Job Change? Worst and Best Reasons.

 

“Having a bad boss isn’t your fault. Staying with one is.” – Nora Densel

Ever had a fast-talking recruiter try to sell you on making a job change?  If not, you must be hiding under a rock.  Ever had a family member urge you to change jobs?  If not, you either have no family or your family members are benefitting so much from your labor they are not inclined to rock the boat. Ever have a bad day at work, or a bad week, or maybe even a bad month; and decide it’s time for a job change? If not, then you are truly blessed. I would advise you to stop reading this now and just take the win.

After so many years in recruiting and before that quite a few years in the real world, I’ve learned there are good reasons and bad reasons for making a job change.  I personally learned the hard way back in my “pre-headhunting” career.  And I see way too many people repeating some of the same mistakes I made as well as some I was fortunate enough to avoid.

So here are my top 5 Worst and 5 Best Reasons for making a job change.

Worst Reason #1: Something or somebody made you angry.  You let it fester, eventually it caused you to become negative about aspects of your which job you used to like.  The only thing that’s changed is you got mad about something.  Now the pay isn’t what it should be.  And there’s no room for advancement.  Company leadership is suddenly clueless and you’re just not appreciated.  So a job change is the only answer.  Really?  Why not put the anger behind you and get back on track.

Worst Reason #2: Money.  You’ve got a good job.  You like the work, you like where you work and you like the people you work with.  But someone, a recruiter perhaps, has told you that you are underpaid.  You could and should be making more money and the only way that’s going to happen is to move to greener pastures.  If that seed got planted by a former co-worker who’s moved on and tells you the grass really is greener elsewhere, then it grows even bigger and faster.  Not long until you start “un-liking” things you used to like.  If your downward spiral starts with money, step back and take a deep breath.  Look at the big picture and all aspects of the job including benefits and future potential.  Don’t let the lure of money drive you to make a job change you may end up regretting.

Worst Reason #3: Your old boss has moved on.  They either got promoted, retired or left the company.  Now you have a new boss and he’s not the same as the old boss.  You just don’t have the same relationship and now you feel like you must prove yourself all over again.  And on top of it all, the new boss seems to be a bit of a prick.  You used to be the boss’s favorite and now you’re just another cog in the machine.  All the other things you liked about the company, your job, your pay, etc. haven’t changed.  You just lost your boss, who also happened to be a trusted friend.  Give it time, work through it.  Indeed, if the new boss really does turn out to be a prick whom you just can’t work for, then it’s time for a change.  But don’t make that call too soon.

 Worst Reason #4: Work-life balance.  You’re in a demanding job.  Lots of hours and lots of stress.  Your spouse and kids are complaining that you’re not around much and even when you are, you’re either too tired or your mind is a million miles away or you’re glued to your smartphone answering texts and emails.  You seem to be living to work and not really living at all.  Your family is unhappy and you’re not doing all that great either.  Yep, a job change is the answer…or is it?  Before you make that move, consider how much of your “un-balanced” work-life is your own fault.  It may be more about your priorities and work habits than about the requirements of the job.  If you’re the problem, you will eventually go right back into the rut in a new job. It could be even worse if the new job actually turns out to be more demanding.  Look in the mirror before you blame your ‘work-life balance” problem on the work.

Worst Reason #5: Rumors.  You’ve heard that your company is up for sale.  Someone in a position to know tells you that the owners have people coming in and looking at the financials behind closed doors.  It’s all very hush-hush.  Bet the company is up for sale.  Time to update your resume and raise the old “Open To Work” flag on your Linked IN profile.  No, it’s actually time to tap the brakes.  The company might well be considering offers or it could just be in the process of changing banks or lenders or insurance providers.  It could even be consultants who’ve been brought in to determine how the company might make improvements. (If it is consultants, might want to update the resume anyway…).  Most often, rumors are not a good reason to leave a good job.  They may turn out to be true and it still may not be a good reason to leave a good job…yet.

So, with the Worst behind us, what are the Top Five Best Reasons for making a job change?  As it turns out they are just the other side of the Top Five Worst Reasons.

