignments handed off to your colleagues, your current company might not be the best environment for you. You deserve to get credit for your efforts, and if you know you’re giving it your all and producing good work but getting no acknowledgment in return, you owe it to yourself to move on to something bigger and better.
Where Do I See Myself In Five Years?
Envision yourself five years from now. What do you see? Are you still sitting at the same desk, covering the same tasks, and bringing home the same paycheck? If you see yourself somewhere new, start making plans for change now. You don’t have to get up and walk out the door this instant, but you should begin seriously thinking about—and taking—steps toward building a different, better future. Update your resume. Take a look at the job market, and get an idea of what’s available. Visualize what you want for yourself and your career, and write down the steps you’ll need to take to make it happen. Once you have an idea of what you’re looking for, start taking action.
No one wants to be stuck in a dead-end job where their talents are wasted and their abilities undervalued. Go ahead—ask yourself the tough questions, and answer them honestly. Chances are, you’ll know what you need to do based on your answers.