Subtle indicators you've outgrown your job or industry

Let me tell you about one of my most successful clients—Sarah. When Sarah first jumped on a consultation call with me, she looked like she had all the markers of success—a director-level position at a prestigious supply chain firm, a six-figure salary, and the respect of her colleagues.

But within minutes of our conversation, the facade cracked.

"I should be happy," she said, rubbing her temples. "Everyone thinks I'm living the dream. So why do I feel like I'm dying inside every Sunday night?"

Sarah was experiencing what I've seen in thousands of professionals throughout my career as a transformation strategist—career misalignment.

It's that nagging sense that despite external success, something fundamental is off. You're in the wrong role, the wrong company, or perhaps even the wrong industry altogether.

The cost of staying misaligned isn't just emotional—it's physical, financial, and can derail your long-term career trajectory.

In this edition of "My First Layoff," we're exploring the warning signs that you've outgrown your professional environment.

Whether a layoff has forced you to reassess or you're contemplating a change proactively, recognizing these indicators is the crucial first step to finding alignment.

Physical and Emotional Warning Signs

The Sunday Scaries Have Become the Everyday Scaries

Remember when the Sunday scaries were just a mild case of weekend-ending blues? In misaligned careers, that feeling morphs into a constant companion.

You know you're out of alignment when that pit in your stomach doesn't disappear after Monday morning. It lingers, becoming your baseline state. One client described it as "living with a low-grade fever of dread."

If you're experiencing persistent anxiety about work that never quite lifts, your body is sending you an important signal. This isn't normal professional stress—it's misalignment manifesting physically.

Your Energy Has a Pattern (And It's Not Good)

Pay attention to when you feel energized versus depleted. Do you notice your energy drop the moment you log on for work, only to mysteriously recover during personal projects or weekend activities?

One VP I worked with realized his energy pattern was telling: "I would drag myself through 60-hour workweeks feeling constantly exhausted. But then I'd spend three hours on Saturday helping a friend with their startup and feel more alive than I had all week."

Your energy is a compass. When aligned work energizes rather than depletes, misaligned work does the opposite—no matter how many hours of sleep you get or how much coffee you consume.

Health Issues That Disappear on Vacation

"It's probably just stress" becomes the explanation for a host of physical symptoms: headaches, digestive issues, disrupted sleep, and even skin problems.

But have you noticed these symptoms mysteriously improve during extended time away from work?

This pattern reveals what your body already knows. When a client tells me their chronic neck pain vanishes during PTO only to return their first day back, we're not discussing medical mysteries—we're discussing misalignment.

Professional Warning Signs

You're Competent, But Indifferent

You can do your job well—perhaps even excellently—but you simply don't care about the outcomes anymore.

This competent indifference is a clear sign that while you've mastered the skills, you've lost connection to the purpose.

"I could do my job in my sleep," an operations manager told me. "And sometimes I feel like I am."

When professional mastery leads to boredom rather than deeper engagement, you've likely outgrown your role.

The Learning Curve Has Flattened

Remember the excitement of scaling that initial learning curve in your role? The challenges that stretched your capabilities and the satisfaction of developing new skills?

In a misaligned career, that curve has flattened completely. Months pass without intellectual stimulation or professional growth.

You find yourself seeking challenges elsewhere—taking courses unrelated to your field, developing side projects, or considering drastic changes just to feel that growth again.

This stagnation isn't just boring—it's dangerous to your long-term employability in a rapidly evolving job market.

Your Values and Your Organization's Values Have Diverged

Perhaps one of the most common scenarios I see—you've evolved, but your organization hasn't. Or vice versa.

A financial analyst I worked with realized that after becoming a parent, his company's work-is-life culture no longer aligned with his values.

Another client found that her increasing environmental concerns clashed with her employer's practices.

When you find yourself apologizing for your company's actions or decisions, defending policies you don't believe in, or compartmentalizing your values during work hours, you're experiencing values misalignment—one of the most untenable positions for long-term career satisfaction.

The "Golden Handcuffs" Feel More Like Regular Handcuffs

You stay for the salary, the benefits, the stock options set to vest, or the prestigious name on your resume—but these external rewards no longer compensate for the internal cost.

