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Seven Warning Signs Your Current Job Isn't Right For You

Forbes Coaches Council
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Forbes Coaches Council

The average person has seven careers over his or her lifetime and an even greater number of individual jobs. Chances are, at least a few of them are going to be a bad fit.

Rather than dwell on what you're not doing, try to see this as a good thing -- each "wrong" job provides information and experience you need to make better decisions about your career. That said, if you find yourself planning an exit strategy instead of preparing for work on Sunday night, it might be time to move on from your current position.

Finding the right job requires time, patience and, let's be honest, the occasional grunt work. The first step to something better is identifying that it's time to make a change. Below, seven career and business coaches from Forbes Coaches Council share some key signs that indicate when it's time to move on.  

Clockwise from top left: Jasmine Briggs, Michael S. Seaver, Cha Tekeli, Michael Pollock, Jen Kelchner, Elizabeth Saunders and Laura Labovich. All photos courtesy of the individual members.

1. There's No Room to Grow

You're a living creature. That means to stay happy and healthy you need room to grow and develop. If there's no opportunity for upward mobility or to develop any further, it may be time to find a new position. – Elizabeth SaundersReal Life E

2. You Aren't Happy to Show Up in the Morning

If you aren't happy to show up in the morning, you can't wait to leave, and you are taking long breaks, then you are probably working in the wrong job. – Michael PollockPollock Spark

3. Your Job Doesn't Align With Your Personal Mission Statement

I ask all of my clients to write a personal mission statement, which includes their never-changing purpose. Once you've written that statement, compare it to your job duties and decide whether or not the organization's mission aligns with your personal mission. If misalignment exists, it's time to unlock your potential. – Michael S. SeaverSeaver Consulting, LLC

4. You're Bored or You Have Strained Work Relationships

One huge warning sign that your current job is not the right fit for you is boredom. When I have work to do but still feel bored, then I know that it is time for a change. Another big warning sign is your relationship with your co-workers and supervisor. If your working relationships are strained, then the company culture may not be right for you. – Jasmine BriggsCreatively Inspired Coaching

5. You Suffer From the "Grass Is Greener" Syndrome

One way to tell that your job and you are no longer soulmates is if you suffer from the "grass is greener" syndrome. If you are looking for jobs online when you know you should be working; asking your friends what they do for a living and if they like it; or getting easily distracted from your work duties (and focus isn't normally an issue for you), it may be time to consider a move. – Laura LabovichThe Career Strategy Group

6. The Snooze Button Becomes a Way of Life

If you're dreading waking up in the morning to go work, you have a problem. Your body is an amazing machine and will often give you many signals that a job or situation isn't right. When you dread what you're doing, getting out of bed to go to this job may become challenging. That snooze button may become a way of life. Pay attention to your internal alarm. – Cha Tekeli, Chalamode, Inc. 

7. Work Feels Like an Itchy Shirt

If your anxiety kicks in on Sunday nights, or you’ve been working on an exit strategy for a while now, it is likely not the right fit for you. Leverage what you know about what drives you to find or create a job feels good. Find your natural flow and work with it. – Jen KelchnerKelchner Advisory