45-60% of the American workforce plans to leave their job once the economy straightens out and jobs are plentiful once again. Are you one of them?  Or are you one who just is not happy at work but has no real plans for change?

Of all the people out there who do not like their jobs, I think the majority fall into one of four categories.

First, I think that many people tend to think that jobs are not really meant to be something we love. They believe it is our responsibility, as a human race, to do some sort of work to make money for ourselves and our families. However, liking what you do is not really part of the game. They believe that we should just settle and be grateful to be employed.

Secondly, I believe many people know they want to leave their jobs but there are too many situations in their life (kids, mortgage, etc.) that lead them to believe that it just simply is not possible to leave the job they have and pursue something different. In other words, they feel stuck.

Third, I believe there are a lot of people out there who do not like their jobs but have no idea what else they can do.  As a result, they keep on doing what they are doing without giving the possibility of change much thought.

Lastly, I think there are some people out there who do not like their jobs and are actively doing something about it.

What category are you in?

I believe that ALL people can and should find what they love to do and find a way to make a living doing it. It is our right as human beings and we owe it to ourselves to find our passions in life and live them.

Think about your life and how much of it you spend at work.  I know, everyone says to do that but really THINK about that. If you take the hours you spend at work and the hours you spend thinking about how you do not want to be at work (or the hours you spend dreading going to work)and the hours you spend talking about how you don’t like your work, you are truly wasting your life away.  Harsh words but it is so important to be aware of this so that you can try to DO something about it.

What Are the Signs that I Need to Make a Change?

There are many signs that it is time to find a new job.  Some of them are external (you need more money, the company is in financial trouble,etc.) However, I am going to focus in on the signs that solely come from within you.

  • You dread going to work every single day
  • You do not get along with your boss and/or your coworkers
  • You do not feel appreciated
  • You do not feel valued
  • You do not feel that what you do makes a difference to anyone
  • You do not like or support the mission of your company
  • You do not feel challenged
  • You do not enjoy the majority of the tasks that you do
  • You do the least you can do to get by because you do not care enough about the company to do any more than that
  • You secretly wish for bad things to happen to the company (yes, I said that, do you relate?!)
  • You come home frustrated/angry/depressed and you cannot fully be yourself with your family or friends
  • You count down the days until Friday – every single week
  • Nothing makes you happier than having a day off
  • You have restless feeling inside that tells you that you need to be doing something else.
  • You have a true passion to do something else and you are not doing it.

These are the big things to look for but they are not absolutes. You may agree 100% with many or all of them. You may only agree with some of them. You may agree with some of them but  maybe your situation is not that bad. Wherever you fall, if you find yourself having any of those traits, you should explore these feelings within yourself.

Personally, I think that if you do not agree with any of the bullet points but you agree with the last one – that you have a true passion to do something else and you are not doing it?  That is enough to let you know it is time to move on.

Should I Just Quit If I Am Not Happy?

Okay, I do understand that most people cannot just quit their jobs. As much as I wish that was not true…

Here is one thing a lot of people do not understand. If you do not like your job and do not do anything about it, you are railroading yourself into a dead end life.  What will you think about your life if 5,10,15,20 or more years go by and you are still working there?  You only get one chance in this life and it is going fast.

However, if you are doing something about it (actively looking and applying elsewhere, networking, etc) on a regular basis, it will give you a light at the end of your gloomy tunnel. As long as you are working towards something else, the job that you do not like somehow becomes more bearable.

Try to do just do one thing a day no matter how big or small.  Here is a link to get you started.

Are you someone who is not happy at work but does not know what else you like to do or where to go from here?  This is a great resource for you.

What will your first steps be?