10 ways to know if your job is failing you

When it comes to getting a job, most people don’t think much past the salary. But what if you discover that it's not just the money--you actually hate going to work every day? If you're feeling like this is happening to you, there are plenty of signs that your job is failing you:

You don’t look forward to going to work

If you don’t look forward to going to work, it could be that your job is failing you. If your job isn’t fulfilling any of the following criteria, it may not be the right fit for your personality or career aspirations:

• You don't feel like your work makes a difference.
• You aren’t passionate about what you do and how it helps others.
• You lack motivation because there are no opportunities for growth in this position or company.
• The industry has changed too much since taking this position, but there is no training available for new technology or procedures (if applicable).

You can’t picture yourself working there much longer

If you’re still wondering whether or not your job is failing you, it might be time to make a change. Maybe the job isn’t the right fit anymore or maybe it never was. Either way, if you can't picture yourself working at your current company much longer, then it's time to explore some other options. You may be stuck in a rut and need an escape plan. A new job might just be the thing that gets your feet moving again!

You’re not learning anything new

In order to feel good about your job, you need to be able to improve yourself professionally. If your work isn't making you a better worker—or if it's not even helping you learn anything new—then it's time to move on. If this is happening in any area of your life (e.g., a relationship), then consider how it could apply here:

• Are you not learning new skills or improving upon what skills you already have?
• Are there other ways that this job could be helping advance your career?
• Is this job keeping up with the market? Does it require skills that are either outdated or outdated for the industry?

You’re not challenged.

If you find yourself in a job where you’re not learning anything new, not growing, and aren’t getting better at your job, then it may be time to pack up and go.

• You haven’t learned anything new recently. When your job doesn't feel like it challenges you or requires new skills or knowledge, that's a sign that it's not fulfilling the purpose of work (to learn). If this is happening on a regular basis, then there are probably other employees who are more capable than you at doing their jobs.
• You haven't grown professionally in years. If any part of your life feels stagnant—your relationships with others or with yourself—then it could be because lack of growth has caused stagnation across multiple areas of life as well as work. The key word here is "multi-faceted."

Your ideas are ignored

It's bad enough when your job doesn't challenge you, but it's downright heartbreaking when the ideas that matter most to you are ignored. If this is happening to you, here are some signs your job is failing you:

• Your ideas aren't taken seriously.
• You're not being challenged.
• Your ideas are being stolen by others.
• You aren't given credit for your work or ideas (and no one believes in them).
• Your boss takes credit for your good idea and passes it off as his own (or worse yet, he steals the credit).

Your boss or co-workers are horrible people.

"If you find that your boss or co-workers are horrible people, it may be a good time to find another job. If you have a boss who is abusive or incompetent, if they humiliate their employees in front of others and treat them like dirt on the bottom of their shoe, this is not healthy for anyone."

The same goes for coworkers. If your fellow employees are negative and mean-spirited with each other, this can be toxic to morale at work and will likely make it harder for you to do your job well.

When I was working at my last job, one staff member would constantly insult everyone around him; he was always finding something bad in everything we did (or didn't do), wouldn't listen when told what his responsibilities were (he thought he knew better than anyone else), and generally made life miserable for everyone who worked there by being an unprofessional jerk.

Your personality is not a good fit for the job.

If you’re not a good fit for your job, then it’s time to start looking for a new one. The reasons could be many:

- You are not a good fit for the company. If you were hired into the wrong department, or perhaps in the wrong country, it may be time to make some changes.

- You are not a good fit for the culture. It is possible that there is something about your personality that does not mesh well with others at work or within your team, and this can cause friction both in terms of how people perceive you and how they respond to what you say and do on a daily basis. Again, if this is happening consistently then perhaps it's time to take off those rose-colored glasses and see things more clearly before things get worse than they already have been!

Your company values aren't a good fit for your values.

The first step is to identify the values and beliefs you hold most dear. This can be difficult, but it's important to be as honest with yourself as possible. For example, I might value loyalty and respect over all else when it comes to my professional relationships. If this were true for me, I would need to determine if my company culture aligned with this belief. Another example would be a person who values innovation above all else—they would look for signs that their employer encourages new ideas from employees rather than stifling them or punishing risk-takers by micromanaging every last detail of their work life.

It's also important to determine whether these personal values align with those of your employer specifically and/or the entire industry in which they operate (if applicable). For example, some companies focus on employee ownership while others do not; some believe in promoting an open working environment while others are more closed off; some have strict dress codes while others are casual dressers only; etc.

You hate your commute — and more importantly, it's affecting your mental health.

Knowing whether or not you're in a job that's failing you starts with identifying the signs of a bad job, and one of the biggest warning signs is how much stress your commute puts on you.

We all know that our commutes are stressful, but they also signal key aspects of our work life. Our commutes give us insight into how much we enjoy our jobs, where they're located, and more importantly: how well-paid they are.

If I'm stuck in traffic for an hour each morning because my boss expects me to work late without overtime pay (and doesn't care if I lose my house), then he's probably not a great boss. If I'm stuck waiting around at bus stops during rainy days because there aren't enough buses or routes available to get me home from work — then my company isn't doing enough for its employees.

You're bored out of your mind.

If you can't think of a single thing to do in your free time, or if you've been doing the same things for years and it's gotten old, chances are good that the job itself is failing you. If you're bored out of your mind and just waiting until 5 p.m., then there's probably something wrong with your career path at work.

When I say "fail" here, I mean one of two things: either your boss isn't giving enough feedback on how well you're doing or they don't care about helping improve yourself (or both). Both situations are bad news bears because without feedback, how will you know if what'cha doin' is working? And without care from them (or anyone), how will anyone encourage growth?

If any (or all) of these traits apply to you, it's time for a change:

• You're constantly being asked to do things that don't align with your values.
• Your boss is consistently making decisions that go against what you know is best for the company.
• Your work isn't bringing you joy. The more time goes by, the less excited and motivated you are about your job and its impact on society. In fact, sometimes it makes you feel like quitting altogether!
• You don't get along with any of your coworkers or bosses—and neither do they get along with each other!

Conclusion

So, does this mean your job is failing you? It’s hard to say. If most of these characteristics sound like yours, then it might be time to start looking for something new. But if not all of them are ringing true for you at the moment, there may be some other things in play that need addressing before you jump ship — such as your commute or an unsatisfying boss who’s making life miserable at work. In any case, I hope this article has given insight into some potential problems and sparked some ideas about what can be done to improve them!