How to Know when to Quit your Job

Experiencing some dissatisfaction with your job is not always a sign that it’s time to quit and look for a new position. Many people will find themselves wondering if they’ve outgrown their job, but put off leaving because they don’t want to make a career mistake. How do you know for sure when it’s time to quit?

You Dread Going to Work

Most people would rather be doing something else other than going to work every day—that’s only natural. However, if you truly experience dread every morning because you just can’t stand the job or the people you work with, a change is probably in order.

Your Work is no Longer Challenging

Many people are content to work for the paycheck rather than for job satisfaction or building a career. However, that’s not enough for everyone. If you’ve been working at the same job for several years and you find that it’s no longer challenging or interesting, this is a good reason to start looking for a new position, particularly if you know that you have no chance of promotion at your current place of work.

Your Values or Ethics are not Compatible with the Company

If you’re experiencing a major clash of ethics or values with your company or the people you work with, your job satisfaction is unlikely to be high. If your employer asks you do to something you’re not comfortable with, it’s probably time to look for a new job.

You’re not Getting Along with your Boss or Co-workers

Is your work situation intolerable because your relationship with your boss or colleagues is damaged beyond repair? Sometimes there are things you can do to rebuild work relationships, but sometimes that’s just not possible. If you’re in this situation it’s usually better to look for a new job, and learn from any mistakes you might have made in your current position.

You Get a Job Offer from another Company

Even if you’re satisfied with your current position, a job offer from out of the blue will make you wonder if you wouldn’t be happier elsewhere. You’ll need to evaluate an offer extensively to decide whether you should stay in your current job or take up the new position. Money is definitely not the only concern here—also consider the work environment, the people you’d be working with, corporate culture, and other factors such as commute times.

Also, please review our Tools to Find a Job section.