How to figure out if your job really sucks

An obsessive idea to change the job is more often caused by an emotional urge than the real need. Try to fix the situation first. Didn't work? Consider all aspects carefully before jumping to the action. Not just this simple exercise will enable you to make an informative decision but should you conclude that benefits of keeping the job outweigh benefits of leaving, it will help you to stay positive and be happy and productive (or embrace your new position with open arms otherwise).

A lot of people thorough analyze their investments but take change-the-job decision overly lightly, while the latter affects your present and future life at least on the same scale (if not bigger). So be methodical and write down pro's and con's for your job. And: money is always among the important considerations but not the most important one.

For example:


- What is bad about you work now:
1. I do the same stuff ever and ever again, I am bored.
2. I want to work with exciting new people.
3. I am underpaid.

- What is good:

1. I know exactly what I am doing, I understand the clockworks very well, people come to me with their questions and I am capable of providing a valuable help.

2. I am accustomed to the team, I understand all the do's and dont's when dealing with my colleagues.
3. My workday is not crammed as I can navigate between my tasks efficiently.

And now you can analyze your claims and weight them out. Can you really sacrifice the comfort of the "Good 1" and is the "Bad 1" really that bad? Most likely you won't get them both satisfied at once - they are balanced.
The money seems to be the trickiest question of all, but ask yourself - do you really familiar with the current market? Could it be that while you stayed at your job for last 2-5-10 years your expertise became less relevant? A lot of companies who put efforts in stuff retention, inadvertently create an over-confidence in their employees, praising their achievements and over-boosting their confidence. It is a good practice (and a "must have" feature of the good workplace) but aside of quite rare super-achievers a lot of well-performing employees are just normal regular Joes who happens to apply their very specific experience to the very specific job - and it is not the fact that it will be sufficient for the new workplace.