10 Important Signs Your Job Might Be Worth Staying At

Sarah Winfrey — Tue, 01 May 2007 21:24:42 +0000

So you don't have your dream job, and you're pretty sure you never will in your current corporation, but you're also not sure where else to go? You'd love to work at home but you're not sure where to start or if it's something you'd enjoy more than your current job? Love your boss and your coworkers, but not sure you want to stay? Here are 10 signs that your current job might be worth staying at, at least until you have your dream job in the bag. (See also: How to Answer 23 of the Most Common Interview Questions)

1. Your Boss Wants to Use You to Your Fullest Potential

If it matters to your boss when you are under-utilized, that indicates that he values you as a person and not just as an employee. Which, in turn, means that he cares about your overall well-being at work, and not just your performance. Bosses like this are often more open to things like letting you telecommute, minimize your hours, or tweak your job and procedures in it so your work conditions are as good as possible.

2. Your Boss Listens to Your Suggestions

A boss who truly listens is a boss you can communicate honestly with. If you're looking at starting to work at home, this sort of boss would be more likely to let you try it. Also, having a real "say" in what happens at work will give you a lift — it might not be what you truly care about, but at least you are a person whose opinion matters.

3. You Have Real Responsibility for Things That Matter in Your Workplace

Giving you autonomous responsibility says that your boss trusts you and that you are trustworthy. Clearly, you are a valued employee.

4. You Have a Good (Working) Relationship With Your Coworkers

Bad coworkers make for a miserable work environment, and good coworkers are hard to find. If you're at a job where you like working with the people around you, you're in quite a good place. From that good place, you can take your time making decisions about the future.

5. You Can Bring Questions and Concerns to Your Coworkers and Boss

This is similar to the others. You're respect, valued, and trustworth. Yada yada.

6. Your Boss Recognizes Strengths in You That Don't Strictly Pertain to Your Job

I work in a mostly administrative capacity right now, but my boss calls me in to many of the interviews he does when he hires for the department. Why? Because he knows that I'm intuitive and insightful when it comes to people. I'm good at telling him if someone will work well with the rest of us. I also ask good questions that draw people out in ways he wouldn't think of. While I don't love administrative work, I stay because I know I'm valued as more than a good administrator.

7. Your Boss and Company Don't Micromanage Your Time

Again with the trustworthiness. This also indicates that your boss respects you and the decisions you make.

8. Your Boss and Company Aren't Constantly Looking Over Your Shoulder

They respect you enough as a person with a life outside of the job to realize that, sometimes, you have to make a personal call on the job. Or sometimes you're done with your work or taking a break and checking out that fun new online game or coding your own page. They know you'll get the job done, and so don't keep on you to always work on "work stuff" at work.

9. Your Boss Trusts You to Make Decisions and Work With Him to Implement Them

Clearly, an employer who trusts you is one to consider staying with if you're not sure what else is out there, or until you are sure.

10. You Get to Do New Things as You Demonstrate Your Commitment and Show Yourself Capable

You are a person with growing and developing strengths and ideas. In a situation like this, it just might be possible (depending on what you ultimately want to do) to turn a job you don't really like into one you do. You might not have to go solo to fulfill your dreams, but be able to pursue them in the environment you're already it. It's at least worth looking that.

Two important characteristics of a good work environment are supervisors who trust their workers and who see them as more than machines to fulfill a task. If you have these things in your workplace, it might be a place worth staying even if your actual job isn't everything you've dreamed of and more.

Before the comments erupt, I'd like to point out that I'm not saying that these things mean you should stay at your job, but that their presence indicates a quality work environment that you may not find elsewhere. If you're not sure what you want to do or what other things will work with your time and personality, staying in a job with these characteristics gives you an environment where you can both develop good workplace skills while examining your options. While some smart people might disagree with me, I say that there are worse things in life than having a decent job with a good work environment.

This article is from Sarah Winfrey of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

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