If you’re reading this, you’re either frustrated with your job situation or know someone else who is. Who are you kidding? You’re frustrated. But before you bail ship for another job, check out this list of telltale signs to see if it’s time to quit your job.
It’s Old Hat
Boredom is one of your worst enemies. You’re not developing new skills, you’re not being challenged, and your lack of interest is obvious to everyone. When it gets so bad that you lose motivation and begin lazing around at work, you become a prime candidate for being fired. Why not beat them to the punch and move on before it gets to that point?
You Can’t Shake It
Work-related stress is unavoidable in any career. However, if work is affecting your personal life, something needs to change. Signs that stress is bogging you down include inability to sleep at night, difficulty focusing, and feelings of depression.
No One Cares
You’re a great employee. You work long hours, weekends when necessary, and you do it for the intrinsic reward of knowing you did a good job. Or do you? It can be very demeaning if your boss or company gives you a workload that can’t be completed during regular business hours without recognizing your efforts. You deserve better.
Dreams Remain Unfulfilled
You’ve got one shot at life. If all you’ve ever wanted to be is a rodeo clown, stop trading stocks and get into clown school. Otherwise, you’ll spend the rest of your life wondering “What if?” Wouldn’t you rather find out the answer to that question and silence all the skeptics who said you’d never be a good rodeo clown?
Your Pocket is Still Empty
You started at the bottom of the rung at your company six years ago, but that doesn’t mean you want to stay there financially. When a job doesn’t provide adequate compensation to keep you happy, healthy, and fed, other companies likely will. Just be careful to avoid greed. Do a little research to find out if you’re getting paid the same as others in your position in your geographic locale. If you’re getting paid fairly, you may need a complete career change to get the pay you desire.
The ship’s Going Down
Any time you’re working for a company that has filed for bankruptcy, made large layoffs, or is beginning to outsource jobs out of the country, it won’t be long until your company joins the Titanic on the bottom of the ocean floor. The best thing you can do is grab a life vest and jump. Getting out early gives you a head start landing a good job, as you won’t have to compete against all of your current coworkers who held out until the company closed shop.
Things Have Changed
You’ve had your first child. Or maybe you need to reduce your hours to care for an aging loved one. Either way, your life situation has changed. Unfortunately, your work’s compensation and benefits package don’t fit your life any more. As hard as it is, this situation makes it necessary to move on and find other employment that will better meet your goals.
Wait a Minute!
If you’re fired up about quitting your job and want to storm into your manager’s office with a resignation letter, take a deep breath. Have you discussed your concerns and looked for ways to improve your situation with your manager? Are you ready to have a rationale conversation about why you’re leaving?
Taking a few minutes to think over your presentation will keep you from storming out of the room in a huff. There’s nothing wrong with discussing your thoughts about the company openly, but do it with tact to avoid slandering anyone and saying something you may one day regret. After all, the green grass on the other side may turn brown, and burning bridges at your current job will greatly reduce your networking potential. And who knows, your current employer may take action to meet your requests, allowing you to be happy without the hassle of finding a new job.