Are you thinking about finally quitting your job, but you aren’t too sure about if you are making the best move? Below are some common thoughts many of us have when uncertain about quitting a job.
- You have done everything you can to try to make your current job situation work for you but you still feel dissatisfied with your job.
- You have recently took a job that did not match your expectations in the slightest. You dislike your job, your employer and feel bad about quitting as you just recently had a career change.
- Maybe you just aren’t a quitter and never have been. The idea of quitting a job is hard to grasp and you may even feel guilt or negative feelings about the idea of quitting. You want to quit but feel like you aren’t able to allow yourself to quit.
- You want to pursue other opportunities to enhance your career that involve going back to school or changing jobs. However, you are worried about balancing your job with the educational opportunities or the risk of quitting your job for a new career entirely.
- You want to quit but feel anxiety and fear about the process of quitting. You are worried that you may never find another job if you decide to quit your current one. Or you are terrified of going through the process of revising your resume and taking time off for interviews.
Below are reasons to consider quitting your job and start looking for opportunities elsewhere.
1. You have a new job offer. The ideal situation in any job move is to have a job offer lined up before you decide to quit your job. Before you quit your job, ensure that you have a confirmed job offer. I have seen several people get very excited about the final interview process and feel so certain that they will get the job, and as a result start performing badly at their current roles and even begin telling loved ones about the new job role. Sometimes the offer never comes through though. Make sure you have a confirmed job offer with a signed contract before quitting. Also, make sure that the job offer is what you actually want. You may be desperate to get out your current work situation but be wary of accepting a position which may leave you worse off. In all situations, do your best to ensure you have a confirmed job offer before quitting.
2. You are criticized publicly at work. All of us are criticized at work at some points during our career. A good company gives constructive criticism but that feedback should be private and not done in a way that is meant to embarrass or humiliate you. If you feel that your work environment is not professional and that you are being given feedback in a way that is respectful then you may need to consider quitting.
3. You want a career change. Many people have several career changes over a lifetime. Stepping into a new career can be scary, especially when you do not have any work experience in the new career path and have little idea of what to expect. If you want to try something different and you feel pretty passionate or interested about the new career, then go for it. Boredom and dissatisfaction in your career may be a strong indicator that you need to pursue a career change, even if that means you need to quit your job. Also, look into having a second job if you want experience and are willing to put in the extra time, on top of your full-time current full-time job to get experience in this new field.
4. Your input is not valued or even considered. A good company realizes that great ideas can happen anywhere and with anyone. All of us are capable of coming up with all types of ideas. Your ideas may not always be implemented but your ideas should be considered by your boss or company. If you find that your company tends to shoot down your ideas without consideration or discourages you from sharing your ideas, then this is a sign to consider quitting your job.
5. There is a mismatch with values and ethics. If you feel that your company is unethical then it actually may be a career advantage to get out of a company that is unethical and is developing a poor reputation. Even if you are not directly involved with the unethical behavior, being exposed to this kind of behavior will make you dissatisfied with your job and could actually make you look more negatively to future employees. The same goes for company values. Sometimes we end up working for companies that do not match our values at all. I once worked for someone where I felt so uncomfortable about the values that I had to quit. After quitting, I felt relief from not being involved anymore and I was able to invest my energy into things that did match my values. Having dissimilar values will impact your attitude towards the company so consider quitting if you feel there is a clash on values or ethics. Values can also reflect company culture. A company may push you to be more of a team player by their definition even though this may not fit your personality, lifestyle and may not be something you want at all. For instance, your company may encourage you to socialize at after-work events and may be upset if you do not come to the events. However, this socializing may not fit your personality and cut into the time that you need to devote to your partner and children.
6. There are no opportunities for advancement. At some point you may have reached the top position at your company and now realize that there’s no more further progression for you. You might also work at a smaller company with limited spots for promotions, where advancements can only occur if an employee leaves the company. Try to not get too comfortable at a position. It can be easy to wait many months or even years for the next advancement opportunity. Sometimes the best ways to advance in your career is switching jobs and applying for a higher position at the next job.
