Signs You Should Leave Your Job (Sooner Rather Than Later)

We all get content at times, especially at a job that pays decently well and comes with a good group of co-workers. Maybe your job isn’t what you really want to do for the rest of your life, but you start convincing yourself, “This is fine—it’s not my dream job, but it’ll do for now.” And there’s nothing wrong with feeling contented or comfortable at your job.

But keep in mind that being “content” can easily lead to gratification—and that’s the danger zone. Gratification tends to generate excuses (“I’ll put up with this just for a few more months,” or “I just don’t have time to do a job search right now”) and leads us to settle (“This job will do for now,” or “Maybe I don’t need to be a VP [or fill in your blank dream job here]”). Worst of all, gratification will eventually lead to fear. And fear holds us back. These feelings of fear can quickly get overwhelming, and the easy way out is often to postpone the job search, to ignore the matter at hand—and to spend more time in a less-than-dream-job.

Do not get complacent. In fact, make time to regularly check in with yourself about your career happiness and goals and consider whether it might be time to make that next move.

What are the telltale signs that it’s time to seriously consider leaving your current job and pursuing the next thing? Here are strong signals.

You're bored all the time.

"If you're no longer challenged in your position and have tried communicating with your boss to no avail, this may be a sign that it's time to leave," Although boredom is a very standard feeling, researchers believe prolonged feelings of boredom while at work are a warning sign that you are not doing what you want to be doing and are searching for more meaning.

If you're spending most of your workday on the internet shopping or playing games, or if you're checking the time frequently at work, those are key indicators.

You’re living the Status Quo

If you’ve been at the same company and position without any advancement or promotion for the past three years—and you want to continue moving your career forward—it’s time to look elsewhere. Even in a large organization where promotions are tough to come by, you should be able to make some sort of upward movement within this time frame.

Your skills aren't being tapped/used productively.

Sometimes you have to take whatever you can get, stick it out for a while and, hopefully, prove to your boss that you're capable of managing more responsibilities. If you've been doing this and much more for a while, and you're still stuck in a position that doesn't allow you to utilize your skill and knowledge, then it's time to start considering other options. "When you know you have more to offer the world and the world is adamant of what you have to offer, don't second-guess yourself — get ready for change.

You lack passion. 

You’re not waking up most mornings with a feeling of excitement towards your job. That feeling you had when you first started working there–thinking about all the possibilities and contributions ahead with a sense of glee—is gone. If you’re not doing what you love, you will never tap your true potential. “It will just continue to be ‘a job,’ and eventually each day will seem more of a grind.”

You don’t get feedback

If your direct manager doesn’t provide feedback on your performance—or the feedback is generic and thus difficult to take action on—it’s pretty tough to learn what it takes to move up within your organization or grow as a professional. The best managers are engaged with your career development and regularly offer advice and guidance—and if yours doesn’t, you owe it to yourself to look elsewhere.

You worry about money — all the time.

It's true that most of us worry about money often, but if this worry is constantly on your mind and it's not because you're a shopaholic, then maybe you're not getting paid enough.

If you've been at your current company long enough, request to speak to management about this. Make sure your argument as to why you should be paid more is applicable. Then, ask for an evaluation. If the company doesn't agree that you need to be paid consistent with your workload, then it might be time to find a company that doesn't make you feel like they're doing you a favor by paying you, Taylor says.

Your employer's goals and your personal mission don't match up.

People don't stay put in a job for as long as they can stand it anymore, former GE CEO Jack Welch and Suzy Welch, a best-selling author and business journalist, wrote in a LinkedIn post. These days, people consider whether they are investing their time at the right or wrong company. It is suggested that asking yourself if your company "jibes with your life's goals and values." "Does it require you to travel more than you'd like, given your chosen work-life balance? Does it offer enough upward mobility, given your level of ambition?" they say. How you answer these questions could signal whether it's time to move on.

You’re not learning

?If you’re learning curve has flattened out or you’re really not feeling challenged, this may signal a need to move on. You may not be learning something new every day on the job, but you should be improving upon your core skills and picking up new ones. You often have to take this into your own hands, of course—asking to be involved in a new project, signing up for courses you’re interested in, or attending a relevant conference or seminar in your discipline, for example. But if these possibilities don’t exist at your current job, it’s a sign that the company is not serious about investing in your career development. On your side you are just occupying the job position without learning anything new in relation to you job, you are then developing a job history but not experience. It is time to quit now and not tomorrow.

