Red Flags: Is It Time for a New Job?

By Sara Butler

Adulting (a millennial term for acting like a grown-up) can be tough, especially if you’re in a job you don’t like. No one expects a day at the office to feel like being at Disney World, but you shouldn’t dread going to work either. So how do you know when it’s time to look for a new job? There are several signs you should look for to help you know when it’s time to find a new gig. Here are a few of the red flags you need to be aware of.

Red Flag No. 1: You Don’t Want to Learn

This can be related to learning new technology or learning new processes associated with your job. If you were once upon a time super passionate about learning new things to help you get ahead but that passion has turned to indifference, then it might be time to find something new.

Red Flag No. 2: You Don’t Want to Branch Out

If you find yourself thinking that what your boss has just asked you to do isn’t in your job description, then you may need to move on down the career buffet. No one wants to take on extra work, but when you’re fiercely guarding your time it’s a bad sign.

Red Flag No. 3: You Race to Complete Tasks

Instead of taking your time to make sure everything is done right, you find yourself racing through your to-do list. If this sounds familiar, then the joy of your job has been lost and you’re probably not getting a lot of satisfaction out of your career. Even if your job represents a paycheck to you, it’s still important to feel as if you’re doing a good job.

Red Flag No. 4: The Sunday Night Blues Last All Week

Everyone tends to feel down from time to time that the weekend is over, but if you have to expend a Herculean effort to get to work every morning, then it might be time to move on. It’s normal to have an occasional day in which you don’t want to work, but if it’s every day, then it’s not good.

Red Flag No. 5: You Spend Your Days on Social Media

If the lure of Facebook is so great that you spend all day checking it rather than doing your work, then you’ve checked out of work. Spending time on social media when you’re working could also mean you’re just fed up with your corporate culture and don’t want to try to be a part of it. If this sounds like something you do, then you need to start thinking about finding a new job.