In presentations to groups of older workers looking for new opportunities, I found that every person has a story about how they got to that point.
When you hear the stories often enough, patterns and similarities begin to appear. The days of having 25, 30, 40, or even 50 years of tenure with the same company are becoming increasingly rare.
Some people retire, some are laid off or terminated, and sometimes the company goes out of business.
What follows are some of the warnings and signs that people have shared with me. I was always inspired by their resolve and resilience and I hope their lessons help you to avoid the heartache and pain that comes from failing to recognize and/or acknowledge those signs.
Signs that you notice.
When you do not feel appreciated. If you find you are working harder and harder, working extra over-time and you can’t remember the last time anyone in your organization said thank-you; that is a sign. When organizations come to expect that kind of sacrifice without acknowledging an associate’s work, you need to realize that “good” organizations do acknowledge and that it is likely time to start looking.
Your health is suffering. A job is not a life sentence and if your stress level is causing high blood pressure or other ailments, you need to consider making lifestyle and career changes. If you think you are indispensable to your workplace you are wrong, trust me, nobody is.
When you leave work feeling more and more frustrated each passing day. Mental health is as important as physical health. When a job or career starts negatively affecting your life outside of work, this is a sign not to be ignored.
When another organization approaches you about your availability. When this happens, take the opportunity to consider their offer. Being in a comfort zone is not necessarily a bad thing; however, if offered an alternative, consider your goals and wants moving forward.
Signs that your organization is giving you.
When a new owner or manager says they are not going to change anything. Many older workers feel threatened when the ownership or management of their organization changes. New ownership or management will often want to change the direction and can mistakenly believe that older or more senior people will be reluctant to change. As a small note, beware of new owners or managers who say, “They aren’t going to change a thing” and almost immediately start to dismantle the old systems and processes.
When your organization lacks integrity. If your organizations philosophy or actions are not consistent with your beliefs that is a sign that you may want to be looking for a new job. Additionally, if your organization is involved in actions that you believe lack integrity, you may want to find an organization whose actions are more consistent with your beliefs.
When your contribution is minimized. If you have been a key person to the success of your organization and you find that your opinion is sought less, you are invited to fewer and fewer meetings that you formerly attended, and work that you have performed is credited to other people, these are signs that you should be looking to make a change.
A company in serious financial difficulties. Sometimes the signs have nothing to do with you and your contributions. Sometimes your organization could be in serious financial trouble. Many of the people in my presentation were victims of overcapacity and organizations that failed to evolve. People who counted on pensions and ignored the signs of impending collapse were left without the security they thought they would have.
When your job shrinks without explanation. When you find that your responsibilities tasks are shrinking without any explanation, this should be a cause for concern.
Your performance reviews are consistently negative despite your organization doing well. When your organization seems to be succeeding but anything negative seems to be your fault, this is a sign that you are becoming a scapegoat. In addition, when the only way for you to have your ideas brought forward is to have someone else present them; you should be concerned. An example of an explicitly obvious sign happens when someone tells you in confidence that your HR department is watching for you to make mistakes. All of these situations have been told to me, and they are all signs that you need to consider making a change.
Perhaps the most telling sign that you need to recognize and acknowledge happens when you are accused of negative things and given no chance to defend or explain your actions.
When you are pushed. Some organizations are not shy about the fact that you are no longer part of their plans. Few are that direct, but some are. When that happens do not think that you can change their minds, it is already too late.
When your job no longer challenges you. Many people are lucky in that most days their careers are very fulfilling and if not interesting every day, their days are interesting enough that they are not bored. Not everyone is that lucky. You may spend 30 or 40 years working, if you are bored, that is a sign.
What should you do?
The first thing to do is to recognize and acknowledge the signs for what they are.
If you are unhappy or your organization is unhappy, acknowledge the truth and reality of the situation and then start to work the problem. So many of the people I have spoken to, saw the signs but ignored them or were afraid to acknowledge what was happening until it was too late.
You want to be in control of your situation. By recognizing the signs for what they are, especially if you are a long-term employee of your organization, you can start planning and preparing. If you want to find another job, make sure it is on your terms. You might be scared, you might feel stuck financially or because of family responsibilities or/and because of the the lack of opportunities; all of those are natural responses. Embracing rather than ignoring, will allow you to take the steps necessary to secure your future.
We have covered some of the steps you can take in other posts and we will examine more options in coming posts as well.
Good luck,
Paul.