Changing Jobs: Is It Time?

Summer 2007

Have you ever found yourself wondering about how the other half lives in another organization? Battling "should I stay, or should I go?" uncertainties can be quite a challenge. Since many of us are already swamped with balancing work, home responsibilities, and a pittance of personal time, our thought processes and ultimate decisions in this area are often made under less-than-ideal conditions.

Why People Leave
There are many reasons that employees leave an organization. Some of the recurring themes that have been identified are as follows:

• Conflict with the boss
• Lack of recognition
• Desire for higher compensation
• Little involvement in meaningful duties
• Uncertainty with company’s financial stability
• Lack of direction or growth in the company
• Clash with corporate or team culture
• Lack of a clear career path in the organization

Various studies state that the greatest single reason people leave their jobs is because of conflicts with their boss, to the tune of 60 to 80 percent.

In a 2005 Georgetown University study, Professor Brooks Holtom suggests that "more employees quit their jobs in response to a one-time event or ‘shock’ than because of accumulated job dissatisfaction."¹ The shock could be a major change in the company, a fight with the boss, missing out on a promotion, or something in this area. While the reason for leaving may ultimately be legitimate, this study shows that many of us react to a shock event and make decisions about our careers from a narrower, shorter-term perspective than we should.

Why People Stay
Employers want to assume that employees stay because they love what they do and where they work. Often, this is true. There are, however, subconscious anchors at work as well. There is a time value to money; that is, money now is worth more to us than that same money later. Similarly, the position that an employee is in now carries more value, and less risk, than the prospect of a similar position somewhere else. As a result, many employees avoid considering new job opportunities until forced to do so.

Another reason people stay is inertia. People easily become content and accepting of less-than-desirable environments. Change is often more incremental than shocking, so workers experience a "tolerance creep," the acceptance of their current position despite a creeping depreciation in net value. One year benefits premiums rise, another year some responsibilities are outsourced, another year reporting lines shift. A few years later, the worker wakes up in a position he or she would not have accepted originally.

Behavioral economics provides some insight into why this is so. In one recent study, Daniel Kahneman, an economics professor at Princeton University, concluded that people "experience twice as much pain from losing $10 as pleasure from gaining $10."² What that means is, all else being equal, if a prospective opportunity is not resoundingly more attractive than a current position, it may not overcome the fear or potential pain of losing what we have, so we will probably stay.

To Stay or to Go?
When pondering the question, "Should I stay or should I go?" consider these tips:

• The Great Why—The obvious question to ask yourself is why you want to leave your job. Are you fleeing from something or moving toward something? Beware of changing jobs as a result of a shock. Put time and deliberation between a shock event and your decision to accept a new position. Ask yourself if the move addresses the reasons you are leaving your current job.
• Pick a Direction—Where has your career gone to date, and where would you like it to go? We all need context to understand how the decision will affect our career goals. Give the decision the due diligence it deserves. Many of us contemplate and accept positions without knowing where we are headed.
• Always Problems—Once you decide to pursue a new position, know that all organizations have problems. We have to be honest with ourselves about whether the new opportunity has more of the problems we thrive on, and fewer of those we don’t. Acknowledge the risks and benefits going in.
• Out-of-Body Experience—Errors in judgment often are a result of fear and emotion. Remove these from the equation. As objectively as you can, describe your situation to a neutral party, as if you were talking about someone else. What is that somebody else’s situation and what choices does he or she have? Would that decision improve his or her long-term career? This mental shift improves clarity and logical evaluation of the risks and benefits of the decision.
• No Place Like Home—Are there opportunities for you within your current organization that will let you capitalize on your knowledge of the company and industry? We may be able to gain new skills, change career directions, and explore new markets with those who are more likely to take a chance with us.
• Know the Market—Not only do you need to confirm what you care about, but you also have to know what the market cares about. Is it a good time for candidates in the job market? When is that expected to change? Try to find out what skills and experiences are in demand, and where trends are headed.
• Do You Have the Time?—The big challenge with staying in a position is that the decision is too often based on inaction or a lack of a decision. The day-to-day routine can lull you to complacency and tolerance if you’re not careful. Specifically designate time, every six months to a year, to unplug from the daily routine. Have a career plan and know where you are in it. Get current with market trends and skill demands. Evaluate your current position as if you were applying for it today. See what’s out there and how it compares. Talk to trusted colleagues and service providers. This outreach takes a little bit of time and discipline, but the effort is a small investment for a worthwhile cause.

¹ Brooks C. Holtom, Terence R. Mitchell, Thomas W. Lee, and Edward J. Inderrieden, Shocks as Causes of Turnover: What They Are and How Organizations Can Manage Them, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., 2005.

² Oliver Broudy, "The Six New Rules of Rich," Men’s Health, March 2007.

David Maturo is a partner with Attolon Partners LLC, an executive search firm in Philadelphia. He can be reached at dmaturo@attolon.com.

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