Hate Your Job? Follow These 6 Steps

By Alison Green

Most people have moments of frustration with their jobs. But if you've been unhappy for months, that's not normal or healthy – that's a flag that you should be thinking about making a change. But sometimes it's not that simple. You might be convinced you won't be able to find a job that pays as well; you may worry that you won't be qualified for other work; or you might simply be having trouble getting the mental energy to launch a job search while you're still mired in a job that makes you unhappy.

When you're feeling stuck in a job that's wrong for you, here are six steps that can help you get un-stuck:

1. Ask yourself what would need to change for you to be happy. Would it take getting a new boss? A switch away from a project with a difficult client? Some relief in your workload? A raise? Not every problem can be fixed (or is likely to be fixed), but quite a few are surmountable. Simply getting clarity on whether or not that's the case can be useful in helping you think about next steps. And if you're not even sure how to figure out this question, consider talking it through with a trusted mentor, who might be able to help you determine if asking for a change would be feasible.