There are ups and downs in every job, and for me it is no different. I had been with my last employer for several years before I got laid off a couple of weeks ago. It isn’t a total tragedy because I was already looking because I was just getting fed up with the BS. That was second employer, and when I think back to why I left my previous job I see a very similar pattern with regards to my phases of job satisfaction. I’m not sure if this is common, but here is my observation from both employers:
- Uncertainty – Starting a new job is filled with uncertainty. Will I like the company? Is the job right for me? Will I like the people I work with? There are so many question marks, and for the first few months I try to evaluate the situation.
- Acceptance – After a few months, a certain level of comfort sets in. I gain confidence in my ability to do the work, start building friendships with my colleagues, and start feeling like my company is a good place to be.
- Enthusiasm – After a while at the same position, my abilities are noticed by those above me and I start getting excellent evaluations, which leads to great salary increases and bonuses. Not too long afterwards I get promoted to the next level, and enthusiasm is running at an all-time high. As odd as it seems, I may stay here for the rest of my career, I think to myself.
- Mild disappointment – A few months after the promotion, disappointment starts to settle in. The job isn’t quite what it was made out to be, whether it be that the duties aren’t what I expected or I just find myself doing the same exact things I was doing before the promotion.
- Disillusionment – This is the sign I probably won’t last a lot longer. I become completely dissatisfied with the job. I start to believe that there is little reason to believe things will improve in my current position. At this point I start my job search slowly. I find myself quoting the mutterings of Milton from Office Space, “I’ll set the building on fire”, softly under my breath throughout the day. I struggle to pull myself out of bed in the morning to report for work. I start to fantasize about the idea of working for myself so I never have to put up with a crappy 8-5 job ever again, and start quoting the Peter character saying, “I don’t like my job, and I don’t think I’m going to go anymore”. The last time around I found a new position through a friend of mine (and thankfully it was the only job I interviewed for), submitted my two weeks notice, and did a happy dance. This time around, I started the search slowly and then had it kicked into overdrive by a layoff.
