You wake up wanting to chuck your alarm out the window; you get bored of doing the same thing day in day out; you realise that you're not learning, that your neurons have been on holiday for months because you're not being challenged; work schedules and requirements make it difficult for you to spend quality time with your partner, family and friends and hobbies; And, to top it all off, your bank account isn't growing at the rate you would like it to. Don't you think it's time for you to ask yourself when to change jobs and to answer head-on that the time has come?
The situation above is not the norm. Normally, it isn't as easy to realise when you're unhappy at your current role and make the radical, final decision to prepare your engineering CV and leave. The signs that you need to launch yourself at new challenges are a lot more subtle, and logically, you are filled with doubts.
To help you clear those doubts, at BETWEEN we have looked at the reasons most professionals make the leap and we have identified the five triggers that indicate it is time to get out of your comfort zone. This way you will finally know when to change jobs in engineering.
More opportunities and a better salary: main reasons to change jobs
The latest LinkedIn study on trends in employment change revealed that the key reasons to leave a job and join a new company are:
- Lack of career progression opportunities in the current position (45%) and the perception of better prospects in the proposed offer (59%)
- A higher salary or more substantial compensation package in general (54%).
- The new job is presented as either a challenge or as being more suitable to the candidate's skill set and interests. (47%).
- Dissatisfaction with bosses (41%) or with the company's work environment and values (36%).
A career move is generally presented as an incentive in the professional journey of an engineer, and should always be done for objective and well-founded reasons. With this you will gain more experience and your value as a professional will multiply.
Of course, be careful not to become a job hopper! In the long run, it will not benefit you either personally or professionally.
When changing jobs: pay attention to these 5 factors
When thinking about when to change jobs, the first thing you should do is honestly answer whether you want to be in another company or do you simply want to have totally different job functions. Keep in mind that:
- You can change jobs by staying in the same company. Perhaps you can request to be assigned to another department, client, project, etc., or that they give you new responsibilities.
- You can also go to another company to do exactly the same thing you were already doing.
The most drastic thing would be to change both the employer and the job function. In any case, to take the first step, watch out for these five triggers:
1. You're overwhelmed with boredom and negativity
A matter of intuition and observing your feelings. If you are in a bad mood, are plagued by tiredness and boredom and your only motivation is for the clock to move faster when you are working... the diagnosis is clear.
2. You have been in your current role for 2 to 5 years
Human Resources specialists point out that the optimal period of performance in the same job is between two and five years. Whilst there are obviously exceptions, a career move should begin to be considered after two years, and it is advisable when exceeding five.
3. The chances of boosting your career are zero
Have you found yourself in a company with not only straw or glass roof, but of steel, which inevitably slows your aspirations? Don't setlle on the impossible: move somewhere else where you can open a wide and clear path to grow.
4. Conciliation, we better not even talk
Devilish hours, unjustified overtime, unexpected weekends that must be attended to... If your job is depriving you of taking care of your personal or family life, you're bound to become frustrated.
5. You hardly identify with the corporate values
Do you have a hard time defending the decisions your company makes? Do your values not look anything like theirs and sometimes you have had to bite your tongue? Take a chance at a new role with a hiring policy that takes into account the Culture Fit.
Are you one of the engineering professionals currently thinking about when to change jobs? Check out the offers BETWEEN has for you. Take your next professional step with us!
