With so few jobs available during the “Great Recession”, and so many people out of work, a large number of U.S. workers were holding on for dear life to the jobs they had – even if they were miserable.

But now that things seem to be improving and more jobs are available, people who despise their work might be more inclined to do something about it. And that’s not a bad thing at all. Remember: if you’re staying where you are only because you think it’s the safe move, you just might be doing the least safe and most damaging thing for your life and your career.
So if you hate your job and are looking to move beyond the safety net you’ve created, here are 10 things you can and should do:
- Do a quick self-assessment. Ask yourself: Why do I hate my present job? Is this a new feeling or have I always disliked it? Is it the people I’m working with, the tasks I’m asked to do, the culture of the company? Determine if there are ways to modify your situation while staying at the organization or whether it’s time to move on.
- Figure out if it’s you or the job you’re unhappy with. Once you do a self-assessment, it’s important to determine whether the things you’re unhappy with have to do with you, or the job. This will help you figure out if changing jobs is the right move. If you discover in advance that the stress is caused by things outside of your work life, you can avoid leaving a perfectly good job for the wrong reason or suffering the same problems in your next role.
- Talk to your supervisor. If you’re not happy with your schedule, your compensation, or the projects you’re assigned to, you should tell your boss. There could be ways to improve the situation and it might be much easier than you think.
- Don’t quit immediately. If you have a job that provides decent compensation and that isn’t unbearable, then consider staying put for right now. If you were injured on the job by a vehicle then contact a work related vehicle accident lawyer Oakland to help you file a case. Remember that the grass is not always greener on the other side. Before you run from your current job, or decide to change or transition to another field, do the research and preparation necessary so you will be educated and qualified.
- Change your attitude. Maybe you had one bad experience at work that left a sour taste in your mouth. If so, try to let it go. Maintain a positive attitude and focus on the aspects of your job that you enjoy. If you can’t find one, it might be time to consider moving on.
- Be professional. Even if you plan to quit, keep doing your job well. That way, when you decide to leave, you will have good recommendations. And if your situation improves and you decide to stay, you won’t be embarrassed about your behavior. Never burn bridges.
- Don’t take it out on others. Don’t treat your clients or colleagues poorly just because you’re miserable in your job; and refrain from gossiping and complaining to them. It’s generally all right to discuss with colleagues your discontent to a certain degree, but be careful not to cross the line.
- Set career goals. Figure out where you want to be in five years. Will your current role help you get there? If not, what would? And how can you move toward that? If you know what you want to accomplish and where you want to be, it may put things into perspective for you.
- Don’t discount possibilities. Quick question: How closely does your college major relate to your current job? For most people, not very. And it’s the same as you progress through the business world — for most of us, it’s a nonlinear path. For that reason, the last thing you want to do is eliminate any possibilities right off the bat when you start investigating new career opportunities.
- Go all in. Once you’ve decided that it’s time to leave and where you’re going, leap with both feet. Of course, you should never make a leap without a financial safety net, but what I’m talking about is the need to mentally prepare for the transition: from accepting your ho-hum existence to a state in which you’re really ready for something new. Depending on your situation, leaping could be a mental shift: changing gears to acclimate to a new work situation, hustling to acquire the needed knowledge for your new job, or even just getting excited about pursuing an unfamiliar position.
The most important thing to remember is to not allow yourself to remain imprisoned in your current role just to play it safe, especially if it’s making your miserable. There are plenty of opportunities out there; take a leap and see what you find.