One of the most common questions I hear during mentoring sessions is,Ā ā€œI’m not sure if I should change my job.ā€Ā Often, the mentee is already leaning toward a decision but looks to the mentor for affirmation.

In such cases, I suggest a simple exercise: theĀ Job Happiness Score.

Here’s how it works:
1ļøāƒ£ List 5-6 key parametersĀ that matter most to you in your job. These should reflect your personal priorities—don’t base them on someone else’s expectations.
Examples: Learning, work-life balance, growth, team culture, compensation, etc.

2ļøāƒ£ Create a spider chart.Ā Rate each parameter on a scale of 1 to 5. Multiply the scores to get the total.
For example: If your scores are 3, 4, 2, 4, and 4, your happiness score is 384 (3Ɨ4Ɨ2Ɨ4Ɨ4).

3ļøāƒ£ Compare it to your happiest phase.Ā Create another chart for a time in your career when you were happiest and calculate that score.
Let’s say your happiest score was 2500 (4Ɨ5Ɨ5Ɨ5Ɨ5).

If your current happiness score is significantly lower, it’s a clear indicator that something isn’t working.

šŸŽÆ So what are the next steps:
šŸ“ Check if you can improve any parameter. For instance, if learning has stagnated, can you switch to a more challenging role within the company?

šŸ“ If there’s no scope to improve these scores, it might be time to look for a new job.

This framework has helped many of my mentees think through this tough decision. Try it – it might help you ā— .

āš™ļø Note:Ā If even one parameter scores ā€œ0,ā€ your total happiness score becomes ā€œ0.ā€ In that case, it’s time to move on—no deliberation needed.