Today I’m answering a question about how to deal with a job that doesn’t feel exciting or challenging.
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Question:
When my friends and I go out, they talk with me about their exciting new jobs. They’re all jazzed by their new duties and what they’re learning. When they ask me, “What’s new with you?” I don’t have anything to say.
I have a good job, one I fell into after college. I stay because my boss and coworkers are nice. I’m good at it, but it’s neither exciting nor challenging. I do the same things every day. I’ve talked with my boss about my desire for new challenges, but the most he’s been able to offer me is an upgrade to Windows 10 and the chance to maintain our organization’s Facebook page.
How do I get the courage to leave a good job for a new one?
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Answer:
It’s hard to move away from a comfortable job. Given the choice between a sure thing and a higher risk but potentially more rewarding alternative, many of us choose what’s safe. We need to realize the real risk is in things staying the same. When you stagnate, your life grows smaller, not larger.
Here’s how to gain courage: Discover what lies beyond the words I just fell into my job. Find what you want to move toward. What would you like to be doing two to five years from now? What do you want to learn? Spend the next week exploring these questions.
If nothing concrete comes to mind, look through the classifieds on Indeed, Craigslist and Monster. Circle all the jobs that look intriguing, then star the three that most excite you.
Next, address your fear by crafting a safety net. Reassure yourself by having a game plan that includes developing a résumé, thoroughly researching any prospective new employer and job to reduce post-hire remorse and putting aside three months’ income in case the new job doesn’t pan out as you hope.
Finally, courage requires action. Fast-forward one year, and imagine you’ve let fear dissuade you from moving to a new job. Is that the future you choose? If not, act.
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Have a question? Email Curry at [email protected] with the subject “SheKnows,” and she may answer you (confidentially) in an upcoming piece on SheKnows.
© 2016, Lynne Curry. Curry is the author of Solutions and Beating the Workplace Bully (AMACOM). You can follow her @lynnecurry10 on Twitter or access her other posts on SheKnows, www.workplacecoachblog.com or www.bullywhisperer.com.
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