One tech executive described it as "being paid to hold my breath underwater. No matter how good the pay, eventually you need to come up for air."

Golden handcuffs that once felt like security now feel like imprisonment. The compensation package that once seemed worth any sacrifice now seems inadequate for the toll on your well-being.

Social Warning Signs

You've Stopped Talking About Your Work

Think about the last dinner party or family gathering you attended. Did you enthusiastically share what you're working on? Or did you change the subject when asked about your job?

When you're proud of your work, you want to talk about it. When you're misaligned, you avoid the subject entirely or find yourself complaining rather than sharing.

Here’s a telling exercise for you to ponder on. Imagine running into an old friend who asks what you've been doing professionally. If your immediate reaction is dread about how to answer, that's valuable information.

You Feel Like an Imposter—But Not in the Way You Think

Classic imposter syndrome is feeling undeserving of success. But in career misalignment, you experience a different version.

You feel like an imposter because you're succeeding at something you no longer believe in.

"I was winning awards for work I didn't even respect anymore," a marketing director told me. "Each accolade felt like it was cementing me further into a path I didn't want to be on."

Recognition that once validated your choices now feels like it's trapping you in a misaligned identity.

So, Where Do We Go From Here?

If you've nodded along to several of these indicators, you're likely experiencing career misalignment.

Now what?

Start With Honest Self-Assessment

Before making any moves, clarify what specifically feels out of alignment. Is it:

• The role (what you do day-to-day)

• The company (culture, leadership, values)

• The industry (purpose, impact, direction)

• The work structure (remote vs. in-office, hours, flexibility)

Different sources of misalignment require different solutions. A role mismatch might be solved with an internal transfer; an industry mismatch requires more substantial reinvention.

Test Before You Leap

Rather than immediately quitting, create small experiments to test potential new directions:

• Shadow professionals in roles you're curious about.

• Take on side projects that utilize different skills.

• Volunteer in areas aligned with the values you want to express professionally.

• Request temporary assignments that would expose you to new aspects of your organization.

These low-risk tests provide real data about what actually energizes you rather than what you think might work in theory.

Distinguish Between Temporary Burnout and True Misalignment

Sometimes what feels like fundamental misalignment is actually recoverable burnout.

The key difference is simple.

Burnout typically resolves with proper rest, boundaries, and workplace adjustments. Misalignment persists regardless of these interventions.

A former client who was convinced she needed to leave her field discovered after a three-week vacation and some boundary-setting, that she still loved her work—she had just been pushing too hard for too long.

Begin Building Bridges, Not Burning Them

When misalignment becomes clear, resist the urge to make dramatic exits. Instead, begin building bridges to your next chapter while maintaining professional relationships.

The financial security and professional network from your current position are valuable assets in your transition—don't sacrifice them prematurely.

Seeing Misalignment as Opportunity

Career misalignment, while uncomfortable, is not a failure. It's often a sign of growth—you've evolved beyond your current professional container.

When Jack, a former pharmaceutical sales representative, first recognized his misalignment, he saw it as a personal failing. "I thought there was something wrong with me for not being satisfied with a job that checked all the conventional boxes," he shared.

Two years later, after transitioning into healthcare policy work, he had a different perspective: "The misalignment was actually my internal GPS redirecting me toward work that mattered more to me. The discomfort was a feature, not a bug."

Your career, at its best, should be an expression of your evolving skills, values, and vision for impact.

When the alignment between who you are and what you do begins to slip, it's not just a problem to solve—it's an invitation to create something better.

The most successful professionals I've worked with don't just endure their careers; they actively curate them, regularly reassessing alignment and making adjustments as needed.

They understand that career paths are rarely linear, and misalignment is often the precursor to their most meaningful professional chapters.

Your next chapter may be waiting just beyond the discomfort you're experiencing now.

The question is: Are you ready to respond to the signals?

Until Next Time…

If this was helpful, share it with a friend who needs a career boost. And don’t forget to:

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• Listen to the My First Layoff Podcast here.