When Is It Time for a Staff Accountant to Change Jobs?

How Do You Know It’s Time to Look for Another Job?

Is now the time to start looking for a new staff accountant job? Job searching can be both frustrating and challenging, and maybe you are wondering if it is worth the hassle. But can you stay in a job that is making you unhappy for a few more months, hoping things will turn around?

The economy may look uncertain right now, but the job outlook for accounting jobs has remained firm. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of accountants and auditors is set to grow by 4% by 2029.

Now could be a great time to look for a new and exciting challenge as a staff accountant. All you need do is decide if you should be seeking a new opportunity.

5 Signs It’s Time to Look for a New Staff Accountant Job

Many staff accountants spend too long sitting on the fence about their decision to search for a new job. You may be unhappy in your current job but are hopeful that it will get better, and think you can bear it a little longer.

However, with your job taking up a significant part of your life, is this the attitude to have? Here are five clear signs it’s time to look for a new job.

1.    You Are Overwhelmed with Your Workload

Feeling overworked and like you are constantly running around trying to put out fires is a sure sign that something is wrong with your job.

It is normal to feel pressure sometimes at work; for example, when there is a looming deadline or special projects to work on. However, if that pressure becomes constant, or if your boss keeps piling more work onto your to-do list, it’s a sign that it is time to move on.

2.    You Don’t Have Good Social Connections

A big indicator that you need to look for a new staff accountant job is that you don’t have good social connections in your workplace. Having friends and colleagues you get along with and can have a laugh with makes working much more fun. A lack of social connections at work can be detrimental to good mental health.

It could be that the company culture is not the right fit for you. Perhaps you don’t click with your colleagues. Good social connections will help support your productivity and your long-term happiness in your job. If this is lacking in your current job, it is probably time to find somewhere that strengthens these links.

3.    You Have Stopped Learning

Accounting is a profession where there is always more to learn. New technologies are developed, new rules and regulations are introduced, and your skillset must keep pace – especially if you want to develop your career into senior accounting roles.

If the learning has stopped in your current staff accountant job, and this has been the case for a while, despite your attempts to request further training and education from your boss, it’s time to move elsewhere. Unless you wish to remain in a job that has stagnated, and which you find repetitive.

Learning is also an essential part of your marketability as a staff accountant. If your knowledge and skills are relevant, you become more attractive to prospective employers.

4.    You Work in a Dysfunctional Team

The foundation needed to have a successful staff accounting job depends on the team around you. Good teams benefit from strong communication, strategic planning, productive co-workers, and inspirational management.

If the team is not functioning well, your job becomes harder. If there is not strong management to maintain it on the right course, then it may be time to search for a more productive environment to work in.

5.    Experiencing Physical or Mental Pain

Experiencing physical or mental exhaustion – which can manifest in forms such as lack of sleep, too much sleep, stress headaches, and more – is a big red flag that it’s time to look for a new job.

To Sum Up

If you are experiencing any or all the above symptoms, you need to act. Your first action may be to try to rectify the situation at work. Speak to your boss, explain the issues, and see if they can help you to find solutions. However, if you have tried to improve the situation at your current job without any results, then it’s time to make the active decision to start your job search.

You spend half of your waking hours at work. You deserve a job that make you happy and offers career development. For help finding a staff accounting role that is the right fit for you, contact 6 Degrees today.

Take the next step in your job search today