Is it time to look for a new role?

Job searches spike every new year, including this one (2025), but how might you know if you really should start looking seriously, or is it better to stick?

Here are a few questions to help you consider your current situation. Firstly with an inwards lens, and then an outwards one.

(Answer on a scale of 1 low -10 great)

- How happy/satisfied are you at the moment? (Deeper? Why is that, really?)
- What's your sense of your (desired) prospects? (Deeper? How well do you understand what you want and why?)
- Can you use your strengths (the things that strengthen you) at work at least some of the time? (20% of the time is the magic number - not 100%, we need contrast - but if it's much lower than 20%, this is a huge red flag).
- Are you growing as a person? (Deeper? Challenging self, playing in the unknown, being brave, holding bigger perspectives, growing your cognitive capacities, having more presence, better able to navigate change and difficulties, to lead?)
- Are you learning? (Self-learning included)
- Are you able to use your creativity, intuition for addressing challenges? (One could argue that this is the foundation of happiness - and makes humans more than AI)
- Have you taken on fulfilling new challenges or responsibilities over the past year?
- How well do you get on with your immediate team?
- With your peers?
- Are you honouring, to some extent, your core values?
- Can you show up authentically?
- How satisfied are you with the money/benefits/hours/flex/WFM etc?
- Generally, how supported/resourced/valued do you feel by your manager/leaders?

Noting, that many people underestimate the extent of their ability to influence their experience and that of others. Is this you? Could you change things - yourself or your situation? That's not to say that some places/people/systemic issues are very difficult and unhealthy and that's a real thing too.

Outwards:

- How good are your prospects in the market?
- How up-to-date are you with your market/jobs information and trends?
- Where and who are your networks?
- (You might want to think about this in your current role, or for a career pivot or a side hustle).
- Have you your CV etc up to date?

Conditions have been really tight through 2024, AI is here and growing, and I am not sure what the market will bring. The more senior you are, and the more specialised, the harder things get because there are fewer roles in total. However, change is ongoing. There are always people moving and new career opportunities popping up. But, you need to keep developing yourself, or you'll get left behind.

Depending how you answered your questions, you might feel like your best option is to give your current role your full energy and attention. Or you might decide it's time to put some feelers out and get ready. Either way, to future proof, ensuring you put energy into networks and into yourself is key.