Falling into the swing of an everyday routine is easy, even if things are less than ideal at work. Being on autopilot at work certainly takes less effort than addressing red flags on the job site.  However, you may be ignoring key indicators that it is time to consider making a change in your career.

Everyone has bad days at work – that is to be expected. There are times when nothing seems to go right, and every turn is met with a new string of hurdles. Usually, these episodes are few and far between. However, when they start to become more frequent it may be the right time to think about making a change in your career.

What red flags should you be looking for that indicates if a job change is in order?  Here are a few:

• There is no opportunity for upward mobility
• Management is not open to new ideas
• The compensation does not commensurate with your abilities
• Your talents and experience are not being utilized
• You are not passionate about the work you are doing
• The job is not what you anticipated or has evolved into a role that you do not enjoy
• Monday mornings are dreaded and begin a countdown to Friday afternoon
• You are experiencing physical symptoms that include increased or decreased sleep, decreased motivation, and decreased productivity both in and out of work

If you recognize any of these red flags, take a step back.  Are they causing you to run on autopilot?  Can they be addressed by talking with your manager?  Making a career move is a significant decision, but it might be what you need to get out of autopilot and onto a career that better serves you.

Photo by Kyle Glenn on Unsplash