Signs You Hate Your Current Job and How to Find a New One

A Gallup survey from June 2020 showed that only 36% of workers were engaged and attached to their job and company. This is a shocking number. It means the prevailing 64% of workers actively disengaged.

In line with these challenges, a career consultant has become a booming profession, especially after COVID-19. It became so natural to hire a job coach to help you deal with job frustrations or your toxic boss as it is to go to a doctor if you have caught the flu.

No wonder. Rapid digitalization has eradicated many jobs and created entirely new ones. As a result, "The Great Resignation" wave proved that many experts stand in the "should I stay or should I go" dilemma, tired, overworked, uninspired from their current job, and curious to explore new-age professions - like AI Data Scientist, Big data engineer, or possibly even the path of entrepreneurship.

Are you one of those who hate their job and seek new "greener pastures"?

Then read further! In this article, we will let you in on all the tips & tricks and possible pitfalls to avoid when transitioning from a job that makes you not want to get out of bed in the morning to an occupation that you adore!

Process your feelings

The disengaged attitude can manifest in a myriad of ways, and is typically omnipresent in toxic organizational cultures. For example, an enthusiastic new hire assigned to a colleague who only shows the bare minimum of job specifics and sulky demotivation. Or team lunches that grow in a competition, who will say the worst thing about the boss that everyone hates.

Although it is understandable that you may want to vent on and on about it, you better understand that complaining about your terrible job, company, or boss only offers you a momentary gratification and release of negativity and stress. In the long run, you appear unprofessional if you let your emotions get the better side of you. Moreover, you become much more vulnerable to your manager, hearing about your complaints from third persons.

We have a better, more mature, and solution-oriented approach for you. Before you talk to anyone else at work, try understanding where your frustration comes from instead of being reactive or passive-aggressive. This brings us to our next point.

Self-Evaluation – Is It You, or Them?

The best way to get out of a job dead-end is to be aware of your stressors so that you don't toss your bad attitude on others.

You can do that self-check alone, with a trusted friend (preferably outside of work), or even hire a career coach. So here comes the tough but necessary part of asking yourself some difficult questions:

• Am I trained enough for the role? Do I need to learn new skills?
• Am I going through a challenging period at work?
• Are my colleagues supportive enough, or do they avoid responsibility?
• Am I overburdened with tasks, and does management needs to redistribute work?
• Am I burning out rather than hating my job?

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, your situation might be salvageable! So it is worth it that you…

Give it a try before you call it quits

How you go about it depends on your unique situation.

There may be some simple changes that can make a difference in how you feel at work and about your work. Consider applying these first, especially if this is a new position you recently took.

Regardless of the case, ideally, take an internal locus of control and think creatively about what you can do to improve the conditions and bring back your peace. It may be:

• Upskilling
• Better networking
• Making new friends in the office
• Participating more often in team events
• Not making many overtime hours
• Prioritizing your work-life balance
• Asking for help for a challenging task

Fixing through constructive feedback

Of course, we can not fix all issues that make us hate our job. For example, suppose you can carry the weight of the whole $3M project for Spotify on your shoulders and other colleagues, mildly put, bail from responsibility. In that case, you want to know how exactly to give constructive feedback to a teammate, ask management for help or bring your boss to awareness of the massive amount of work you have recently done.

All of this can be done without striking a war in the office.

When it is time to quit your job.

However, after you have tried all of this and nothing you do makes a difference, nor do you receive adequate support from management, it may be time to consider quitting your job.

If you discovered your company has a toxic culture, you sure want to prioritize your mental well-being over it. If no changes make your job any easier or more inspiring, it is also not good to stay too long in the role, as your creativity would drastically drop and your physical health sometimes, too.

Of course, here comes the next question – how to quit a job you hate or that makes you miserable?

Impulsivity vs. Planning

Can you remember the most impulsive thing you did and deeply regretted? Sure, everyone has one of these moments. However, when it comes to working, you don't want to burn a bridge you may cross again in the future.

One of the worst things for your career, is to impulsively quit or stir a conflict before your farewell.

Furthermore, unless you are Elon Musk, you probably depend on the money you get from your current job, so hold your horses instead of rushing to ditch that job. Think of it as a stepping stone that will pay off in the long run – you will be much more relaxed landing a new job if you keep the old one – even if you don't like it so much. Odds are, unless you really hate it, you will be able to deal with the discomfort of staying where you are, knowing that it is temporary.

So here's how to plan your move from a job you can't stand to an incredible, inspiring calling!

How to choose a new job.

Once you know you’re not in a stimulating work environment, you’ll be in a much better position of clarity and what you want from your career. It is time to discover what you want to do.

The Myers-Briggs test methodology is an excellent way to do that. It is not only fun to define your personality type, but it gives you refined results as to which jobs fit your character best. Honestly, you'll be surprised by how close the test matches your job preferences – it sometimes "knows" you better than you know yourself.

Next in line, you may want to speak to a job coach, as these experts are trained in seeing your talents and skills, even when you see nothing else but faults.

First, ask them to describe the 5 top qualities you have according to them. Then, verify if it resonates with you. If yes, base your future job search on your trusted advisors` insights and the following expert job searching tips.

Of course, in addition to the dream job hunt, prepare a breathtaking Resume and a Cover letter to which no one can say no to. Also, do not underestimate the importance of having a polished and professional-looking LinkedIn profile.

Network your way to success

Without any further a due of reaffirming the obvious, this only means one thing:

It would catapult your career tremendously if you:

1. Start leveraging the power of professional networks like LinkedIn
2. Learn how to send engaging reach-out messages
3. Sparkle fascinating conversations with professionals from your (desired) niche
4. Maintain their interest through calls, collaboration discussions, till you get what you want – a project or a job offer.

Is It Really “All About the Money”?

While it is essential to receive adequate pay for our labor, money is not the only factor in staying in a job we hate or pursuing a new one. Choosing any career should align with the remuneration and satisfaction it brings you.

Jobs that bring us lots of joy with minimal cash tend to stay in the realm of the hobby. On the contrary, high-profile, top-paid careers that drain us can damage our physical health and emotional wellness over time. Weigh in the pluses and minuses of your career choices, and go for those that bring fulfillment and a decent paycheck.

Ultimately, after you have done all self-evaluation and job market research, and landed your new job, you are ready to say goodbye to the old job you hate. By the time you have achieved that you will have forgotten how much you hated it, as you've got your eyes now on that super cool new beginning that awaits you.

Resign with class

So now you will be able to resign with class! Really, the only way to do that is to allow yourself enough time to plan your next move and stay as cool as a cucumber. So follow all the above steps, and when the time is right, drop these other secret sauce ingredients:

Write a two weeks notice letter

The two weeks notice letter is the official standard that allows you to professionally and timely notify your current employer of your intention to leave the company. Therefore, it allows them time to respond quickly, post a job opening and find a replacement.

Demonstrate willingness to train your successor.

Make sure you design a lean hand-over material. So many people are head-over-heels when the dreamed-off moment of finally leaving arrives that they make a very lousy hand-over to the new hire. Don't make this mistake. Invest the necessary time, and they will remember you like a pro, for whom the doors back are always open.

Highlight your gratitude to the company for the growth you've experienced, and keep an upbeat tone.

Gratitude and courtesy will serve you many benefits – from getting an employer recommendation to opportunities for future collaborations.

As they say, "never burn a bridge you may need to cross again."

By now you should be equipped to leave a job you hate while staying professional, and landing a dream job offer through self-evaluation, top-level job search, and networking. Resigning with class and upscaling to success has never been more accessible to you than now.