n00b post: when is it time to look for a new job?

[vinsanity]

hello all...I've been enjoying reading your threads for quite a while now, and finally decided to share my situation with you fine folks.

I'm about a year and a half past graduation and into my current job, and all things considered, it's a decent place to be: the pay isn't bad (for entry level), the work is on the boring side, but I've proven quite savvy at it, the environment is a good balance of relaxed and professional, and best of all, my immediate supervisor works out of state :p .

however...I've been feeling complacency settling in for several months now already, and might be time to try to advance by the time my two-year anniversary rolls around. although I did mention that the salary was acceptable for the time being, it won't be for very long, especially considering the company's annual pay increase is pretty much a joke. there aren't any direct paths of advancement from where I'm at in the corporate map, so not too many opportunities to advance from within (although moreso than most positions in the company). that being the case, I've sought opportunities mainly on the outside, mainly through employment agencies for now. the new job opportunities sound promising, but I'm not sure they would be worth the move. I've never been too keen on keeping up with learning curves at new jobs, so complacency may almost be a plus here, but that's what I'm trying to avoid. on top of that, I have a number of small perks with my current employer I've gained through my five years with them (working part-time during college), not the least of which are close networking ties with execs.

however, the fact still remains that this is pretty much a dead end road until I do something proactive in trying to advance. to be completely honest, there isn't much to complain about here, but on the other hand, I seriously can't stay here forever.

what are your thoughts? when is it time to leave the corporate comfort zone?

[wordsmith]

I don't do the corporate thing, but I've always known in my gut when it's time to move on, and that's when I'm not getting anything more out of being somewhere and a new opportunity has arisen.

[cache]

Can you talk to you immediate supervisor about your concerns? Let them know that you are interested in advancement, and how you might go about getting those opportunities. If nothing else, see if there is anything else you can do - additional certifications, etc. that may either help get you known, or at least give you more credentials when you do decide to leave.

One of the biggest complaints of supervisors when people leave is that the supervisor had no idea they were even thinking of leaving. If you have been there 5 years, give them a chance to remedy what you think is wrong. If they won't do anything, then you can be more certain about your course of action.

[wordsmith]

Can you talk to you immediate supervisor about your concerns? Let them know that you are interested in advancement, and how you might go about getting those opportunities. If nothing else, see if there is anything else you can do - additional certifications, etc. that may either help get you known, or at least give you more credentials when you do decide to leave.

One of the biggest complaints of supervisors when people leave is that the supervisor had no idea they were even thinking of leaving. If you have been there 5 years, give them a chance to remedy what you think is wrong. If they won't do anything, then you can be more certain about your course of action.

Thing is, leaving isn't necessarily the result of something being wrong. There are many reasons a person may switch careers, none of which necessarily have to do with anything that needs fixing or could be fixed, or could make a difference.

When I leave my current position, it's not going to be a matter of "Why didn't you give us a chance to remedy what was wrong?" There IS nothing wrong, at least, nothing wrong enough that I'm leaving over it. And nothing that they could change, anyway. Each time I've left a job, it's been not because I needed the employer to fix something and never asked, it's been because it was time to pursue other opportunities that opened up to me.

[cache]

Thing is, leaving isn't necessarily the result of something being wrong. There are many reasons a person may switch careers, none of which necessarily have to do with anything that needs fixing or could be fixed, or could make a difference.

When I leave my current position, it's not going to be a matter of "Why didn't you give us a chance to remedy what was wrong?" There IS nothing wrong, at least, nothing wrong enough that I'm leaving over it. And nothing that they could change, anyway. Each time I've left a job, it's been not because I needed the employer to fix something and never asked, it's been because it was time to pursue other opportunities that opened up to me.

It just seemed that the OP kinda liked where he worked, but things were popping up that are making him think otherwise - things that may be able to be fixed.

[yankeeyosh]

Well, I'm in a pretty similar boat. I would say that if you are convinced that there are no learning or growth opportunities, then it is time to look elsewhere.

[vinsanity]

thanks for the insight :)
one thing I forgot to mention is that I do have one avenue of growth to pursue (cross-training with more advanced job duties), but that won't lead me to any guarantees of a promotion (I know it can't do anything but help, though)

what seems crazy is that I really don't have a reason to leave my job. on the other hand, I feel that now would be the right time to start my search since I'm not desperate for a new job, and thus I have a certain degree of leverage in the case I do end up with a job offer.

[wordsmith]

It just seemed that the OP kinda liked where he worked, but things were popping up that are making him think otherwise - things that may be able to be fixed.

Yeah, I get that, too, my comment was more just a general musing in response to this, specifically:

One of the biggest complaints of supervisors when people leave is that the supervisor had no idea they were even thinking of leaving. If you have been there 5 years, give them a chance to remedy what you think is wrong.

[justright]

I can see where you are coming from. I wonder personally if its just my personality.

I am in a good position (make decent money, accrued time off, great work situation some would love - work from home a lot and travel regionally here and there), but I just feel like I'm not sure if this is the right fit.

I got out of last job about a year ago (after two years), because it was just bad. Now I thought having a good job would make a difference, but after a year I feel like I want something different.

I like interacting with people and being hands on. In this job, I am by myself a lot and its most paperwork, following up on others, meetings to make sure things are progressing, etc.

But then I feel like if I make a career switch that in a year or two I will just want to do something else again. Anyone go through this?

[vinsanity]

I can see where you are coming from. I wonder personally if its just my personality.

I am in a good position (make decent money, accrued time off, great work situation some would love - work from home a lot and travel regionally here and there), but I just feel like I'm not sure if this is the right fit.

I got out of last job about a year ago (after two years), because it was just bad. Now I thought having a good job would make a difference, but after a year I feel like I want something different.

I like interacting with people and being hands on. In this job, I am by myself a lot and its most paperwork, following up on others, meetings to make sure things are progressing, etc.

But then I feel like if I make a career switch that in a year or two I will just want to do something else again. Anyone go through this?

yeah that pretty much sums up how I feel about my current career situation at this point. for some people, it's like when you buy a car, you kind of get a one- or two-year itch for something new again.

funny thing though...earlier this week, my company sent me to Vegas to help out in a 2-day sales meeting, so while that kept me content with them for the time being, one of the presenters at the meeting was in the line of business I originally wanted to be in myself when I first decided to be an accounting major in college (specialized tax consulting). the CEO of that company had lunch at the same table as me, and we talked for a little bit. I might email her to solicit myself for a job in a month or so