I spoke with a friend recently who is considering leaving her job.  She’s been with her company for about 10 years in various positions and has seen the company grow to 500+ employees.  As we weighed the “should I or shouldn’t I,”  one statement stuck out: “it’s just not fun anymore.”

That says a lot right there.  

“Fun” is different for everyone and every workplace but if you aren’t having any fun,  why are you there? Why are you spending 40+ hours a week miserable?

Of course, not every moment at work can or should be fun, it is work,  but if you:

• Are not challenged
• Are not fulfilled
• Are not having fun or
• You don’t like the people you work with

Maybe it’s time for a change?    

Work has to be doing something for you in that list or it really is time to move on.  

Making the decision to move to a different company is a tough one.  I made that decision myself a few months ago.  You have new people, a new boss, new responsibilities, etc;

The list of “new” goes on and that can be terrifying.

But don’t let that hold you back.  You can easily explore new possibilities without making the leap to a new company or job:

• Volunteer for a cause you care about
• Join a professional organization and attend some seminars
• Call old colleagues and take them to lunch or coffee – find out how they are doing personally and professionally.  Where do they see the industry/company going? Are they in new roles?
• Show the world you are awesome at what you do

And if you do decide it’s time to jump to a new role or a new company here are some resources to help you out:

• Re-write your resume
• Tips on how to get a promotion
• Avoid another nightmare boss

And when you finally get your coveted job, promotion or strike out on your own.  Remember to leave with class and don’t burn any bridges.