Do you like your job?

A job is a strange thing. Every day you get dressed, move yourself to an office and spend most of your waking hours devoting yourself to whatever it is your employer wants you to do. You might be writing emails, closing deals or coding websites, but it’s all done for the greater good.

Some time ago, someone had an idea. He or she got some people together, built a company, and at some point hired you. Depending on the size of your company this founder is either someone you see and work with on a daily basis, or someone hopping from meeting to meeting far away in the global HQ.

This person has a dream, and you’re working every day to build on it. Every minute you spend behind your desk makes that idea grow, perform better and make more money.

It might sound like the most depressing way to look at employment ever — but it doesn’t have to be. It’s all about being picky.

When taking on a job, you need to figure out if you can level with the founder’s and company’s vision — is this a cause you want to devote your precious time to? Do their dreams and ideas align with yours? You’re alive for a very, very short amount of time, so why spend any of it on something you don’t totally believe in?

It might be your company’s disregard for privacy or its stance on the current political climate, when you’re putting in the hours for something you — perhaps even unknowingly — disagree with, something’s wrong.

This presents a challenge for some companies. When working in a small, startup-like organisation it’s often easy to identify with the founder’s mission — you probably see him or her daily over lunch. But when you’re part of a corporation employing thousands of people, it makes sense to feel disconnected.

Whatever your situation might be, it’s important to stay critical and keep checking in with yourself from time to time. If you can’t beat the feeling it’s not a great fit, it might be time to say goodbye.