How You Know For Sure When It’s Time To Leave Your Job
There are some key signs to look for that can give you a big indication of whether it’s time to leave your job. It doesn’t matter if you’ve been with a company for a few months or a few years; a time will usually come where you feel it’s time for you to move on. That’s absolutely fine. People tend to have numerous jobs throughout their lives until they find one they want to stick with.
Here’s what to look for so you can be sure it’s the right time to leave your job:
You Dread Going Into Work
Dreading going into work is never a good sign. You might not necessarily wake up in the morning fist pumping in the shower so excited to get to work (although some people actually do), but you shouldn’t wake up with a feeling of dread either. This is a huge sign that you’re in the wrong job and you should start looking out a new position ASAP.
You Aren’t Getting Pay Rises Or Promotions
You might be content in your role, but if you’re not getting pay rises and promotions, then there’s no room for expansion. It could be considered a dead end job. You have a few options. You could speak with your boss about getting a promotion, and tell them where you’d like to end up in the company. If they seem reluctant to promote in-house, or you already know that this is not going to be an option, then it’s time to start looking for work in a place where you actually stand a chance of getting promoted, or a pay rise. Your skills could be going to waste! We all need opportunities for expansion, and
Things Are Going On That You Don’t Approve Of
Any company you work in should align with your core values. This way, you’ll fit seamlessly into the company culture and enjoy working with the people around you. However, if there are things going on that you don’t approve of, you have a decision to make. Knowing bad things are going on within a company could end up reflecting badly on you in the future if you’re not careful. Becoming a whistleblower may seem scary, but companies like Meissner Associates ensure your privacy is protected and that nothing bad will come of you doing the right thing. If things change after blowing the whistle, you may not have to leave your job. However, you may still feel like it’s time for you to move on. Weigh up your options carefully before making your final decision.
You Feel Overqualified
Feeling overqualified for your job isn’t a good sign. If you’re not using your skills in your job, you’re going to feel unsatisfied. The perfect job for you utilizes your key skills, so you get more enjoyment from the things you’re doing.
You Procrastinate More Than You Work
Everybody procrastinates from time to time. It can’t always be helped. However, if you tend to procrastinate more than you work, it’s a good sign that it’s time for you to leave. However, feeling unmotivated and uninspired could be management’s fault. If you’d rather not go through the hassle of finding another job at the moment, consider giving honest feedback to the appropriate authorities and see if they listen to you. If things change, great! If not, then you need to look for a new role that has you feeling inspired and raring to work more often than not.
It’s Taking A Toll On Your Mental Health
As we spend so much time at our jobs, it’s easy for them to affect our mental health if they’re no good for us. Taking mental health days off and going back to work feeling refreshed and ready to get things done is great, but if days off aren’t helping you to feel good, then your job could be more trouble than it’s worth. You could ask for a smaller workload, avoid multitasking, and do similar things to take some of the stress away. However, if you still feel stressed out most of the time, it’s a sure sign that you should move on.
You Vent More Than You Say Good Things
Everybody complains from time to time. It’s totally normal. We tend to complain more than we say good stuff, because most of us our addicted to problems. However, you shouldn’t find yourself constantly complaining about your job. If you are, really listen to yourself. Are the things you’re saying true, or do you just complain to fit in? Are you blowing things out of proportion? If you know everything you’re saying has merit, then it could be time to start looking for another position.
You’re Being Headhunted By Other Companies
If other companies are just dying to work with you, and you’re experiencing issues in your job, seriously consider how this could be a good opportunity for you. Make sure you weigh everything up. You may get more money in a new position, but will you be expected to travel further?
You’re Reading This
If you’re reading an article like this, then the idea of leaving your job is obviously already in your head somewhere. If you do everything you can to improve your position, e.g. speak to management about issues you’re facing and ask for what you want, yet things are still bad, then it’s time for you to leave. You can use sites like LinkedIn to network and find positions in your industry before you take the plunge if you’re worried.
So, is it time for you to leave your job? Hopefully, these pointers would have given you a good idea as to whether the best thing for you to do is get out. Work can be immensely damaging to our physical and mental health if we’re in the wrong roles. Maybe you should try a new position or a new industry. There are sites out there that can help you to weigh up your interests and strengths and figure out where you belong. Good luck!