Share the Love!

Many people don’t love their jobs and dream of the day they can move on or quit. There are some blessed people who have a job they have always dreamed of doing and actually love, but even many of them have days where they question if they made the right decision and are in the right job.

Whether you love or hate your job, there are ways to tell if it’s the right place for you to be in right now. Answer these 7 questions to see if your job is where you should be.

1. Are you growing and learning?

A good job may be challenging, but is it helping your growth and development? Are you learning new skills that will help you succeed in the work world and maybe even life in general?

If you are consistently learning valuable skills and your job provides opportunities for you to learn, grow and develop, then it might be worth it to stick around.

2. Is there a possibility of getting a promotion or advancing with the company?

Some jobs are dead end jobs where no matter how hard you work, there won’t be much of a payoff because you’ve reached the maximum potential. Unless you love the position you have, then it might be worth looking into other opportunities where you can advance your career.

If your company is consistently promoting from within and looking for ways to develop their people, then you might want to stay for a while. Keep working hard and you might end up with an elevated position that you enjoy.

3. Do the pros outweigh the cons?

I’m a fan of pro and con list because they help you to visualize and see if there is more good or bad in a particular situation. Make a list about your job, what perks and pros are there verses the sacrifices and cons.

Once you make a list you might notice that there is more good to your job than you thought. Or maybe you’ll see that there are more cons than you realized. If there are more pros than cons, consider keeping your job, if you leave you might end up missing the perks you currently have. If there are clearly more cons, then chances are there is something better out there for you.

4. Are the benefits benefiting your life and lifestyle?

Most large companies offer insurance, 401K and other basic benefits. What does your company offer? If they aren’t getting you the basics, then it might be time to reconsider. If they have a ton of benefits that are adding value to your life, then it might be worth staying. Some companies offer a lot of benefits and perks and others don’t, but what is more important is finding the benefits that match with what you need in your life. If your company offers a gym at the office, but you never use it then it’s not benefiting you.

The pay you receive is also a part of this. Are you making enough to pay your bills and have a little bit extra? Are you able to do a few fun and relaxing things during your off time? Or are you struggling to make ends meet? When you are in a job that allows you to live comfortably that is a benefit as well.

5. Do you still have time to do the things you love and spend time with your loved ones?

Work life balance is extremely important. If your job allows you to do the activities and spend time with the people you love, then it might be worth it. Some jobs allow for flexible scheduling and others have a set schedule. Everyone has different needs so what works best for you?

If you are missing out on most of the important events in your life or don’t have time to spend with your loved ones, then it might be time to change to a schedule that works better with your life. If you are able to attend most things and see your loved ones on a regular basis, then it might be worth staying.

6. Does your boss encourage you and help your development?

Some bosses are nightmares but others are actually pretty darn good. Everyone has a different management style and when you have a boss who’s style works well for you, that is a blessing. If they encourage you, challenge you and help you to develop in your role, even better.

People work for people and a bad boss can ruin a great job. A great boss can make a crappy job so much better. If you have a good boss it might be worth it to stick with them.

7. Do you feel value in the work you do?

This can be kinda tricky, because you can find value in everything that you do but not everyone will feel valued doing the same work. One mail carrier for instance might feel like they are making the world a better place by delivering letters and packages in a timely manner. Another one might feel like it doesn’t matter if they deliver it today or tomorrow, that no one thanks them and that everyone uses email anyway. It’s a matter of perspective and finding the job that matches you.

When you are done with work for the day, do you feel you made a difference? Maybe it was the customer you helped who was going to a funeral? Or maybe you helped make sure kids who didn’t have any toys for Christmas will receive a gift this year? Or maybe you literally saved someone’s life? Every job is different and so is each person. If your job has you feeling like you accomplished something of value at the end of the day, you might be in the right place.