JT & Dale Talk Jobs: Is now a bad time to change jobs?

Dear J.T. & Dale: After the pandemic, I switched jobs. I’ve been here a year, and I just don’t like it. I am thinking of leaving, but my family says the economy is about to get bad and that jumping jobs is risky right now. Do you agree? — Sloane

DALE: First off, your family might be wrong about the economy being about to get bad. Or, they could be right. Or, they could be both. I follow what a number of economists are saying, and it seems that lately, it hasn’t been that some are right and some are wrong but that everybody is both. This is why you have to focus on industries and companies and try to figure out where your skills can thrive. It’s fairly easy to get a promotion in a growing company and nearly impossible in a declining one. So don’t try to predict the economy, just seek to target growing companies.

J.T.: There’s always a risk in leaving a job. If you are truly unhappy and don’t see yourself learning or growing there long-term, then, of course, you should consider leaving.

Back to homepage

Subscriber Login

Keep reading with a digital access subscription.

Subscribe now

DALE: Indeed, I’d say that the greater risk is being in a job that you don’t like. You’re not a good enough actor to have your management believe you like it, and who are the best candidates to lay off in good times or bad? The miserables. The ones bringing down morale. And forget about a raise or promotion.

J.T.: Plus, when you are unhappy in your job, you must be very careful about what new job you choose to go to. Oftentimes, when people are unhappy, they take the first job that they can just to get out of their negative situation. This is like the old saying, out of the frying pan and into the fire. Your goal right now is to interview companies and make sure that they are stable and will suit your needs long-term so that you can weather the economic storm. In short, I’m saying to be very careful about the job that you take and do your homework so that you can make sure that transitioning will be a success.