CAREER CHANGE - WHEN TO QUIT YOUR JOB

WHEN IS THE RIGHT TIME TO QUIT YOUR JOB ?

JOB EXPERIENCE  VALUE ADDITION and CAREER CHANGE

Musings

By

VIKRAM KARVE

Are you happy and content in your present job?

Or are you thinking of changing your job?

Or are you confused - should I quit my job or should I stay on?

Are you unsure about the timing - should I quit my job now or wait for later?

The key question is - When should you quit your job?

 

Please read this story, before you take a decision.

A job seeker, who was 30 years old, was being interviewed for a vacancy.

The employer asked him, “How many years work experience do you have?”

“20 years,” the job-seeker answered.

Observing his relatively young age, and quite surprised and curious, the employer asked him, “Tell me, young man, how old are you?”

“I am 30 years old”, the young job-seeker answered.

“When did you start working?”

“November 2002,” the job-seeker answered.

“You started working in November 2002 and it is now November 2012 - that means you have only 10 years service.”

“Yes,” the job seeker said nonchalantly.

Getting exasperated with this answer, the infuriated employer shouted, “What nonsense is this? With only 10 years service how can you have 20 years experience?”

“Overtime,” the young job-seeker answered coolly, “In my previous job, I did a lot of overtime.” 

The employer, who had no sense of humor, was not impressed by the answer. 

And so the job seeker did not get the job.

Wondering why he did not get the job despite his brilliant answer, the job seeker spent the next one year reflecting in deep introspection and contemplation trying to ascertain the reason why he did not get the job.

Suddenly one day the job seeker was enlightened. 

So he immediately he again applied for a job at the same place.

The employer, on recognizing the job seeker, asked him, “So young man, how many years experience do you have now?”

“One year,” the job-seeker said without batting an eyelid.

“One year?  Are you crazy or something?” the dumbfounded employer asked, “Last year you said that you had 20 years of experience, and now you say you have only one year experience.”

The job-seeker gave the employer an astute look and said cannily:

“Actually I realized that I learnt my job in one year and after that I was doing the same thing for the next 10 years. That works out to be one year of experience, ten times, isn’t it?”

He got the job.

IS IT THE RIGHT TIME TO QUIT YOUR JOB ?

Dear Reader, if you work, think about your job. 

Is your job adding value to you?

Are you continuously and constantly learning something new and adding value to yourself in your job? 

Is the type of work you are doing adding value to you? 

Are you doing different types of challenging work?

Is their variety in your work?

Or are you stagnating at your workplace doing the same thing for years and years and years in your job? 

Like in the story above, are you getting “10 years of experience” or are you getting “one year of experience ten times over”?

Remember one thing. 

A job (or career) must be mutually beneficial. 

Of course, you must add value to your job. 

You must add value to the organisation where you work. 

But it is equally important that your job must add value to you. 

And the organization where you work must also add value to you.

And the moment you feel that your job or organization is not adding value to you - it is time to reflect - and weigh in your mind the pros and cons of continuing in your job or looking for fresh opportunities. Talk to your seniors and mentors about it and see if you can change things for the better. 

Then, if you realize that you cannot change anything and are likely to stagnate in your present job - of course you know what to do!

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 2012

Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work. 

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

Did you like reading this article?
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About Vikram Karve

A creative person with a zest for life, Vikram Karve is a retired Naval Officer turned full time writer and blogger. Educated at IIT Delhi, IIT (BHU) Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale and Bishops School Pune, Vikram has published two books: COCKTAIL a collection of fiction short stories about relationships (2011) and APPETITE FOR A STROLL a book of Foodie Adventures (2008) and is currently working on his novel and a book of vignettes and an anthology of short fiction. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories and creative non-fiction articles on a variety of topics including food, travel, philosophy, academics, technology, management, health, pet parenting, teaching stories and self help in magazines and published a large number of professional  and academic research papers in journals and edited in-house journals and magazines for many years, before the advent of blogging. Vikram has taught at a University as a Professor for 15 years and now teaches as a visiting faculty and devotes most of his time to creative writing and blogging. Vikram Karve lives in Pune India with his family and muse - his pet dog Sherry with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.

Vikram Karve Academic and Creative Writing Journal: http://karvediat.blogspot.com
Professional Profile Vikram Karve: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve
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Vikram Karve Creative Writing Blog: http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com/blog/posts.htm
Email: vikramwamankarve@gmail.com

      

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.