ESPN recently made headlines for firing over 100 people, including some well known on-air talent. Although it received the most attention, the beginning of the second quarter this year has been a critical time for companies to restructure, resulting in numerous layoffs. Among those laid off are most likely a fair amount of people who have been wanting to leave their role for some time. Unfortunately, or for some, fortunately, the company forced their transition. The following are three indicators that it may be time to find a new job, before the decision is made for you:

1)   You dread going to work every day

While for many the notion of work and dread seem synonymous, it is not normal to feel such a consistent & high degree of  dismay about your job. If you begin to feel unhappy or even anxious on Sundays contemplating the workweek, or take a longer than usual time to prepare for work in the morning, or find that you are arriving at work later and later, your time at this job may be nearing an end.

2)   You have lost your drive

Your motivation and focus on projects or strategy have waned. Work now seems just like a “going through the motions” routine. Your goal is just getting through the day. If you no longer feel challenged, or have become stuck, it is important to acknowledge this reality.

3)   You are not advancing at an adequate pace

If you feel that you have been performing fairly well, have received good performance reviews, but have watched other colleagues advance or be promoted faster than you, your company and your manager are sending you a signal. While they may not fire you, they are telling you that there is no real future for you at the organization.

While managing a job search is never an easy task, these signs suggest that you may need to formulate a transition plan.  In my next blog post, I will discuss how to move from job stagnation to transition action.