Five Signs It’s Time to Jump Ship and Make the Big Brave Career Move

Being in a job that doesn’t make you happy can be a huge source of discontentment in your life.

Trying to work out whether to stay or go can take hours of thinking time and swathes of energy, and it can make you go crazy.

This can quickly tip over into other areas of your life – your family gets the worst of you, friends begin to lose patience, and staying healthy becomes a slog. 

Is it time to take the leap? 

Instead of spending days, months, and even years going round in circles and driving everyone around you crazy, consider whether it is time to make a change by leaping out of your current situation and into a life that is more fulfilling and life-giving. Five signs it’s time for a brave career move … 

Sign #1 – You feel drained and exhausted most of the time. 

When you come to the end of your working day, you just need to do something (anything!) to take your mind off your situation. 

You comfort yourself with an extra-large glass of wine, a rant to your other half, endless social media scrolling or getting straight back to your latest Netflix series. 

Your energy is sapped, and the last thing you can face is to do ‘more work’ on your career. 

Sign #2 – You feel like life is slipping through your fingers. 

You feel like time is running out for you ever to make the kind of contribution to the world you once dreamed of. It’s like a low-level ache that never seems to go away. 

Before he leapt into his travel-the-world web designer, Kenn Schroder told me how being in his previous unfulfilling insurance job felt ‘like a dark piece of coal growing in his chest, as if I was dying on the inside.’ 

Eugh.

Sign #3 – You feel frozen. 

You know something has to change, but you don’t know how to get out of the situation. 

You have tried making some changes. At times, you went for it. But, nothing has made the difference. 

You wonder if things could ever change. 

Sign #4 – You incessantly ruminate over the pros and cons of staying or going.

A wise, quiet part of you knows it’s probably time to go. But, the rational (and scared) side of you is telling you to stay put with these thoughts: 

● At least I get paid well. 

● They let me work from home. 

● Other people would do anything for a job like this. 

● Well, in another six months, there’s another nice bonus. 

● At least I am not messing up my resume. 

Should you stay or should you go? It’s a difficult decision, and it’s stressing you out. A sign that things aren’t working as they are. 

Sign #5 – You’re afraid your confidence and courage to pursue change are too low. 

You wonder how you would ever find the energy to persuade someone you were suitable for the role you really want.

Your confidence drops, frustration grows, and negative energy creeps into your relationships with loved ones, friends, and colleagues.

You are not alone

If you are experiencing some or all of these signs, the first thing to know is that you are not alone. Many people have been there before. 

I love to help people make these kinds of career transitions because I remember only too well the pain it caused me, and I want to save you the heartache. 

It is very normal to feel like this when you do work that doesn’t float your boat. Recognising that you’re struggling is a significant first step. 

It’s what you do next that counts.

You can stay safe, do nothing, and stick to what you know so that maybe, just maybe, you will get lucky one day.

Or… 

… you can be brave, choose to create your luck by facing the facts, acknowledging your feelings and taking a step towards the life you wish you were living.  

My client Steph said: ‘I could see I would spiral if I didn’t get some help.  I needed an independent perspective and accountability so that I wouldn’t be stuck there in 3 years, saying the same things and becoming resentful from fear of lack.’

A Career Change Story: When Jo realised that her career wasn’t a dress rehearsal and decided to take action 

Jo worked in Policy and Research for a Government Department in a job that ‘lacked any career path’.  She felt stagnant in work and made up for this by maxing out on her social life, which left her exhausted and little energy to consider a move. She was in her 30s, single and with a strong desire to be married. 

Much as she tried to rationalise the security and influence the job afforded her, one day, she had an overwhelming sense that her career wasn’t a dress rehearsal — that there wasn’t going to be some stellar show later on. If things were going to be better, she had to take action now. 

She reached out to me, and in our first call, she jokingly said, “I would like to have left my job in six months.”  She even put a little mark in her diary on the exact day. 

Then, we worked together on Jo’s vision for a life fully lived where she wouldn’t have any regrets. She started turning down social invitations and started focusing on the changes she needed to make. 

“A little over four months in, I decided to kick this off with working half a ski season in the Alps, and while I was there, I applied to join Medair as a new relief worker. From there, the opportunity came up to work with Medair in DR Congo, in a job combining my skills and interests in new partnerships and my desire to move into international development. During my time there, I continued working with Marianne, who helped me carry on the journey of stepping out.” 

Since taking the leap, Jo has made the shift out of policy and into international development, work that she is passionate about and makes use of her strengths. She has a clear career direction, has married a wonderful man and has a much more balanced life which is true to her desires.

If making the break is confusing, draining, and crazy-making, then get help.

‘Recognising’ that you’re in a difficult place is powerful. With this awareness, you can ‘choose’ your response. 

If you identify with some or all of the five signs, an experienced guide can save you pain and anguish. 

Find someone who can help you set sail to your promised land with manageable, bite-sized steps. Make it an exciting adventure of exploration and delight rather than fear and remorse of doing something you regret. 

Books, videos, and online programs can take you so far.  Still, nothing can accelerate the journey of processing the complex emotions and confusing complexities than an experienced career coach who can remain objective and has your best interests at heart.

You may even find that you can make the transition in a way that benefits both you and your employer. 

If you are experiencing some or all of the signs that it is time to jump ship or you are simply at a crossroads and in need of direction, I would love to help.

Why not drop me a line, and we can arrange an exploratory chat.