This is an interesting question and one I’ve pondered a bit about over my time as a recruiter.  Some people say “I want to leave my job because I’m unhappy” but very few say the opposite. 

The career path to unhappiness can take on many forms, it can be a slow build and come and go over a period of time.  It can also result from a change of circumstance such as lifestyle or sometimes I speak with people who purely just haven’t been listened to and have stopped learning and developing. 

When you are unhappy you should definitely do something about it and more often than not, leaving can be the best option.  However, I also feel it is best to leave on a high.  Take for example musicians or bands who have been around a long time and haven’t kept up with the times.  They become stale and lack the get up and go they used to have, only doing it for the paycheck. 

Candidates tend to fall into one of two categories; emotionally driven, or logically driven.  With the latter, these candidates can be rather comfortable where they are already, however, if a role came along that appealed, ticking the boxes for their career goals, they will likely look into it. 

Emotionally driven candidates may have been passed over on a promotion, a pay rise or the company no longer aligns with their lifestyle or stage of life.  These candidates are more reactionary and possibly more likely to be active in the market.   

Being happy but not progressing in your career, can eventually lead to issues both for yourself and your employer.  At the end of the day, it is your responsibility not your employers to steer your career in the direction you want it to go.  It’s your career, and you’re driving it.  

But being happy shouldn’t be the only barometer for whether you move or not.  Assessing your career on a regular basis is a good action to take, and I always recommend the following, to avoid getting to the point where you are unhappy in your job: 

• Set yourself career goals.  These don’t necessarily need to be big, but without them you are letting someone else manage your direction. 

• Review your progress after each year.  Look at what you have achieved or not achieved and ask yourself if you feel happy with that. Look for the why. 

• Did you achieve what you wanted to achieve and if not, were they realistic or not.  Could you carry them over to the next year? 

• Always be realistic.  Putting down goals that are too hard to achieve in one year will only disappoint you. 

• Put your goals somewhere you can see them on a regular basis.  This helps to keep them front of mind and not forgotten. 

I always find the end of the year to be a good time to reflect on how things have gone. Setting professional and personal goals for the new year helps you gain perspective in order to make logical decisions.  If you haven’t been doing this, maybe give it a go and see what 2022 will bring for you.