Are you in the wrong job?

“You are the one who must choose your place.”

--- James Lane Allen

Life is the sum of all your choices. And living it is a constant process of deciding what you are going to do. What is it that you love to do? And if you do not love doing anything, you will be miserable at it. That is why they say that if you should choose a job you love, you will never ever have to work for even a single day in your life.

Are you in the right job? Or are you in the wrong one? Here are some questions that you need to ask yourself to figure out where you stand:

·  Are you working for only money? You may be thinking of quitting your job periodically but are too terrified to do so. Your worry is that finding a new one not be an easy affair and so making both ends meet would be a problem. That is why you are hanging on – in a wrong job of course. If monetary factors alone prompt you to remain in the job that you are in, then it is high time that you shift to something more satisfying and gratifying.

·  Do you get pleasure from the work that you do?  If you feel that you are engaged in painful, tedious or repugnant work, it is high time that you attempt to do something different, the fact that you are getting paid notwithstanding. You should note that it is only through outclassed performance that you can succeed; applying yourself with an affirmative frame of mind is essential. Pursuing excellence and working with a positive attitude are simply not possible if you abhor your work. Though not stated openly, one of the career objectives of practically all people is to be happy at work.

·  Do feel petrified going to work? This is an important issue to be considered. If you get up in the morning and do not look forward to going to work that in your perception is repulsive, what is the great idea of working? Such a feeling of fear does not allow you to take pleasure in your leisure also because you will always be apprehensive of going back to work. You are more likely to suffer a nervous breakdown. The way out to being mentally and physically fit is to quit and join elsewhere.

·  Are plans being made to oust you?  The likelihood of you being replaced cannot be discounted if you are not fitting well in a team or not making useful contributions. Your co-workers could well gang up against you too; stealing credit, apportioning blame, adverse reporting and questioning your authority or capabilities are indicators in this regard. Whatever be the case, it is a signal to you to change your job.

·  Do you enjoy a good work-life balance? You may be finding your work distasteful but yet maintaining a desired standard of living and having adequate time for other pursuits, leaving may not be the answer. But the other fact is that you are restricting your potential by pursuing a career that you are not fervent about, like many others. The job and work therein apart, if you are not compensated adequately to shore up your desired lifestyle or you are unable to engage in your hobbies and other pastime, it is for certain that you are in a wrong job.   

·  Are the future prospects good for you?  If you feel that you have reached the end of the road or you are in a blind alley, the job you are in is not meant for you. The problem of being at a cul-de-sac even when you do not feel threatened, there are many alterations and modifications taking place around you. When transformations and changes take place around you; and you do not have an option of going anywhere else, you will be faced with immense dilemmas. The problems will stand confounded if you have not given your mind to new learning experiences.

It is not possible for you to remain static in a dynamic world. The true income from any job is what you learn and acquire – familiarity, expertise and networking. These are important ingredients of a career which does not imply one single job. A career entails several jobs – some right and some wrong. You have to take initiative to identify the one you are in and in the eventuality of being in a wrong one, you should have no second thoughts to search for and move in to a right one.