One of the most common questions I hear during mentoring sessions is,Ā āIām not sure if I should change my job.āĀ 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.
Hereās how it works:
1ļøā£ List 5-6 key parametersĀ that matter most to you in your job. These should reflect your personal prioritiesādonāt base them on someone elseās expectations.
Examples: Learning, work-life balance, growth, team culture, compensation, etc.
2ļøā£ 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 (3Ć4Ć2Ć4Ć4).
3ļøā£ Compare it to your happiest phase.Ā Create another chart for a time in your career when you were happiest and calculate that score.
Letās say your happiest score was 2500 (4Ć5Ć5Ć5Ć5).
If your current happiness score is significantly lower, itās a clear indicator that something isnāt working.
šÆ So what are the next steps:
š Check if you can improve any parameter. For instance, if learning has stagnated, can you switch to a more challenging role within the company?
š If thereās 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 .
āļø Note:Ā If even one parameter scores ā0,ā your total happiness score becomes ā0.ā In that case, itās time to move onāno deliberation needed.
š Are You Wondering If Itās Time to Change Your Job?