7. You don’t want the job your boss has. Sometimes there are opportunities for advancement but you don’t want to advance in your company. I once worked in a company where I could see how stressed and over-worked people in a higher position above me were. My current position was fine and I did want to advance in my career, but not at that company. Sometimes there are opportunities for advancement but if the role makes you cringe then look for opportunities at different companies.
8. Your company is on a downward spiral. If your company is starting to lose money, customers and people are being laid off or quitting then you may need to start planning to find another job. At the signs of a company starting to fail, you need to immediately start looking for another job. Being laid off can happen unexpectedly so take care to put yourself in a position where you can protect yourself in case the company decides to shut down and/or lay off all their employees.
9. You want to pursue opportunities to further your education. Going back to school after being in the workforce can be tough. You will need to carve out time for projects, studying for exams, attending lectures and other activities. Pursuing an education on a part-time or full-time basis may require you to work part-time or even not work at all. If your job cannot accommodate part-time hours, then you may need to quit and find part-time work or consider focusing on your education full-time. Talk to your job about this first. Your job may offer you flexibility so that you can focus on both school and work. Sometimes a company may keep a position open for you or be very open to re-hiring you after you have received your degree.
10. You are not growing in your job. Even if you aren’t advancing at your job in terms of pay or position, you should still be having opportunities for learning, growth and developing your skills. There are some positions where you feel like you have learned everything and sometimes switching jobs is the best solution to continue growing. Other times you may have realized that you have gained what you wanted out of the job and are looking for a job that can focus your expertise elsewhere. However, before quitting your job, check with your company on opportunities for learning. Some companies offer training perks that may be just what you need to feel better about your job. However, if there are no opportunities left for growth then it may be time to move on.
11. You face anxiety and harassment from your boss or employees. Sadly, not all work environments are professional, respectful or fair. You may find that your work environment is full of rumors, drama, harassment and that you don’t feel safe around the people you work with. If you are worried that your coworkers may back stab you at any point or that someone is threatening you, then you need to consider leaving. Keep in mind that some situations can be worked out. Choose your battles wisely and try to figure out if you can remedy any negative feelings with your boss or employees. Sometimes working through what seems like a negative relationship can actually enhance your work environment. However, if the stress and anxiety has become too much and you feel the situation cannot be resolved, then it may be time for you to move on from your job.
12. Your job is impacting your health or causing you extreme stress. All jobs will become stressful at times. You might even find that the best jobs you ever have are the ones that are challenging and have a little bit of stress to them. However, your job should not be causing you so much stress that you find that your health is negatively impacted and you are developing depression or other mental health issues. If you find yourself dealing with extreme stress, then take the first steps of going to therapy, a doctor and taking care of yourself first and foremost. Quitting your job may be a necessary step for you to truly be able to find stress relief related to your job.
13. Your job is negatively impacting your personal relationships. Your work is prioritized over all the important relationships in your life. You have no time to catch up with friends and feel physically and mentally exhausted after work to invest time and energy in catching up with people. The relationship with your partner has weakened due to your job and you find yourself always complaining about work to your partner rather than nurturing the relationship. You are missing important events with your children and other loved ones due to work commitments. Before quitting your job, try to figure out what you can do to better prioritize your loved ones. You may find that better time management and even saying no more often can solve the majority of these issues. However, if work continues to dominate your life then it may be time to quit your job.
Quitting your job may be the hardest you have to do but making a job change may also be the best thing you can do for yourself. There is certainly risk and uncertainty involved with making a job change but once you know the reasons on why you want to quit, you’ll be empowered to take charge of your career. Empowering yourself may involve you reassessing your current role and seeing what you can do to improve your work situation before quitting. You may also start the process of applying to jobs so that you at least have a new job when you do decide to quit. Life is too short to stay in a job that is making you feel miserable.