Your work performance is suffering. 

If you’re no longer productive at work, even though you’re capable of performing the task(s), you might want to start looking for new work, Hockett says

There’s a Constant Exodus

Do you find yourself going to a colleague’s going-away drinks way too frequently? Does everyone around you seem to be constantly updating their resumes and LinkedIn profiles? When you start noticing a pattern of disgruntled employees (especially the good ones) seeking exits and frequent departures, this usually indicates there are better places to work—and you probably have options. No, I’m not encouraging anyone to blindly follow the herd, but take it as a warning sign, and ask your departing pals why they chose to move on. Their responses may be applicable to your situation as well. The opinions and perception differ as some may see their future at the organization while others don’t see it. Start thinking otherwise when the greatest percentage of your colleagues are seeing future outside your company.

Your work-related stress is affecting your physical health. 

“The work, people, or culture is unhealthy, and it has a negative impact on you physically and mentally,” Hockett says. “The stress is present both inside and outside of work; it’s consuming. Your family and friends are affected by this, too.” Taylor says when work starts affecting your health–physical, mental, or both–it’s time to get out.

You're burnt out.

Work can be tasking for everyone, and we all occasionally feel weary after a long day at the office, but if your life is a chronic state of stress and exhaustion thanks to work, you're probably suffering from job burnout.

The physical, emotional, or mental exhaustion from work can manifest themselves in a number of ways, from significant weight gain or loss and inconsistent sleep patterns to getting upset by every little thing that's happening at work. "Stress, fear, or lack of enthusiasm can drain your energy and hurt your performance, creating a lose-lose proposition," these could be signs that you are not get the best out of your job and hence job performance issues which of course are signs that you should quit your current job.

There’s regular Re-structuring

If your organization is regularly announcing a re-org or shuffling management around, this may indicate leadership issues or a shaky strategic direction. Re-orgs can provide an opportunity to step up and shine; but more often than not, they signal hurly-burly. And more importantly, they create a challenging environment for your career development needs to get any attention. Your priorities, focus, and progress will inevitably be impacted.

You've got the boss from ‘hell.’

As the management professor Merideth Ferguson once said, most people quit bosses, they don't quit jobs. Your boss' attitude doesn't just affect your time at work; it actually affects other important aspects of your life. If you've tried everything to make it work and your life is simply unbearable, then it's time to visit your favorite job board.

You no longer have good work-life balance.

When you find that you’re spending less time with your family because of work, or you cannot commit the necessary time to your job, you should consider looking elsewhere, Sutton Fell says

You are experiencing verbal abuse, sexual harassment, or are aware of any type of other illegal behavior. 

If you’re the victim of bullying, sexual harassment or other egregious behavior, you should certainly keep an eye out for other positions, regardless of what corrective measures you’re taking

Headhunters Want You

Those annoying emails and calls from recruiters may not result in a new job—but don’t ignore them completely. A heavy volume of inbound calls and emails may indicate your industry is “hot” and organizations are hiring. I usually consider these conversations as market research to see who’s hiring, what roles and functions are in need, and the average salary range for comparable jobs. You may get invitations through job portals or professional connections and on LinkedIn. This is a sign that you can shine or prosper from elsewhere. It is an indicator you are to quit your job for another one.

Your skills are not being tapped. 

Management doesn’t acknowledge that you have more to offer than what you’ve been contributing for a significant amount of time, you’ve been passed over for promotion, or attempts to take on more challenging assignments have failed, Taylor says. “No one has said anything, however, you are no longer getting the plum assignments, you are no longer asked to attend key meetings, or your proposals are met with silence or denial,” Hockett adds. “These are signs that you should be looking for a new opportunity.”

You feel like you can't ever win.

In a LinkedIn post, Robert O'keane, an international search consultant for Charles Francis Cooper, warns against ignoring the feeling that you can never win at work. "Your job should make you feel exhilarated and challenged — like you are succeeding in something, rather than like you are fighting a losing battle and not achieving anything.  This means the work environment is not in your favor and so the organization you are working for becomes ‘a body against your struggle.’ It is time to quit, search and engage yourself in better wars than the ones you can’t win.

Your ideas are not being heard.

If your ideas are no longer heard or valued; you can’t seem to get time with the ‘powers that be; or you cannot get approvals or acknowledgment for great work, think about finding a new job, Taylor says.

