Why We Stay in Bad Jobs Too Long

The covid-19 pandemic has raised big questions about the way we live and work. Amidst the turmoil, we’re wise to take a fresh look at our work and consider whether changes are in order.

With the “Great Resignation,” it’s quite clear that many of us have been dissatisfied with our jobs, with millions quitting each month. The trend looks set to continue, especially among younger workers. According to a?2022 LinkedIn study ?of more than 20,000 U.S. workers, 25% of Gen Zers and 23% of Millennials reported hoping or planning to leave their current employers within the next six months.

Many have fallen into the trap of staying in a bad job too long. If we’re privileged enough to have choices, the questions may arise:

Should I stay or should I go?

How to decide?

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Why We Stay in Bad Jobs Too Long

There are many reasons we tend to stay in bad jobs too long. For example, we can be:

• afraid of the unknown
• unclear about what we want in a new job, what other job to apply for, or?career to transition into
• worried how it will look on our resume if we leave our job too soon*
• hoping the current job will get better, despite strong signs to the contrary
• reluctant to give up the money, security, or?prestige ?associated with our current job
• dreading the job-search process, with its stress and emotional toll
• afraid the next job will be worse, or have a longer commute, or less flexibility
• wanting a new job lined up before leaving this one
• worried that we don’t have the right skills for a better job
• concerned that our network isn’t strong enough to help land a new job
• worried about what others will think
• afraid of being viewed as disloyal to current colleagues
• good at rationalizing our current situation with logical reasons, even if they’re false or forced
• living paycheck to paycheck, or too deep in debt, so unable to handle a transition period
• not?confident? enough in our ability to find a better job soon
• concerned about the hassle of adjusting to a new boss, colleagues, and workplace
• accepting?other people’s definition of success? instead of our own
• concerned that the new job will be even more stressful
• worried about the lack of good job opportunities in this industry

Often, we have many of these concerns simultaneously, and it’s enough to keep us locked in place. It’s hard to make the leap when we’re comparing all the “knowns” of our current job with all the unknowns of what may or may not arise in our future if we attempt a change.

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What Makes a Job Bad (or Not a Good Fit)

All jobs come with pluses and minuses. For starters, they allow us to put food on the table and support our lifestyle or family. We may not be in a position to be picky when it comes to our basic financial needs, and we may have a lot invested in our current work with our relationships, routines, and identity.

But in many cases, we have more choices and agency than we might think. Given all that we contribute to a workplace, it’s fair to assess whether they’re holding up their end of the bargain. In many cases, they’re not.

There are many signs of a bad (or mediocre) job—or a job that may no longer be a good fit. Here are 17 such signs:

1. Bad, dishonest, or unreliable manager
2. Low or no?trust ?among colleagues
3. Poor or?toxic work culture
4. Unethical? workplace
5. Lack of affinity for the work
6. No room for growth or upward mobility
7. Lack of?recognition ?for efforts and accomplishments
8. Poor work-life balance
9. Lack of challenge,?learning, growth, and development
10. Unfair treatment
11. Not enough care for workers and their health, wellbeing, or situation
12. Poor or unfair compensation and benefits
13. Workplace that’s not sufficiently diverse or equitable
14. Missing a sense of inclusion and belonging
15. Culture of?burnout
16. Lack?purpose and meaning ?at work
17. Poor fit with our?personal values

The Surprising Downsides of Staying in a Job Too Long

While it may be obvious that we shouldn’t stay in a bad job too long, there are also potential downsides to staying in any job too long, according to some employers. It can be a:

• sign of complacency or a lack of drive and ambition
• indication that our professional development has stalled
• sign that our network isn’t as strong as it should be
• indication that we’re not as dynamic, adaptable, and entrepreneurial as we could be (that we’ve been institutionalized)

“There are a lot of positive connotations about longevity in a role, but there is a fair degree of negativity as well,” Jamie McLaughlin, CEO, Monday Talent

In addition, staying in a job too long can harm our earning potential. An ADP survey this year revealed that people who switched jobs saw, on average, close to?2% more annual wage growth ?than their former colleagues who stayed in their jobs.

In some industries, workers received a?pay increase of?nearly 12% , on average. According to the?Conference Board , 20% of people who changed jobs during the pandemic received a 10% to 20% pay increase, and nearly a third of those surveyed earned over 30% more than they made previously. In the U.K., job changers also saw higher earnings growth.

Lauren Thomas, a European economist at Glassdoor, notes that workers often job-hop because of their frustration with slow internal processes at their organization. “Moving to a new job can be a faster and easier way to progress to the next level in a career,” she says. “Job-hopping is one of the easiest ways to gain a significant salary increase. While staying for a long time in the same role can result in below-market pay, finding a new job usually means instantly receiving the market rate.”

Of course, job duration naturally varies not only by individual circumstances and preferences but also by profession and industry. Tech startups and creative agencies, for example, are likely to experience rapid turnover, while law firms, accounting firms, and consulting firms often have some young professionals on a decade-plus march toward achieving partner status while others choose to leave earlier—or get pushed out.

“Unless I really enjoy the role, I don’t see the point in staying for years just for the sake of it. If I can find more fulfilling work and effectively gain a promotion elsewhere, then how long I’ve stayed at a company shouldn’t matter.” -Anna, 29 (cited in a recent?BBC article )

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Conclusion

Consider re-evaluating your job regularly (e.g., every year or two) to see if it’s still a good fit for you (not only for salary and benefits but also learning, growth, purpose, development, challenge, fun, stage of life, and overall fit). Why not look at what else is out there? Keep your options open.

Also, consider changes you can make at your current job before assuming you must get a new one. It’s often wise to work on improving your current job in parallel with looking for potential new ones.

Most of all, though,?stop drifting ?through your career and?don’t settle .

Reflection Questions

1. Wondering whether it’s time to make a job or career change?
2. How long have you had these concerns? And how intense are they?
3. Have you looked at your reasons for staying and whether they stand up to further scrutiny?
4. How much thought and effort have you put into improving your current job?

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Related Traps

Other traps related to saying in a bad job too long include:

• Golden Handcuffs
• The Common Mistakes of Career Changes
• The Conformity Trap
• The Trap of Being Outer-Driven
• The Prestige Magnet
• The Comparison Trap
• False Metrics of Success

* A general rule of thumb is to wait about two years before changing jobs. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “The median number of years that wage and salary workers had been with their current employer was 4.1 years in January 2020.”

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Gregg Vanourek ?is a writer, teacher, TEDx speaker, and coach on leadership and personal development. He is co-author of three books, including?LIFE Entrepreneurs: Ordinary People Creating Extraordinary Lives ?(a manifesto for integrating our life and work with purpose, passion, and contribution) and?Triple Crown Leadership: Building Excellent, Ethical, and Enduring Organizations ?(a winner of the International Book Awards). Take Gregg’s?Traps Test (Common Traps of Living), ?complete his?Personal Values Exercise , check out his?Best Articles , or get his?newsletter . If you found value in this article, please forward it to a friend. Every little bit helps!

(This article originally appeared on Gregg Vanourek's blog .)