Comfort is a Trap: Don’t Get stuck in the Wrong Job!
Today, while browsing LinkedIn, I came across a connection suggestion. The person’s profile photo had the “Open to Work” banner, and out of curiosity, I clicked on it. I noticed that this gentleman had worked at the same company for nearly 29 years, and now, they had asked him to leave.
This immediately took me back to my own past, to a time when I was unhappy at a working place, but due to my personal circumstances, I was hesitant to leave. Even when I tried (though not very hard), I couldn’t make the move.
Of course, I can’t help that gentleman to get new job, and I can’t change my own past. But I do hope younger generations can learn an important lesson from this: no company or job is worth getting stuck in.
At the end of the day, businesses care about one thing: profit. Unfortunately, in many large corporations and consulting firms, employees are seen primarily as assets. You’re valued as long as you’re making money for them. But when things go wrong, or worse, when a manager’s bonus is at risk, you are not family. You are not their friend. You’re just someone they can let go.
So, here’s my two cents, six things to keep in mind during your career:
Evaluate your growth potential in the first year in a company.
Ask yourself honestly: is this a place where you can learn and grow? Does your manager have a plan to help you develop as an expert in your field?
Check if you’re being paid fairly.
The harsh reality is that salary discrimination still exists, especially between men and women. If you’re a woman and you discover you’re earning less than male colleagues with similar experience, that’s a big red flag.
Assess your manager’s commitment to your development.
Does your manager push you to improve your skills and guides you how to get out of your comfort zone? ? Do you have one-on-one conversations at least every quarter? If not, that’s another warning sign.
Look at opportunities for external learning.
Can you request to attend reputable seminars, conferences, or earn certifications? Or is the approval process so difficult it feels like Mission Impossible?
Watch out for a “comfortable” culture.
If you find yourself in a team where more than 30 percent of people have stayed over 15 years in that position or organization, it’s not necessarily a good sign. Especially in fast-moving industries (tech, media, consulting), it can signal:
stagnant culture
blocked promotion paths
resistance to innovation
And most importantly: Are you feeling happy and cheerful at the end of your workday?
Are you enjoying what you do? Do you come home feeling satisfied , maybe tired, but still energized enough to spend quality time with your family or on your personal hobby after work? Do you feel a sense of joy or excitement on Sunday evening when you think about going back to work the next day?
If not , or worse, if you experience any of the following symptoms, it’s time to pay attention:
You collapse on the sofa in front of the TV every evening, or scrolling endlessly on social medias; too exhausted to do anything else.
You feel like you’re coming down with a cold every Friday evening or Saturday. Only by Sunday do you regain just enough energy to handle a few personal errands.
You wake up in the middle of the night, usually between 2:00 AM and 3:00 AM, and you are too alerted to fall back asleep.
These are signals from your intelligent body telling you that you’re overconsuming your energy on something that doesn’t give anything back. You must take these signs seriously before you hit the wall of anxiety or, even worse, burnout.
To that gentleman, I say: congratulations on getting out of the prison. Now you can learn to swim in the bigger ocean and never is too let to break free. It might feel scary at first, but believe me, the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.
