Estimated read time: 3 mins- Date posted:17/08/2020
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Estimated read time: 3 mins
Date posted:17/08/2020
The coronavirus pandemic has allowed many life science executives to reflect on their careers and ask themselves the serious questions:
- Are they where they want to be in their career?
- Are they happy?
- Have their goals shifted?
Searching for a new job may have already crossed your mind but you’ve brushed off the idea because it’s not the right time. But staying in a role that doesn’t fulfil, challenge or excite you is a waste of your time and energy. You deserve to be happy and content in your position; not just living for the weekends and having a serious case of the Sunday Night Blues. Despite your current role not living up to its potential, there’s a whole world of opportunities better suited to you out there.
You may have been feeling so dissatisfied for so long that you’ve become numb to it. If you’re experiencing any of the signs below then it may be time to pursue a new job:
1. You’re bored and disengaged
You no longer feel challenged or fulfilled in your role, or may perhaps, you never even did. You do the same things day in, day out but you don’t quite stretch your potential. Above all, you’re craving a challenge or an opportunity to grow and nurture your skills. There’s no drive or excitement for the day which leaves you feeling quite disheartened. On top of this, your learning and development aren’t prioritised. Instead of continuously improving in your role, your growth has plateaued and so has your motivation. You simply dread waking up in the morning and heading into work for another monotonous day.
2. You seek a better work/life balance
You find yourself working long hours, coming home late and working on the weekends. As a result, your time spent with your family is compromised and you are unable to pursue hobbies or interests outside of work. You’re not happy with the amount of time you spend working compared to the time you spend outside of work with family and friends. There’s no shame in wanting to pursue a better work/life balance and flexibility. Executive and senior management jobs can be demanding, but not all of them are. A new position with a different employer may result in a shorter commute, less travel and/or set working hours. Your wellbeing matters and it’s time you prioritised that.
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3. There are no opportunities for progression
You’ve been in your role for longer than you’d like without a promotion or pay rise being on the cards. With no sign in sight of a promotion, advancement, development or more responsibilities, you feel frustrated – and rightly so. You’re beginning to feel resentful towards your organisation, superiors and peers as you’re passed up on promotion after promotion. You might not even be having regular meetings with your superiors in which you can ask for a raise or put yourself forward for promotion. According to a survey from Gallup, the number one reason why people leave their jobs is because of career advancement. If it’s impossible to advance your career at your current organisation, your only ticket out is to seek it elsewhere.
4. The company or role has shifted
Due to organisational restructures and staff turnover, your responsibilities are no longer clearly defined. The job you’re doing currently has changed significantly from the job that you applied for and it’s not enjoyable. With the restructure, organisation goals and values may have changed which may no longer align with your own. As a result, you may have an urge to find a better cultural fit elsewhere.
5. You’re being contacted by executive search consultants
You might have witnessed a sudden increase in messages on LinkedIn from recruiters and executive search consultants. Headhunters reach out to you for one reason only; they see your talent and potential and think that you would make a perfect job candidate. In a role in which you’ve been feeling unfulfilled for so long, it can feel like a huge accomplishment and compliment when other people recognise your abilities. Being sought out by executive search consultants saves you the stress of having to initiate a job search yourself. This might be the boost you need to gather more confidence in yourself and your abilities.
For more job-search advice tailored to senior managers and executives in the life sciences…
* Fraser Dove International is a talent consultancy operating across the life sciences industry. While our roots lie in executive search, we provide more than the traditional recruitment services. Uniquely placed within the market, we have been providing cutting-edge talent solutions and insight to organisations at all stages of their journey – from start-up to established leaders – since 2013.
