Are you finding it hard to go to work every morning? Unhappy with your job or boss? If you are happy with your work, you won’t mind putting in the extra effort to get the job done. On the other hand, it is a piece of cake to recognise that your job is lousy. What about a job that seems okay? How do you tell the difference between a bad day and a bad fit in your job?

Lolita was caught in a traffic jam for one hour and arrived late in office. Her boss was expecting her report first thing in the morning for an important meeting. Since she was late, he lost his temper and gave her a verbal bashing in front of everyone in the office. During lunch, someone spilled his drink on her suit. At home, Lolita told her husband, “Honey, I have had a bad day.” Compare it with this scenario: You set your alarm clock at 6.45 a.m. but every morning, you allow yourself to sleep through another 15 minutes. You are always late for work, irrespective rain or shine, traffic jam or not. You have been doing your job in the same manner for the past 5 years with the company with no career development. One morning, you wake up and realised that you need to make a drastic change in your working life because you hated your job but somehow, didn’t do anything about it.

In this trying time and shaking economy, we often hear rational advices that go to reaffirm our basic instinct to survive - to outdo, outlast and outwit the rest of the working people in holding on to a job or any job in the market. “Better to stay employed and get your monthly paycheck, even though it is not your dream job” a voice whispered inside you. However, if you fit badly in the job and find yourself ranting at your boss, the unfulfilling job or the working environment throughout your working days, you need to find out ways to overcome this issue.

Most of us would remember our first job as an important avenue for us to gain as much of working experiences as possible. Can’t be too choosy in your first job. Along the way, we discover new skills and our work preferences. As we progress, we start to look for new positions that will allow us to develop our strength in the course of our career development.

However, a job mismatch can be miserable and the longer time you take to work it out, the more frustrating you feel towards your work, colleagues and worst of all, finding yourself far from achieving your goals in life. Maybe, it is time to move on to another job.

Does a pay rise make you feel better?
Let’s be honest, a lot of people complain about being underpaid in their job. More money will obviously make them happier. Monetary benefit is obviously an attractive way for your company to show appreciation for your hard work.

If an annual bonus payout and salary increment of 10-20% makes you feel appreciated, then, your company is compensating you well and you are okay with your job. You just need to work towards a promotion!

However, if a 50-100% increment does not satisfy you, then money is not the problem and you will not feel better if you are paid more. Perhaps, you may want to talk to your boss to try out for another position in an area that interest you, or look for another job elsewhere.

Is your job giving you a sense of purpose?
Relating from my current job, I used to abhor the idea of making copies, making drinks and taking telephone calls. Well, it is my job to do that for my boss, so what is the problem? Finding the sense of purpose is the key answer to the wrongful vibes that we burden ourselves unnecessarily in the workplace. As for my case, my purpose and contribution to the company is to facilitate and ensure smooth execution of my boss’ role as a manager in the company. Quick and efficient decision-making by my boss hinges on how well I provide the assistance to make things work.

Now, find out your sense of purpose in your work. If you find that everything you do is meaningless and you believe you are wasting your time, you need to prepare for a job change.

Are you learning anything from your job?
The market for your talent and skills is constantly changing everyday and you need to either evolve or run the risk of becoming as obsolete as the manual typewriter in an IT world. Are you learning anything from your current job? Any training so far?

If you feel like being stuck in the rut for a while and you find yourself under-utilised in the company despite discussions with your boss for more challenging assignments and opportunities to learn on-the-job, you should seriously consider another job that can build up new skills.

>Not getting enough feedback about the direction of the company?
Do you get any feedback from your boss on your job performance? Many of us feel that we are not getting enough positive feedback. If your boss does not give any indication of you playing a more important role in the company’s future, you are probably quite permanent in your current work slot, and if they do not make cuts.

Find an opportunity to talk to your boss about the future direction of the company and indicate your interest to contribute to helping the company achieve its mission. If you do not get much feedback but only wait-and-see attitude, then, possibly this is a sign for you to consider an alternative job.

You hate your boss!
The juiciest news is always about your boss and it is also the number one reason for people changing job - you just hate your boss! Occasionally, there will be days when you are not pleased with your boss’ demands, but that does not turn a good job into a wrong job. But if it is an everyday hate-filled working relationship, lo and behold, it is a definite sign to move on to another job.

Clashes of Ethical Values
Sometimes, mismatches between your personal preferences and what your job requires do crop up. How do you handle them?

Do you feel that you need to stand up to your personal ethical values and that some loose policies in your company make you uneasy? If you are consistently feeling uncomfortable at your workplace, whether it is personal conflict or clash of ethics, you should try to talk to your boss about it. If nothing changes, then you should get ready to look for another job.

I believe when we are caught in a catch-22 situation, it is best to use our wisdom and discernment in making a decision and be wary of the signs that tell you that perhaps, my friend, it may be time to move on.