28. "Should I Stay Or Should I Go?"
- Bianca Blanch
- Sep 11, 2020
- 7 min read
Your current role is not what you thought it would be, you are too comfortable, you may have outgrown it or maybe you just want to do something else. Should you stay and ride it out, or start looking to see what else is out there? Only you can make this decision, but I have developed a checklist to help you make the best decision for you.
My Experience of Staying or Going
If you have seen my CV or LinkedIn account, you will see that I leave a job when the time is right for me. This may include when I have learnt all I can, no chance of career progression, get too comfortable/bored, or simply want a change. Now, I am more likely to leave a job once I have these thoughts because they tend to grow louder in my head over time, and things that never annoyed me start grating on my nerves. Also, if I am not loving my job, I want to see if there is one out there I will love, and I prefer to try and fail, rather than get complacent and stay in one place because it's easier.
However, I have made the decision to both stay or leave my job countless times in my career.
When I stayed....
I decided to stay in a job where I was bullied by my manager. I made this decision because the experience I was gaining outweighed the negative work environment, and there were no guarantees that it would be better elsewhere. I also decided to stay because I didn't know what I wanted to do as a future career, also I didn't see the point in leaving until I knew where I wanted to go.
I still believe staying was the right decision, even though I still have some scars from this job. It showed me the value of a support system, my resilience, and the amount I can put up with for the greater good (my career). Since this time, I have learned there is an issue at most workplaces, whether it be the work itself, the pay, the culture, work/life balance, your manager, upper management and/or colleagues. If you are in a work situation you truly love, that has none of these issues, treasure it as you never know when it might change.
As I have become more senior, and developed my skills, I now have a lower tolerance for unacceptable behaviour. If I experienced bullying in the workplace today, I would say something to change it, and if it didn't improve, I would leave. No job is worth my mental health or eroding my confidence. But I recognise I have a privileged position, which is not the same for everyone.
When I left...
In my career I have also decided to leave, many times. For one job, I decided to leave during probation as I was not developing any new skills and there were no opportunities for career progression. Although this job was low maintenance, and required very little of my attention, this situation also adversely impacted on me. I was bored and asking for more work actually got quite a negative response from management. If you do not mesh with the culture, don't try to change yourself, see if there is another job you can apply for.
Now, when I start thinking of leaving a job I go through the following checklist to help me decide what the best decision for me today is. This decision may change next week, or next month, or it may take a few years. When you think of leaving, judge the situation as it is for you today to see what the right decision is.
The Checklist to Stay or Go
1. Are you safe?
If your safety is ever compromised at work, leave. Your safety is worth more than any job or money.
2. Can I improve my work situation?
What is the issue at your workplace? What is your relationship like with your manager? Do you feel comfortable having an open conversation with them about your job concerns and together make a plan to try and improve it?
At one job I left, I wasn't sure how they would react to raising my concerns so I brought up a few minor issues to see how they responded. They did not respond well. They said I would have to simply get used to the issues I raised as that was just the way it was. The fact that my manager did not try to engage in a conversation, or be open to other strategies to resolve this issue showed me raising more serious concerns would not be discussed either. So I started looking for another job.
3. What experience/s have I gained from this job?
What skills have you learnt from this job? You learn something from every job, whether it is a research skill or a personal insight. How have you grown as a person, as an employee? What qualities of this workplace did you like? What qualities did you hate?
To help you structure this, think about hw you would write about this job on your CV, and demonstrating what you learnt from it.
What additional skills might you learn from this job? Is there room to grow at this company? Are these opportunities open to you? Do you feel comfortable discussing career progression with your manager, or someone higher up? If there are legitimate opportunities you should investigate if they may be a possibility for you before deciding if you should stay or leave.
4. What are my financial commitments?
Now to practicalities. Can you afford to leave the job and be unemployed for a time period? What bills do you need to pay? Do you have savings? Could your family/partner support you for a while? Literally work out your budget and how long you can afford to be unemployed.
If you cannot be unemployed for a time period, you need to stay in the job until you find another one.
If your work situation is really bad then consider leaving and doing a casual job that will cover your immediate expenses while you take a breather ad look for something more permanent. Your safety should always be your top priority when determining if you should stay or leave.
5. What are your job prospects?
What skills do you have? Are you in a large or a small field? How easily will you find another job?
My experience is in heath research, and I have been able to demonstrate how my skills are transferable in academic, government and private sectors. I also find a range of topic areas interesting and am always up for learning new content so I have found a job when I have started looking for a new opportunity.
6. What aspects of your job is your favourite?
What do you like about your current job? What have you liked about your past jobs? Write a list.
These areas are likely where your talents lie. I think the ideal job is one that includes your core skills, but will also teach you other skills as well. Even if you know exactly what you want to do, and have all the necessary qualifications, you still need to progress as a worker, develop new skills, take on new tasks and challenges. By exposing yourself to new opportunities, you may find a new career path that was previously unknown to you. Alternatively, you may also find a career path which you definitely do not want to do. Both types of knowledge are highly valuable.
Although I do change jobs when I am ready, I actually hate it. Being the new person, learning a new job, figuring out what your job actually is (compared to what was advertised), meeting new people, figuring out a new schedule, and new work/life balance is annoying.
For this reason, I do not apply for a job unless I see a future in that role. I have hope.
However, I do not allow my hatred of changing jobs, or fear of the unknown to hold me hostage in any job if I am unhappy.
7. What do you want to do?
Do you have an idea of what you want to do next? If you can find this job, go for it. What do you have to lose?
What companies/research groups are in this area? Do you have any contacts? Either way, it may be an idea to email them directly to see if they have any jobs going that you could apply for.
If you can get an interview, this is a win!!
It shows the employer thinks you have the skillset to do the job, and you were one of the top candidates to apply for the job. (Employers generally do not like interviewing candidates and will only interview you if they think you are a possibility to do the job).
If you do not get the job, ask for feedback to see what skills you can develop further.
8. Can you ask to develop skills in this area in your current job?
Of the skills the potential employer says you need to develop, think if you can develop it at your current job. Ask your manager if they would support you developing your skills in this area. If so, stay until you have mastered this skill.
Whilst you are learning it, keep looking for other jobs. Every employer is looking for a slightly different skillset so they may hire you, knowing you still need to develop certain skills.
Do you have a checklist for deciding whether to stay or leave? How do you decide when it is the right time to leave? Let me know your experience by leaving a comment below or emailing me at AuthenticResearchExperiences@gmail.com
BB
Photo by Ivan Aleksic on Unsplash
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