When Is It Time to Move On From a Job?

Millions of people find themselves in careers they dislike, even hate, every year. It's no different with health care careers. People find themselves in roles they dislike, or terrible fits with their talents, personalities, and mentalities.

There also are millions of reasons why, despite being miserable at work, folks resist making the changes they need to be happy. Worries about money, self-esteem issues, confusion as to actual wants and needs, reluctance to start anew... they're all reasons that can stop us in our tracks. They can keep us from being happy in our health care careers.

We want all of our Concorde students and graduates to be happy in their health care careers, even if that means moving on to a different job. Forbes magazine recently published a short list of signals that might suggest it's time to leave your job. That it might be time for new health care careers. We hope you don't have any of these traits currently. But, if you do, it might be time look at different health care careers.

5 signs it's time to look at other health care careers

1. You're unhappy most of every day doing this work. This isn't science here. The clearest sign that you need a change is how you feel about the work you're doing every day. Do you wonder how you ended up here and fantasize daily about doing something very different? Remember: You don't have to be miserable or lose your sense of self in order to be gainfully employed.
2. The environment is tainted with extreme toxicity, including your boss and colleagues. Your job and success are framed by a number of factors. Your boss, colleagues, and overall office structure. How your organization treats its human resources. The outcomes the company is striving toward and whether that fits your goals. The growth you can achieve in this role. Looking holistically at your job will help you see more clearly whether you are well-suited for it.
3. The skills that you've been hired to use for this job aren't a fit for what you're good at or enjoy. What we're good at isn't always the same as what we love doing. If your job forces you to use skills that aren't enjoyable or easy for you, you'll be drained and miserable every day in your job.

And, reason's number 4 and 5

4. You believe deep down that you're meant for better, bigger and more thrilling things. Many people feel they are made for better things than their current role. They're afraid this sounds boastful or arrogant. But these thoughts and feelings are not something to ignore. If you feel you're made for more exciting things, then you are. Don't be ashamed of it or hide from it.
5. The outcomes that you're working toward feel meaningless or negative to you. You can't thrive or even succeed a tiny bit if you don't believe in what your organization is putting out in the world, or how they're doing it.

If any of these signs strike a chord with you, it's time to make a change. Here's hoping you Concorde graduates working in health care careers all are working in jobs you love. But if you aren't, recognize it and do something about it. Life's too short!