5 things to try before moving on from your job
I know quiet quitting was so last year. I get it. I also know that many of you plan to quit in some capacity this year, whether it is loud, bold or quiet. Before you do, I hope you have considered and exhausted your options before throwing in the towel.
Sometimes it takes a little advocating to help fill what has been missing in your role. What makes you unhappy about your position, and is there something someone can do internally to help you?
Sometimes being unhappy with your role comes from how you are being managed. It could be things like having too many meetings, feeling micromanaged, or needing to be fully supported. It's these feelings that make a lot of us want to give up. Some of these pain points can be fixed if we talk with a manager about what we need.
Holding your manager accountable for your unhappiness is unfair if you never allow them to help. Some managers mean well. They may drop the ball due to the pressure to perform with lean teams. An intentional meeting can renew your energy.
I felt this same way not too long ago. Still, I decided to have a conversation with not one but several people about getting the things I needed or transitioning into something different. Putting myself out there to multiple people was risky, but it was worth it. Either someone tries to accommodate my very basic asks, or I leave. Employees quitting costs employers money to replace roles, but when team members go, it disrupts morale, which continues a cycle of employees feeling dissatisfied and wanting out. Through my advocating, I eventually changed roles and joined a team that provided me with what I was missing.
Here are some things to try before you mentally move on from your job:
Discover your pain point
Figure out what it is that is causing dissatisfaction with your job. Break the pain points down to see if each one has an easy solution. Some things can be simple, while others can be complex and need more people to be involved. Make a plan to change this negative feeling into a positive experience. Be honest about what you will do to change your circumstance and how long you are open to waiting to see change.
Gather your impact
Always know how your work impacts the organization, especially if it affects revenue. Equipping yourself with this information allows you to confidently present how vital your job is and why your asks can help with a gap that you see in the business. Sometimes it is showing why you deserve a raise or promotion by being able to share how you contributed.
Be strategic about who you chat with
You must know who in your organization can make a change without being messy. Be transparent with your manager about what type of work you want and how to incorporate it into your role. If your manager is not listening to you, is there someone else that is safe to talk to and who carries some decision power? Going over your manager is tricky, but there are ways to express interest in joining another project, learning another skill, or recruiting someone to speak your name for opportunities without burning bridges.
Don't rage apply, be intentional
If you are waiting on movement at work to get your asks met from leaders, it's okay to start applying. Just don't rage apply. Many of us have applied to several jobs in one sitting when something upsets us at work. Career coach Kelly Nash of Lipstick & Ink told me she wasn't surprised by the uptick in rage applying, but she doesn't think it helps with long-term career plans. "While rage applying may help you get a job quicker, it likely won't be the best strategy long-term. You could find yourself in a job that ends up being exactly like your old one… or worse."
It's a short-term solution and often a quick way to feel better about what's currently happening a work. Instead of rage applying, Nash suggests being intentional with your next move. "While it is more work upfront and may take longer, having a clear and intentional job search strategy will ultimately help you land the role you want and get you out of the rage-applying cycle," she said.
Find your voice
Remember that the change that you seek starts with you. Speak up to get your needs met at work. In a LinkedIn News post, transformation coach Alechia Reese shared, "Your work does not speak for you. It doesn't have a voice box. But you do. So, use it to speak up."