To Stay or To Leave: That is the Question

To Stay or to Leave: That is the Question

Recently, I was asked to write about the dilemma some people find themselves in now. These people have a job so they are lucky yet they are not very happy in their current position for a variety of reasons. Should they stay or should they leave?
Asking the question means that they are not satisfied with their current job. But, given the economic situation, they feel forced to stay where they are.

So here is some food for thought about this question.

Your Misery Index

The first key question is how miserable are you in your current situation?
Are you not at all, a little, a lot or horribly miserable in your current job?
If you are more on the lower end of this scale, then my advice would be stay in your current job. However, if you are more on the upper scale and horribly miserable, with a rotten boss, low morale, even getting sick from your current job, start looking for a better position. People are still getting hired into great jobs in spite of the gloom and doom.

If you have enough money to tide you over for at least 6 months, then you can even leave and devote yourself fulltime to finding a new position. Of course, in general, it is better to look for a job while you are employed as it puts you in a more competitive situation. But it can be a Catch 22 situation where you do not have the time to look because of your current job responsibilities. So your financial situation is a key ingredient to making this decision. You may also be able to take advantage of or negotiate a separation package.

Stay and Transform your Current Job into a Winner!

If you decide to stay because the company is not that bad, your boss is okay and your job is kind of interesting, then ask yourself how you can make your job even more compelling. Today’s market demands marketable skills. Maybe it’s time to take stock of your career and see how you can improve your current job. Ask yourself questions such as

Ø What is happening in my field?
Ø What are some new innovative practices that are emerging?
Ø How can I learn about these practices and perhaps incorporate them in my work?
Ø What courses could I take to sharpen my skills?
Ø What professional organizations can I join to network and learn more about the industry?
Ø What is happening in my company and how can I get involved in new projects to learn new skills and grow even further?
Ø What are some challenges facing my company and my organization and how can I help them meet these challenges?
Ø What projects can I volunteer for that will benefit my company as well as myself?
Ø How can I improve my relationships with my boss, my peers and my subordinates?


Stay and Invest in External Activities

Another option is stay in your current job and get involved externally - in volunteer organizations and professional associations to develop a different perspective, learn new skills and try on another hat to see if it suits you. If you wanted to get experience in a new function, do it with a volunteer organization to get that experience. Take some short courses in this area as well to see if you would like to change careers. Definitely get out and start networking. Unfortunately, we forget to keep up our network when we are working and only activate it when looking for a job so get ahead of the curve and develop and refresh that network.

Update your Resume and Keep Track of your Accomplishments

In any case, update your resume and keep track of your accomplishment in a small notebook. Describe your projects and accomplishments using the format Problem (what was the problem or situation you faced), Action: what action did you undertake; Results: what were your results? Use this information for performance reviews and your resume and for your One Minute Pitch.

One Minute Pitch

Share with your boss and his boss your One Minute Pitch to update them on your progress and projects. When you see them, let me know in one minute or less the results of that big project you had. It is good to keep people informed of your work in a concise high impact manner and that is the purpose of the One Minute Pitch. All too often, we get so involved in our work that we forget to let people know about our progress and results!

If You Decide to Leave

If you decide to leave your position, then follow the Five Steps to a New Job that I previously described in my first blog. People are being hired for jobs as I write. It may take longer, the salary may not be as high as in the past but companies are still hiring even while they are laying people off.

I welcome your thoughts on this topic.