For most people, finding a job you love one hundred percent of the time is almost impossible. However, there is a difference between disliking some aspects of your job and hating your job altogether. And yes, while hating your job is very common amongst people in Tanzania (and the world really), if you care about having a career that doesn’t only benefit you in terms of monetary value and social status, but fulfils you in other ways, then you won’t settle for a job you hate.
Simply put, are you happy to go to work every morning?
If the answer is no, then it may be time to find a new job.
Your happiness matters
Because people in Tanzania are more inclined to get a job that pays and is respectable, rather than ‘do the thing they love’, satisfaction and happiness at work are seen as privileges rather than necessities. However, plenty of research has shown that being happy in your work environment contributes more to your performance than money.
In fact, a study by the University of Warwick’s Centre for Competitive Advantage in the Global Economy looked at 700 people in the workforce in Britain and found that happy employees were 12% to 20% more productive at work than unhappy employees.
Moreover, unhappiness could actually affect your income as if you hate your job: it will probably be harder for you to fulfil your KPIs and this could affect your bonus or promotion opportunities. And even if you are a naturally hard worker no matter what the circumstances are, you will achieve more, quicker, if you are happy with what you do as well.
However, whether or not you are in the profession or industry you like, there are particular challenges that you may be facing in your current job role that indicate it’s time to move on. So considering all this, here are 10 signs that show you should quit your job this year.
1.Your skills aren’t being utilised (underworked)
While one may think that having a job that is ‘too easy’ is a blessing, most motivated and determined people will start to feel restless and unsatisfied if they are spending most of their week at a job that underutilizes their skills. So, assuming that you are an ambitious person, if you are underworked, it’s time to find a job that challenges you in the right ways. I mean, you spent enough money on going to university to learn what you know, so it’s worth the effort to find a position that appreciates that.
2.You are overworked with no compensation
Most businesses in Tanzania don’t pay their workers overtime – this means that all the extra hours you spend at work are basically pro-bono. And while every job has seasons when they require their workers to put in some extra hours, you shouldn’t consistently have too much to do.
Why?
Well, eventually you will burn out, and your productivity will suffer. Moreover, it may affect your health, time spent with family, and overall quality of life. So unless you can see a significant benefit in the long-run for staying at the job (for instance, the company is prestigious and the opportunity is a gateway to something else), or it’s your own business – it may be time to find reasonable working hours elsewhere.
3.You are bored and unmotivated
Sometimes the job or the company just isn’t the right fit for you. You don’t believe in the company mission or values, or you aren’t excited about the work you are doing (even if it’s within your skill range). It’s hard to explain, but if you wake up energetic but when you get to work you suddenly feel tired – then it’s your body telling you ‘we don’t want to be here’.
So, listen to your instincts on this one.
4.You don’t respect or trust your boss
Whether it’s a manager, team lead, or the actual CEO, one of the most common reasons for people quitting is simply that they hate their boss. This is especially true if your boss:
- Breaks their promise (for instance, they say you can take a day off after working overtime, then change their minds)
- Take credit for your work with no recognition of your role in the project
- Do not look out for your best interests in meetings with their boss (let’s say there is a project that another supervisor wants you to do, but you are currently overworked, it’s your boss’s job to negotiate a reasonable timeframe instead of just saying ‘yes’)
- They pretend to listen to you but don’t do anything with your feedback or grievances
- They don’t listen to you at all
- They are disrespectful and scream
- The thing is, you don’t have to like your boss’s personality, but it’s important to have a good and mutually respectful working relationship with them. If this isn’t the case, you’re better off elsewhere.
5.You have outgrown the position
Sometimes you have learned all you can in a particular position, and now the job is no longer challenging or even that interesting. However, there are no opportunities for you to advance into a new position at your current company. Look at it this way, you’re now a big fish in a little pond, so it’s time to go find a lake to swim in.
6.You don’t like the company culture
While it’s impossible to like everyone you work with, it’s important to feel comfortable with your work environment. For instance, some offices can be too casual for your liking (people are loud, they come and go as they please, they talk about inappropriate topics etc.) At the same time, other workplaces can be too strict for you (corporate dress code, fixed work hours, frigid forms of communications). Whatever the case, you know yourself best, and know what type of environment you can thrive in.
7.You are underpaid
While money should not be the primary driving force for the work you do, you also shouldn’t be consistently worrying about it. Your job should support your basic cost of living sufficiently, especially if you live in Dar es Salaam – where the housing prices are the highest in East Africa.
So, if the money and benefits don’t match the amount of work you have to do, and there are no other potential advantages you can gain from the job (prestigious company, gateway to a position or industry you want to be in etc.) then it may be time to leave.
8. Your company doesn’t invest in you
It’s important to take initiative at work, and always stay up-to-date with the latest skills and advancements in your industry so that you can perform your job role to your highest potential. However, if your company is unwilling to send you to conferences, or pay for online courses that will give you the skills you need to be better at your job – then this is an indication that they don’t value you. So you should find another place that will.
9.You feel like this is for ‘right-now’
If you can’t visualize a future with your current job, and instead, you feel like your employment is temporary; “I’m just doing this for now until something better comes along” – than you should definitely leave. Especially because sometimes you can find yourself stuck in a position you never wanted for years, all because you got comfortable and were too lazy to start the job hunt.
10. You got a better offer elsewhere
Well, if you get contacted by a recruiter or get an offer from a company that you will be happier at, then you know what you have to do. The decision is easy enough to make.
Always be on the job hunt even if you like your job
Most people only start looking for new jobs when they are dissatisfied with their current position. The thing is, it’s not to your advantage to only looking for new positions when you are desperate to get out of a currently bad one. For one, you will be inclined to accept a lower salary than you wanted, or even end up at a company you are not too comfortable with – because you are so eager to leave your current job. Ever heard of the term, ‘the grass is always greener on the other side?’ Well, it’s true if you hate your job than any other job may seem appealing – even if it’s not the best fit for you.
So, you should always be on the lookout for new jobs (even if you love your current job). This will not only show you what other opportunities are out there for you but if you actually land interviews and get offers, it will indicate to you your value in the market. This will give you confidence in asking for what you know you deserve in your current job, and if they can’t deliver, you know you can always move on.
So whether you are happy at your job or not, if you are always on the lookout for something better, you will never have to settle
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