Plenty of people are unhappy with their jobs, but few take action to remedy their situation. While there are valid reasons to hang on to a job you hate, most of the excuses people make are bogus. Check out this article for a few examples that fall into this category.
Do you dread going into the office day after day? According to a Gallup report released last year, only 13 percent of workers feel engaged and inspired at the workplace. Depressing. Another 63 percent aren’t engaged, which basically means they’re apathetic and they go through the day without any feeling of professional pride. Finally, 24 percent of workers are “actively disengaged.” They hate their jobs but aren’t doing anything about it.
There are various legitimate reasons to stick with a job you dread. For instance, you’re learning useful skills, or staying in your current position will one day help you achieve your long-term professional goals. And don’t even think about quitting if you have no other way to make ends meet yet.
However, most of the reasons unhappy workers cite when asked why they aren’t leaving are merely excuses that justify staying in a comfortable situation, even though that situation is making them miserable. Here are a few examples of bad reasons to stay at a job you hate.
It Might Get Better
Your boss might have an epiphany next week and finally deal with their anger issues. Your annoying coworker might quit. Your work might suddenly get more interesting. Hoping is only human. Being realistic, on the other hand, can be more difficult. Yes, things might get better, but they could also stay the same, or get even worse. Are you willing to take that risk?
Things rarely improve without significant involvement from your part. If you’re unsatisfied with your current work circumstances, speak up. Tell your supervisor you won’t put up with their abuse anymore. Ask the annoying coworker to rectify their behavior. Ask to work on more interesting projects. Suffering in silence isn’t a proactive strategy. But neither is complaining relentlessly to whoever is willing to listen.
You Love Your Coworkers
It’s important to have people at the office that you get along with. When the team collaborates smoothly, even the most annoying job in the world can seem bearable. However, when the most exciting thing about the workplace becomes spending your lunch break cracking jokes with your colleagues, it’s time to make a change.
Enjoying your coworkers’ company isn’t reason enough to keep a job that isn’t the right fit for you. Friends from the office can easily become friends outside of work as well. If you’re uncomfortable making that transition, maybe they’re not even friends to begin with.
The Money is Good
Your paycheck is satisfying enough and you get good benefits. Even when you loathe your assignments, being financially comfortable is something not many of us are willing to let go. Especially when we have big goals we’d like to conquer in the near future – like starting a family, putting kids through college, finding a mortgage lender and applying for a home loan.
In the end, you need to decide what your priorities are. You can do anything you want, but not everything you want. If saving enough money to finance a big purchase trumps your desire to fulfill your professional needs, then resigning can wait. On the other hand, if advancing your career is more important, look for a better opportunity. Just make sure you have a sizeable emergency fund to rely on.
Lack of Confidence
“I’ll never get another job,” you say to yourself while you read the latest unsettling statistics about the current job market. You worry that quitting will look bad on your resume, that your skills aren’t current anymore, or that employers aren’t looking to hire for your position at the moment.
Low self-esteem can even prevent you from applying for a job that you are more than qualified for, thinking that you can’t possibly beat all the other applicants. Unfortunately, this usually happens after you’ve felt unappreciated at your job for a while. It’s a vicious cycle – you feel like your current employer doesn’t truly value you, so you’re unhappy; at the same time, this discourages you from looking for other professional opportunities.
Luckily, there’s a simple solution – start searching for another job on the side. Conduct your job search and interview in your free time. If you land a better position, great. If not, you still have your current job to support yourself until you do.
Don’t lower you expectations when it comes to work satisfaction. You deserve a job where growth is possible, your opinions are valued, and your progress is being tracked and appreciated. If that’s not the case, update your resume and hit the job market. It’s time to put yourself first. Life’s too short to keep making excuses.
