This is another in a series of articles about enjoying success in your career. A common theme running through most of these is that many of the ideas offered run counter to conventional wisdom.
Over the years, I’ve had thousands of career conversations with people at various stages of their careers. Most of these are general update calls, i.e. learning about what’s going on overall in their careers and how things are going specifically in their current job.
In some of these conversations, if I was working on a position that appeared to be a good step forward for them, I’d ask if they’re interested in learning about it. A fairly common response was, “I’m not unhappy in my current job”, as if that was the standard that needed to be met.
At the time, it made more sense than it does now. When people are satisfied, why consider anything else? But experience has taught me a different lesson. Many times since then, I’ve witnessed why relying on current comfort as a gauge of whether or not to be open can backfire. Here’s how.
1) Waiting until we’re unhappy or dissatisfied before being prompted to act puts us in a reactionary mode. Reactionary decisions, especially those coupled with urgency, often turn out to be high-risk decisions. They’re seldom given the same level of review or scrutiny and often blind us from hazards we’d likely have ordinarily spotted. Unfortunately, one bad career move can undo years of hard work, not to mention the collateral damage caused at home.
2) Networking has many benefits. Forging relationships with people who can help you and with people you can help are two of them. Developing a good working relationship with a recruiter you can trust doesn’t happen in one phone call. It’s not going to happen if your consistent response is, ‘I’m not interested’ or, ‘I don’t have time to talk.’ They can be an invaluable asset as you advance in your career, especially if you find yourself in a situation where you need to change job fast.
3) Timing is everything and the best time to walk through the door of opportunity is when it’s open. Even if you’re absolutely thrilled in your current job, if you are fortunate enough to have a better one presented to you, doesn’t it make sense to at least listen? How else would you learn what you’ve said ‘no’ to?
Not only will you gain valuable market information, even if you decide to take a pass which is often the case, you can bless someone else in your network who’s in a tough situation. Someday, they may do the same for you.
Really good jobs don’t come along very often. That’s especially true as you reach the midpoint and advanced stages in your career. Several people have told me they’d feel like they’d be disloyal if they even listened to another opportunity. Loyalty is a wonderful trait, provided it works both ways.
4) No matter how good things may be today, most people inherently know they will change. The question isn’t if, but when.
When things change, sometimes they change fast. Like a harsh slap of reality, you can go to work smiling and drive home in stunned disbelief. If it hasn’t already, your job will be affected by reorganizations, acquisitions, mergers, downsizing, job elimination, new manager and many other factors now on the distant horizon, but unknown to you.
Other times, the changes take place over time. Like the frog in water that gradually warms, by the time we realize we’re in hot water, it’s too late. When jobs are eliminated, the work doesn’t go away. It’s parceled out to others. Over time, we eventually realize that we’re working longer hours, spending much more time on things not suited to our strengths or interests.
Slow changes can be the hardest to notice. They can happen when we’re so focused on our jobs, we miss important developments going on around us. I’ve also heard from people who undoubtedly have blinders on to not see what’s going on. Intentionally ignoring distress signals never helps and denial only prolongs the misery.
Whether our happiness changes quickly, or our groove at work slowly becomes a rut, the key takeaway is regardless of how well things are going now, they will change. It’s important to enjoy good fortune when it blesses us, but not be blinded by it.
Next time you’re tempted to close off a potential opportunity with the response of, “I’m not unhappy in my current job”, think twice. Waiting until you’re unhappy to act is asking for trouble. The best motivation to make a career move is being drawn towards a better opportunity, rather than running from one that’s turned sour. Beyond excelling at your job, the best job security you can have is keeping your career options open.
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