Stuck in a Career Rut: Should You Wait For That Promotion or Make the Jump to Another Job?

Career Rut: Should You Wait For That Promotion or Make the Jump to Another Job?

Should you stay or should you go?

You’ve been working here for a while, but things feel different as of late. Plus, the boss didn’t give you a promotion or even a salary increase during your last performance review, even though you did excellent. Here’s how to know whether it’s time to pack it up and move on, or stick it out and try for a promotion next time.

When You Should Leave

If your responsibilities haven’t changed much.

When your responsibilities have stayed pretty much the same for the last few years, it might be time to move on. Many companies try to move you around to break up the monotony of it all, and usually this includes a promotion or a raise of some kind. But, if your boss has been resisting this idea, then it could mean that there are no promotions to be had or that he doesn’t value you as an employee.

If you haven’t been promoted in a while.

If you haven’t been promoted in a while, and you notice others around you being promoted — especially if you’ve been there longer than they have, this is a bad sign. If you’ve done excellent on performance reviews, it means that your organization doesn’t value you, and you might want to think about moving on.

This isn’t as hard to figure out as you might think. You know when things don’t seem right around the workplace. If management seems to be opting for cheap supplies, or trying to cut back costs, or starts laying people off, that it is having financial trouble. Get out while you can on your terms. Alternatively, you could line up a job, and just wait to be laid off to collect unemployment insurance.

As soon as you see the writing on the wall, though, you should start checking out new homes in Sarasota, FL , just in case you have to move for a new job. And, don’t forget to start turning your application in to new prospective employers.

How To Get A Promotion If You Stay

If you decide to stay at your current job, there are a few things you can do to try for a promotion next time. Maybe, you didn’t do as well as you’d hoped on your last performance review. Start with of your own performance and work. What can you do better next time to ensure that the boss doesn’t pass you over?

Focus on your accomplishments.

One of the most difficult things to do is to quantify your achievements. But, you can do it. Keep a weekly log of things you’ve done. It doesn’t matter how small or insignificant. You want to record this stuff. That means keeping a tally of all the widgets you produced or the number of QA items you checked. How many products have you sold or customers have you serviced?

These are things you can use to measure your performance, but you can also use this as leverage to ask for a raise.

Improve your work ethic.

Do you show up on time? Do you clock out early? Make sure you arrive 5 minutes early for work and stay 5 minutes late (if it’s allowed). Why? Because it allows you to finish up tasks you’re working on (when staying a little late) without triggering overtime. If your employer won’t allow you to work late, leave exactly on time.

Showing up early doesn’t necessarily mean starting work early. It just means being prepared to work early. Even if you have to wait around for 5 minutes every morning, it shows you’re punctual and serious about your job. And, that’s one of the best ways to prove to your boss that you deserve a raise or promotion.

Note about the author: Samantha Richards has a lot of personal experience when it comes to changing jobs and bettering your career path. She loves sharing her opinion online and hopes people find her articles interesting and informative.