By Toni Bowers | May 2, 2011, 5:33 AM PDT
If you're thinking about changing jobs, it's important to examine your reasons why. First ask yourself, why it is you want to change jobs, answer truthfully, and weigh the bad reasons against the good.
If you are considering a change because there are things you don't like about your job and you think there will be something out there that's better, keep in mind that no job is perfect. There will inevitably be things about any job that you don't like. Just make sure the reasons you want to leave are strong enough that you can deal with possibly getting a job with an equal number of drawbacks.
If you are leaving because you don't get along well with your coworkers or your boss. This is the time to be truthful with yourself. Are your problems with those people because of them or you, or your possibly unattainable expectations of what they should be. If it really is your coworkers or boss, then by all means, look for something else.
Here are some more issues to consider:
Your pay – Do your research. What is the pay scale for your job in your geographical area?
Your commute — If you are the kind of person who hates time spent in the car, like me, then a long commute could be a major drain on your happiness. You should seriously factor this in when deciding how much you like your current job.
How do you feel when you wake in the morning of a workday? – Do you wake up with dread? Do you find that you're having more minor health issues–stomach upset, headaches–than you normally would? Your body can tell you when something is wrong with your lifestyle way before your mind will.
Start your job search while you're still employed. Knowing that you have a few irons in the fire can help you put up with an unhappy situation
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