Industry
You could be in the right role and it might be a case of being in the wrong industry. Are you an HR Rep working in health care but you love the atmosphere of high tech? Do you enjoy working in IT at a university but right now you're at a start-up? The industry can change the scope, demands, and pace of your role dramatically.
Role
Did you take any old job because you liked the company and hoped to move quickly to something you really wanted and now there aren't any openings in sight? Or did you transfer, desperate to get away from the mean boss in an adjacent department and took whatever job was open? Sometimes a new role is a refreshing change for the better, and sometimes it's a quick fix that soon becomes just as broken as the last.
Company Culture
Do you love your role and/or industry but your company's particular way of doing business is like nails on a chalkboard? Although accountants work long hours and sales people travel frequently, that doesn't mean even the best in those professions don't have their thresholds for work/life balance. Certain companies can burn out even the most driven and devoted.
Was it your dream to work for an inter-/multinational environment and your current work place is purely domestic and monolingual? If you think foregoing cultural flair in the office is alright, try passing off raw fish sticks as European Sushi.
Do you blend with the employee demographic (cultural, age, socioeconomic, educational, etc.) or stick out like a sore thumb? If you have very little in common with the majority of the people you work with, you either flex to them (most likely), they flex to you (least likely), or you both flex a little (somewhat likely). This can be a tricky process and if it goes bad, it goes baaaaaaad.
Gee, thanks for the literary beat-down, Laurie. What if I had no other choice at the time and signed on because I needed a job?
I'm right there with you; I've had to do the same to stay afloat.
Well, then, how do I get out of this?!
Resist jumping ship right away! As I mentioned in my Networking entry, the next opportunity could appear instantly, or it could take a little longer. What's important in the meantime is to:
- Not beat yourself up if you've put yourself in any of the aforementioned situations; we've all been there at some point.
- Remember, at least it's a paycheck (for now).
- Hold on as long as you cheerfully & professionally can before making a move. If you're losing it, it'll show, and they'll lose you fast!
- Do some things to Mitigate the Misery and help you Jugaad your way through the day.
- Feel savvy that you've learned what to look for and ask about in an interview to make sure you don't wind up in the same place!
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