This Sunday sees the clocks go forward by one hour. That’s an hour less in bed than our bodies have become accustomed to in the last six months. It also means getting up an hour earlier for work, which can be especially stressful when you hate your job.
However, the clocks going forward also signifies much better times ahead. The lighter evenings are coming, giving us more time for the things we enjoy, as well as more daylight and energy to shake off the winter months.
That being said, every hour can feel like an eternity when you’re in a job that just doesn’t cut it for you anymore; or perhaps it never did. You needn’t worry that you’re on your own, though. According to a study by Indeed, one in three people are unhappy with their jobs, with three-quarters of us actively looking for a new role.
Signs That You Hate Your Job
· You find yourself growing more anxious about going to work
· When you’re at work, you’re much less productive than you used to be
· You’re always watching the clock
· You constantly talk to your friends and family about how rubbish your job is
· You wonder if you can get away with calling in sick
· You’re more tired than usual
· Your mental health is suffering
· You try and avoid your boss and colleagues as much as possible
What to Do When You Hate Your Job
Hating your job can often feel like you’re wading through treacle, and time itself feels as if it’s not moving at all. But there’s light at the end of the tunnel with small things you can do right now to make your days a little more bearable.
1. Work Out What it is That You Really Dislike
Sometimes the answer is obvious. Perhaps you really don’t like doing a particular task that makes up the biggest percentage of your job. Maybe it’s boring and repetitive, or it’s not making use of your skills. In which case, is there a way to make the task more exciting or fulfilling? Could you speak to your manager about a transfer to another department or do you have an idea for a project that you know would be beneficial to the business? Communicating your unhappiness is often the first step to doing something about it.
Sometimes, though, the answer isn’t so obvious or easy to fix. Perhaps it’s not the job you don’t like, perhaps it’s the environment, someone you work with, or even your boss. Communication here is still the key though, especially if someone (not necessarily the job itself) is making your working life unbearable.
Once you’ve identified exactly what’s making you miserable at work, there could be an easy solution that you’re currently overlooking.
2. Identify Your Skills (and Your Skill Gaps)
One of the biggest reasons people stay in a job they hate (other than for the money) is because they think they don’t have the skills or experience to move on to something better. Identifying your skills can often be the answer to this problem.
Once you’ve identified the things you’re great at, it can become easier to recognise the things you need to improve (your skills gaps). Understanding your skills gaps is a big step to finding a new role and finally being able to quit the job you hate.
Once you know where you need to improve, you can then:
· Take a part-time course to strengthen your knowledge and skills
· Ask for additional or new responsibilities at work that could help you improve your skills and your enjoyment of your job
· Ask an expert in the skill you need to improve, if they’ll teach you how to do it
· Take advantage of any training or extra qualifications that are offered through your current role
3. Build Up Your Network
It’s the people we work with that we spend the most time with. Having friends, or at least people you like at work is essential for a happy working life and can often make a job you despise much more bearable.
In fact, a recent study by workplace insights firm, Gallup, indicates that more than half of us (63%) would agree that having good friends at work makes us more productive and less likely to look for other job opportunities.
However, it’s not just new friends that you should be on the lookout for. Building connections across your company, the industry, and on LinkedIn, can reap rewards when it comes to the ‘hidden’ job market, too. The hidden job market is a term used for jobs that are never advertised. Often, recruiters will use social media to search for talent or ask for recommendations from people they know and trust. Therefore widening your network and being included in these conversations is never a bad thing.
4. Get Another Job
We know it’s not always as simple as it sounds, but more often than not, the cure for hating your job is to find another one. If you can afford to take the time to find the perfect fit, then working with a recruitment partner can take all the heavy lifting out of your job search.
Similarly, if your current role is just too much to bear, considering a temporary position whilst you search for a more permanent solution, may also be something to think about. Whatever path you choose, check out the Proactive Personnel jobs board to find a new role in your area.
Because everyone’s situation is different, there’s rarely an easy solution to what to do when you hate your job. However, staying miserable at work is never the answer. No matter what you decide to do, simply making a decision is a good start.