Eight Signs That Say It’s Time to Change Jobs.

Most people don’t lose their jobs overnight – unless they’ve been caught stealing, giving away company secrets or in an uncompromising position with a subordinate. Even if your company’s been bought, sold or reorganized, a layoff is not immediately in the cards for everyone. It takes time for top executives to determine how they want to handle downsizing and redeployment. But, if your company is in the news for a period of time, it’s likely there are problems that can’t be resolved. The longer you stay on a sinking ship, the harder it is to get onto solid land. Prospective employers will look unfavorably at anyone who wasn’t smart enough to get out when the getting was good.

According top Kate Wendleton, President of the Five O’Clock Club, the country’s premier career counseling and outplacement company, “There are eight additional signals — from bosses and co-workers – that let you know your job is in jeopardy. If you have noticed three or more of these warning signs, it’s time to update your resume and begin mounting a job-search campaign.”

1. You don’t fit in. Your values don’t match. The people you work with are uncouth, dishonest, focused on getting ahead regardless of legal or moral barriers. They win by cheating. You are refined, ethical and would never knowingly break the law or hurt another’s livelihood.
2. Your boss doesn’t like you, and you don’t like him/her. You don’t like your boss’s character or style. He/she never solicits your opinion, invites you into his/her office to chat or out to lunch. You don’t support his agenda or initiatives. If you’ve ever done something to undermine your boss, you might as well get out now.

3. Your peers don’t like you. You they think they are beneath you. You are never included in any of the social outings they plan and you probably wouldn’t want to go if invited. You feel isolated, gossiped about, excluded from the inner workings of the organization. For the most part, you don’t get along with people at the company. You don’t feel like a team player and have no sense of camaraderie at work.

4. You don’t get assignments that demonstrate the full range of your abilities. All the good assignments go to others, or you get the ones that play to your weaknesses. You feel the boss doesn’t trust your judgment or believe you care enough to do a good job.

5. You always get called upon to do the “grunt work.” You are always singled out to do the tasks nobody else wants to do. If the boss asks you to do something you feel is beneath you, say you’re busy. Learn to lobby for better projects and cherry pick the ones that will showcase your skills and heighten your visibility.

6. You are excluded from meeting your peers are invited to. You don’t feel that your ideas are valued or that your contributions are central to the company.

7. Everyone on your level has an office; you have a cubicle in the hallway. This is a blatant sign that you are not thought of as highly as others. It also telegraphs your status in the informal company hierarchy loudly and clearly, despite your title.

8. You dread going to work and feel like you are developing an ulcer. The very idea of going to work makes you anxious or physically sick. You can’t sleep on Sunday nights and you’ve used up all your sick days. You have a hard time concentrating and count the hours from the time you arrive at the office until the second you leave.

For more information at http://www.FiveOClockClub.com