Stay or Leave: What to Do When You Feel the Need for a Job Change?

Making the decision to change jobs and leave a company is never simple. However, more and more people are making changes in their careers, and the reasons for this vary. Some people have simply rearranged their priorities, making their previous positions too burdensome, some dislike the company culture, others wish to find a better place for themselves due to market chaos and risks. And there are those who simply want to do something different.

However, it often happens that just when an employee gathers the courage, decides to make a change, and announces their departure, the current employer encourages them to reconsider. In hopes of retaining a good employee, employers often offer raises or promotions. And since these offers can often be tempting, employees frequently find themselves confused and ultimately led to stay in their old job.

But no matter how tempting the offers may be, should we allow the employer to influence our decision? How wise is it to accept a raise or promotion and ignore the reason you wanted to leave?

Remember why you wanted to change jobs

At the moment when you have to decide between staying (with better conditions) or a complete change, it is necessary to write down why you wanted to change jobs in the first place. Is it the people you work with, the organization’s culture, or the job description?

Because while the engagement of the current employer can sometimes be appealing, it is generally important to keep in mind that in most cases, a higher salary or a better position will not change what prompted you to seek a change.

– Often when people receive a raise or a new position, they become instantly satisfied. However, they wake up after some time and realize that this is not what they want to do. When they realize this, it is often too late – said Maria Kraimer from Rutgers University to Business Insider. Therefore, experts generally believe that when you make a decision to change, you should also stay because it certainly did not happen overnight.

Moreover, if you accept a promotion and stay with your current employer, many experts point out that they may no longer trust you.

However, there is another option between staying at the old job and leaving for a new one. Namely, if you like the company you work for but do not enjoy the job you are doing, you can explore whether there are opportunities for a change in role or department within that company.