The Hustle: What should I do if I don’t think my job is a good fit anymore?
Today for the Hustle, the incredible Cynthia Pong is bringing her wisdom to YOU! Cynthia is a friend of the Light Leaks and a badass feminist career strategist for WOC. Her clients span industries including: law, medicine, business, international relations, public health, media, the arts, social justice, social work, sustainability, and the trades. So basically, she’s heard it all, seen it all, and uses her experience in different areas to teach, empower, and uplift others! We’re so happy to have her on the site to answer the question: “What should I do if I don’t think my job is a good fit anymore?”
- xo TLL
Hi there! It’s Cynthia, an unapologetically proud feminist career strategist for women of color based in NYC! My work is all about empowering women of color to get the money, power, and respect that they deserve. In addition to working with clients one-on-one, I’m a speaker, author of Don't Stay in Your Lane: The Career Change Guide for Women of Color, and someone who loves doling out highly relevant, no-bullshit, easy-to-understand career advice specifically for women of color.
What should I do if I don’t think my job is a good fit anymore?
As a career coach who works with women of color, I see this question come up a lot. And it's a stressful one. I experienced this first hand in my own career change, and I’ve witnessed it in countless clients I’ve coached since then. We may feel disappointed that things didn't turn out how we expected in our work life. We may have been misled about what a particular job or role would entail, which is frustrating, to say the least. Plus, most of us don't do well with uncertainty. It's all very unsettling and can make it difficult to find our way forward.
Here’s the bottom line: if we don't think our job is a good fit anymore, we have two choices.
We could stay and try to make the job a good fit once again.
Or we could make a plan to leave for another job.
On the one hand, it’s simple and straightforward. On the other hand, getting clear on which path to take can be really hard!
Write A Pro / Con List
The first thing I would recommend you do is make a list of all the ways in which your job is not a good fit anymore. Then, write down all the ways in which things are still going well with your job.
Once you've made your list, have a look at both sides and put a star by the pros or cons that are most important to you. For example, if one of the cons is that you don't like the people you work with – and having friends and community at work are a priority for you at this stage in your career – then star that one. Similarly, if one of the pros is that you have creative control over your projects – and autonomy is a priority for you at this stage in your career – then star that one.
Compare and Reflect
Next, compare the starred items on either side of the pro/con list. Are there a lot more starred items on one side? Or are they pretty even? Is there any way you can realistically change any of the cons? This will give you an idea of how misaligned you and your job really are.
If you still feel unsure where or confused, you can reflect on two additional questions:
What are your priorities in your career right now?
What does your intuition tell you?
BONUS: I created this short quiz to help guide anyone considering career changes, but the advice can definitely be adapted to changing jobs within the same industry!
Imagine the Possibilities
Then I would suggest thinking about what you would do if you left your current job.
Think:
Are there alternative jobs you've had your eye on?
Do you suspect your skills and talents would be better suited to other kinds of work?
Do you think you're simply burnt out and need a break?
Photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash
Getting our thoughts down in an organized, structured way that's easy to process at-a-glance is extremely beneficial – especially when we're stressed out.
Now, go through each idea, one at a time, and imagine what it would be like to actually do those jobs. I recommend doing some online research and, if possible, informational interviews with people who actually have those jobs. And make sure you're not putting a the-grass-is-always-greener lens over everything.
Plan What’s Next
If you do decide to leave, you'll need to make a plan.
Create a timeline for yourself
Identify how much money you may need to save up as a cushion
Start activating and leveraging your network so that you can be tapped in to the kind of opportunities you want.
You can use all of the tools and strategies I set out in my book, Don’t Stay in Your Lane: The Career Change Guide for Women of Color.
Remember: All of this is challenging stuff, so please don't be too hard on yourself. Set up the supports that you need. If you're able, invest in yourself and your career, by hiring someone who can help you through this process. There are also lots of resources out there to support you, many of which are free (here are the ones on my site). Last, but not least, remember that you can do this. You are resilient, you are resourceful. Just as you have made it this far and your career, you will figure this out and experience continued success.
Let me know how it goes!
In solidarity, Cynthia
The Hustle is The Light Leaks’ newest resource tailored to YOU! Ask us questions, if we can’t answer from our own experience, we’ll find someone who’s able to. From creative block to actionable career steps, hit us up with your questions at kim@thelightleaks.com with “the Hustle” as the subject line. We got you.