It feels like time to go

Beyond these warning signs, don’t ignore what your gut is telling you. No one knows your work environment better than you do. And if you get the sense that you might be better off somewhere else, heed that inner voice and go exploring.

Given that many of us spend over 40 hours per week at our jobs, you owe it to yourself to regularly evaluate your career situation. Even if you're perfectly happy at your current job, make it a habit to check in with yourself (or with a trusted buddy, if that’s helpful) at least twice a year. Not only is it a good opportunity to review your accomplishments (and get in the habit of regularly updating your resume!), but you’ll also force yourself to gauge the market conditions within your industry.

Best of all, going through this process will mean you’ll either find more satisfaction out of your current job—or you’ll discover new opportunities and move on to the next big thing.

You're not growing.

"It's easy to get stuck in a job and, if you love what you're doing, getting stuck can be comfortable. “However, it's important to remember that every job should enhance your skills and add to your value as an employee." If you're not learning anything new and are simply doing the same thing every day, it's time to look elsewhere.

Your company isn't invested in you.

Employee engagement is one of those buzz worthy management phrases we hear all the time, but there's a reason it got to be so overused: employee engagement matters. As Gallup notes, engaged employees are passionate, creative, and emotionally connected to the mission and purpose of their work, while disengaged employees are indifferent toward their jobs and can destroy a business. If your company doesn't seem to care about your engagement, you'd be better off working elsewhere.

Your job duties have changed/increased, but the pay hasn’t.

Sometimes there’s a good reason for this—but Sutton Fell says it’s usually a sign you should go. “When downsizing has moved your team into double time, but certainly nowhere near double compensation, it may be time to move on,” Taylor says. That’s especially true if the company is performing well, but it’s not reflected in your salary or other rewards.

It looks like layoffs are coming.

There are several signs mass layoffs may be coming, from previous rounds of downsizing to recent acquisitions and mergers. 

"There's no need to go down with this ship," Taylor says. "Put on your life preserver and get in the water."

You can't picture yourself at your company in a year.

As previously reported on Business Insider, the Welches say a year is about how long it takes to find a new, better job. That's why they suggest trying to look forward to 12 months from now and picturing where you'll most likely be in the organization, what work you'll be doing, who you'll be managing, and who will be managing you. "If that scenario strikes you with anything short of excitement, then you're spinning your wheels," they say.

You've got serious trust issues.

If you don't trust your boss or company because you believe they engage in unethical activities, or worse, expect you to partake, you know it's time to go, Taylor says. "You should never feel pressured to comply with activities that could hurt your career," she says. "And if you've lost trust in your boss, due to anything from lying to false promises, it's hard to stay put."

You don’t fit in with the corporate culture and/or you don’t believe in the company anymore.

“You feel that there are ethical or moral differences in how the company and you believe the firm should operate; cultural differences; work ethic clashes, and so on,” Taylor says. Whatever the issue, you’re morally misaligned with your employer, and it’s an uncomfortable workplace setting.

Once you realize it might be time to leave your job, you’ll first want to set goals for yourself detailing what you are looking for in terms of responsibilities, company culture, compensation, and benefits, Kahn says. “Create timelines for yourself of finding another opportunity and making your exit.”

You’ll also want to consider your options. “Can you quit and then find a new job, or do you need to job search while you’re still holding down your current one?” “Then consider what a ‘better’ or ‘ideal’ job would look like, and what factors are important in your next job. Also, ask yourself whether you want to stay in your current field or if you’re interested in exploring a career change.”

Before you jump ship, you should write down the pros and cons of leaving your job, so you can get a broader perspective. “Examine what’s right with your current position, instead of focusing on the wrongs,” “Ensure that you’ve confronted problems directly and uncovered every possible communications avenue, with everyone involved; prepare a ‘solutions’ document to consider all the steps that could improve your current job; and take a hard look at the risks involved with leaving.”

And finally, don’t let emotions get in the way of your critical decision; look at it from a business perspective, “Is there a compelling financial, career-building or emotional return on investment for such a move? If so, don’t let inertia hurt your chances of career fulfillment.”

If you decide that leaving your job is the right decision, have options ready. “It’s always better to at least have offers on the table before you leave,” “You’ll not only enhance your financial standing, but hiring managers prefer to hire someone who is employed.”

Lastly, remember the golden rule of never burning bridges, Hockett says. “In today’s world, the business community is well connected and people talk with each other, seeking recommendations before hiring people. Make a point to always be professional and do your part; take the high road in every situation,” she concludes.