Best Reason #1: Anger. Justified, irreversible anger is reason enough to make a job change. There are situations where you should be angry and if you stick around, it’s likely to get worse.  Sometimes anger is more than enough cause to leave a job.

Best Reason #2: Money.  Money should never be the primary motivator for taking another job, but a lack of money can be a good reason for leaving a job.  If by all accounts and measures you are compensated well-below market (all things considered including benefits, cost of living, etc.) then it’s time to seriously consider a job change.  But before you make a money-driven change, make sure you factor in all the elements of the job.  Money isn’t everything, especially if for a few dollars more you’re miserable.

Best Reason #3: A Bad Boss.  People work for people, not just the company.  There are times when a person is stuck working for a really bad boss. If the only way you can get out of that situation is to leave the company, then get out.

Best Reason #4: Work-life Balance.  People often find themselves in a job that demands a level of commitment that cannot be met without sacrificing relationships with family and friends.  If that’s the job, then either sacrifice work-life balance or find a different job.  It’s not that simple of course.  Usually those high-commitment jobs come with higher compensation.  There are no free lunches.

Best Reason #5: Rumors that turn out to be true.  Major changes in ownership or the financial well-being of a company are solid reasons to consider a job change.  But it’s not automatic.  You may be in a position where it makes sense to stay and the downside risks for you personally are minimal.  Otherwise, you have good reason to make a job change.

And I have an additional Best Reason for making a job change.  This is absolutely, no questions asked, the all-time best reason for making a job change. If you are faced with an unethical, immoral situation in your job that remains uncorrected, change jobs as soon as possible.  I need not give examples.  We all know the messy stuff that can go on in the workplace.   Do not ignore it and do not tolerate it.  

My Two Cents Worth…Making or Breaking America?

 

It’s been a few months since my last Two Cents Worth ramble.  I thought it best to hold my fire until I saw what Trump and Company would actually do on tariffs and how far DOGE would go in cutting government waste.  I knew the deportation of undocumented immigrants would be more difficult than it should be and lawfare was not dead yet by a long shot.  Now properly locked and loaded, let’s do this.

 _The adults left Washington a long time ago and the downward spiral seems to be accelerating. Both parties are to blame.  In the vacuum of leadership, we have government by the worst of us for the rest of us.  One incompetent group replaces another; each with a few good ideas and a lot of bad ones. A small step forward, two giant leaps backward. Rinse and repeat. 

 _I had always considered the talk of another American Civil War to be total click-bait nonsense.  It’s still mostly click-bait, but it’s no longer total nonsense.  If there is another Civil War, it will be driven by weaponized ideas, misinformation and technology.  Americans will become increasingly tribal.  There will likely be an increase in targeted as well as random acts of violence and destruction of property.  We will become further separated geographically, economically and spiritually. We are becoming the Dis-United States of America.

 _”Give us a protective tariff and we will have the greatest nation on earth.”  Who said it? And don’t cheat googling the answer.  Hint: Trump may have said it in so many words, but he was not the first. Abraham Lincoln is actually the one who said it. The truth is our founding fathers really liked the idea of tariffs and up until the 1930’s we had significant tariffs in place.  But there is a good reason why we became advocates of free trade. Overall, free trade is in our best interest. Perhaps not for specific industries. But when things can be made as well or better at lower costs in other places, that’s fine as long as a nation doesn’t sacrifice its strategic production capacity.  Yes, we allowed free trade to go too far and to our detriment in certain industries.  But Trump and Company are over-reaching and over-correcting when it comes to tariffs. This will go down in history as one of the most wrong things that was ever done for the most right reasons.

 _Musk and DOGE may also go on the list of wrong things done for the right reasons.  It’s not nearly as bad as the tariff fiasco.  However, the unintended consequences and collateral damage of their sledgehammer, lightening strike approach is going to backfire when the next regime, most likely a Democrat regime, returns to power.

 _The good news is that it’s not all doom and gloom.  We have some very bright, hard-working young people in this country. There is some evidence many of them are leaning back toward more traditional values of faith, family, education and hard work. It’s not too late to save what’s been lost and rebuild, God willing.

 _Lastly, one of my biggest regrets in life is that I did not copywrite and register “Click Bait”.