There are many good reasons to stay with a job you don’t love, but if you’re constantly stressed or underwhelmed at work, it may be worth rethinking your complacency. If you take a deeper look at your situation, you may find many compelling reasons to quit your job.
One can always find reasons to stay in a subpar role, and we always need the money. But if you’re truly unfulfilled at work, you need to persuade yourself to take the next step in your career journey. If you find yourself recognizing these common signs, it’s time to consider quitting.
You aren’t evolving
While you likely aren’t seeking a stressful job, being challenged at work is a good thing. It allows you to further develop the skills you’ve built and prepare for greater roles. If you want to take on new tasks like leading a project or earning a promotion, you need to be prepared.
So a job in which you aren’t learning or honing your skills can leave you feeling bored and unfulfilled. The Muse’s Camilla Cho says that learning opportunities won’t always find you—sometimes you need to seek out chances for growth yourself. But if it feels like those opportunities are lacking and the company isn’t invested in your growth, it might be time to hit the trail.
“A job that isn’t challenging can be pretty comfortable, and you may not be up for a change. Sadly, staying in such a situation for a long time will do more harm than good in the long run. It limits your potential, and you may forget skills you spent your time and money learning.” –Ivy Exec
You aren’t getting what you need
Likewise, you may not be getting what you need from your organization or managers to achieve your goals. Perhaps you’re invested in staying with the organization for a long time but don’t get the sense your bosses feel the same. Or you aren’t being compensated fairly.
The best organizations invest in their employees to help with retention and form mutually beneficial relationships. The Muse says if you’re constantly being told “no”, whether it’s for a raise, promotion, a little time off, or helpful feedback it might be time to quit.
Your health is at risk
A bad job can take its toll on both your physical and mental health. You may want to chalk these issues up to other outside matters or convince yourself it’s normal, but if you’re truly suffering, it’s time to find a better option.
HBR’s John Coleman points out exhaustion, burnout, and dread as common feelings signaling a change is needed. Your job or coworkers don’t have to be truly awful to experience these totally normal behaviors, either. Sometimes, you’ve simply hit your wall which makes it hard to keep functioning. These traits can lead to more serious health issues if not treated. If you find yourself actively fighting these feelings every time you leave for work, it’s time for change.
“These feelings can also impact your performance at job interviews. It may be wise to preserve your mental health and leave your employment, then find another opportunity when you’re ready.” –Indeed
Your role is unstable
You may like your job and feel like you’d like to stay there as long as possible. But while management may be good it doesn’t mean the industry is. If your industry is declining or your company has financial issues, you don’t want to go down with the ship.
Hiration says that it’s usually easy to spot signs your company is in trouble. You can look into your company’s financial reports to see how things are looking or look to national reports to check in on your industry. Also, if your organization is having layoffs, it’s worth asking if you could be next.
LinkedIn also mentions how a bad boss can be part of this. A toxic boss might not only make your life unpleasant but could be making poor decisions that affect your whole team. If leadership isn’t in a good position, it can be just as disastrous for your career.
Your gut is telling you to leave
There are plenty more smaller-seeming reasons that, when added up, paint a clear picture that it’s time to quit. As previously mentioned, you can always find a reason not to make a change, but if your gut is telling you to quit, it’s time to consider listening.
Forbes’ William Arruda lists lacking respect for your manager, feeling like a cog in the machine, not having autonomy, feeling like you don’t belong, and not seeing a future as many more reasons pointing to this role not being best for you. In a vacuum, one little issue might not be a reason to quit, but if you find yourself checking off more boxes, it’s time to quit.
Wrap up
It’s so easy to stay within the comfort of your current job, and stability is always welcome in these often uncertain times. But if you find yourself experiencing the above signs, you may recognize that it’s time to find a new role. Quitting your job can be stressful, but the long-term gains should make the experience worthwhile. If you need help finding your next role, reach out today to see how NexGoal can assist!
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