4 Signs That Your Career Is In Trouble

Life for someone who is desperately looking for a job is tough. The stress of wondering how to make ends meet, combined with the frustration of trying so hard to accomplish something without seeing any results can make anyone discouraged and depressed. However, life isn't much better for those who are lucky enough to have a job. With the tight job market and current economic recession, even people who are working are in constant fear of losing their jobs.



Sadly, the fear isn't simply paranoia. When you've seen others in your office get fired for little to no reason, or have withstood a round or two of corporate lay-offs or downsizing, it's hard not to be worried. However, worry isn't preparation. It just eats at you and it can affect your health in a bunch of different ways. But, what can you do?



If you're worried that your career is on the rocks, it's important to know the warning signs so that you can either make things better, or start looking for a new job.

Here are 4 warning signs that your career is in trouble:

 

• No positive feedback - Even if you have never had any problems with the quality of your work, if no one has anything great to say about you, it's a big red flag. These days, it isn't enough to just not be a bad employee. If you don't stand out, at least a little, you become easier to live without. Once an employer believes that you aren't vital, it's easy to justify getting rid of you. The best way to combat this is to do your best and look for ways to show how crucial what you do is to the company.
• Your boss is moving on - When the higher level managers start moving on to other jobs, it's a huge sign that things within the company aren't going great. Look at the top level executives at your company, if several of them leave, especially around the same time, they might have seen the trouble ahead and are leaving before it hits. There isn't anything you can do about this problem, but you can begin to get your resume in order.
• You haven't gotten a raise or a promotion in years - Despite getting positive feedback from your boss, if you haven't been given a raise or a promotion in a long time, it may be a sign that your position is being phased out. If you're concerned about this, have a talk with your boss and respectfully address the problem. It could be that it's time to start looking for a new company.

If all of this sounds familiar, don't panic. The good news is that you still have time to try to improve your current work situation, while polishing your resume and looking for new opportunities. The worst thing you can do is ignore the warning signs and hope that things don't get worse.



How did you know that your job was on the way out? Please share your thoughts in the comments.