This one is for the 9-5ersđ
Feeling dissatisfied with where you are or what youâre doing at work? Youâre not alone, Iâve been there too.
When I resumed back to work after my 3-month maternity leave, I couldnât seem to shake off this feeling of dissatisfaction at work. I wasnât thrilled to leave for work in the morning, and while at work, I was constantly second guessing and questioning my relevance, skills, qualifications, and competence.
I think I was in denial for a bit. On the outside, it seemed like I had a âfantastic jobâ, but deep down, that feeling of staying up at night and waking up in the morning wondering âwhy me and God whenâ was quite the rollercoaster.
At some point, I even associated it to missing my baby/home or postpartum blues (alas, it wasnât). I had been interviewing throughout my pregnancy, but nothing had clicked, and that sort of took its toll on me.
I felt unqualified, uncertain, not enough.
So how do you know when to leave?
One day, I stumbled on something while scrolling through LinkedIn. It was a guide that helped me redefine and validate my dissatisfaction at work.
There were 5 signs mentioned by the author and if you felt 0 - 2 out of these 5 signs, it means youâre not in a bad place. On the other hand, 3 - 5 means you really should do something about leaving.
Check here for the 5 unmistakable signs , I hope you find it as useful as I did.
Now even though, I had validated that I really needed to move on, I didnât have enough courage to resign. I had no job in tow, so it just didnât make any financial sense. Then a few weeks later, I fell terribly sick, and that was the final push I needed to leave. The only thing on my mind on the ride to the hospital and on the hospital bed was that I not only needed to exist, I needed to thrive.
On Nov 30 2021, I sent in my resignation. Iâm even surprised at the audacity writing this note (I loooove documenting, it shows growth, progress and answers to things I once prayed for.)
When I resigned, the plan was to rest for about a month so I could recover emotionally and psychologically. I just had a baby and my body was really going through a lot nursing. We (my husband and I) also reviewed our expenses and decided to cut back on a couple things since it was going to be primarily one source of income for a while.
Around December, I interviewed for one or two roles, but the plan was to go full speed on job applications in January. I didnât even have to apply. By mid-January, I had an offer in hand, one of the interviews pulled through.
This is not a post suggesting you resign your job on a whim, with no plan in sight. Itâs a call to action to do something about your feeling of dissatisfaction. I had a plan, actually several action plans that led me to this moment where Iâm doing work I love.
What to do when youâre about to leave
A career transition is not a walk in the park. For me, it was quite a long (and dark) road leading up to here, but it was absolutely something I needed to do. Work and life are not necessarily separate, and itâs important to be able to be our best selves both at work and at home.
3 ways to make a meaningful career transition, one step at a time:
1. Find your why: A career transition should not be about what is âpopularâ, it should be what matters to you.
2. Do a skills gap analysis: Take some time to do a skill assessment of your technical skills and soft skills. Analyze your current strengths, your transferable skills and identify the gaps so you can comeup with a skills learning plan if needed (imbibe a lifelong journey of learning)
3. Take a chance on yourself: Closed mouths donât get fed. Tell people.Try out something. Apply even if you think you don't qualify. Your best job might be one that you were unqualified for because it stretches you.
Having said all, I get that even though we know we need career transitions, itâs not usually an easy decision to make.
Thatâs why over the next couple of weeks, Iâm offering to talk one-on-one for 30 minutes to 30 people looking to make career transitions
Whether youâre looking to switch jobs in the same industry, looking to switch industries, or just looking for a change; the goal is to help you make a meaningful decision.
Interested? Book a slot in my Calendly here, Iâd be more than happy to talk through it.
Not a talking kinda person, thatâs okay. Check out my Medium article to read more tips about transitioning your career.
đ12: Feeling Dissatisfied at Work?
Oh this brought back a flood of memories!! I've been dissatisfied at my former job for a very long time, I had a 4/5 according to the 5 signs. I started making moves some time last year and I'm very happy I started doing so then. I currently have a new job that I totally enjoy and I can definitely see a clear career path and I know it will definitely help in my future plans. Thanks for this Wami.