10 Signs It’s Time To Leave Your Job

If you relate to 1 or more of these, it's probably time to leave your job... like tomorrow.

By: Allison Braund-Harris

31 Jan 2022

We’ve all been there. When Sunday evening rolls around and you suddenly feel your eyes rolling back in your head. The dread of going to an unfulfilling job is something that makes us all feel isolated and unified, simultaneously. But in the world of the great resignation, you have choices! It’s never been better to be on the hunt for a new job, or even a new career. That’s why we have some handy questions that you can ask yourself to find out if it’s time to say “sayonara” and look to new horizons.

Sign #10: You've been asking for a promotion... for years...

You may love your company, so it’s time that you hear some tough love. If you’ve been talking to your manager for years about a promotion or a change of role within the company, you are not getting it. In their mind, you are glued to a specific type of position and they will never see you differently. If you are certain it is time for a change, you’ll be more likely to get it somewhere else.

Sign #9: All your work BFFs have already left

Once upon a time, you were surrounded by an amazing group of friends at work, every day. Slowly, those have trickled away finding jobs somewhere else. The new coworkers? They are fine, but you know how work used to be.

You’ll always be comparing your current coworkers to your former work-BFFs. Always. And no one deserves to live in the past like that. It’s time to update your resume, and get going. Plus, doesn’t it mean something if everyone is leaving? If you need a way to track your happiness at work, check out our article on Career Journaling for Success.

Sign #8: You aren't learning anything

Nothing sucks your soul out like stagnation. If you don’t feel challenged on a regular basis, or you feel like you are a hamster on a wheel going nowhere, it’s time to ask for reassignment or a new challenge. If management doesn’t listen to you, then it’s time to leave your job.

Sign #7: You don't believe in the mission of your company

Of course, everyone relates differently to their company’s mission, and this is more important to some people than others. But for most professionals, their values need to align with their company. A mission represents where company leadership steers to in the future, and you want to be moving forward on the same road, right?

Want to see if your values align with your organization? Try our free quiz here.

Sign #6: You are overworked, tired, and relief isn't coming anytime soon

This one makes me tired just thinking about it… For years, I was stretched so thin that I couldn’t breathe. Some days I had to hold my pee for hours because there wasn’t time to run to the restroom between meetings. Don’t wait until you burn out like I did. It took me a solid year of depression to drag myself out of the rut I put myself in. If you are overworked, you’ve expressed how little time you have to your manager, and patiently waited for them to do something about it, NEWS ALERT: they aren’t. And it will probably take you leaving for them to realize how much was on your plate. If you are a manager, check out our other blog post on improving employees’ wellbeing.

Sign #5: Company management has unnecessary rules

Some rules are put in place just to express power. If you’ve ever been chastised for breaking a rule that shouldn’t exist in the first place, consider what other unnecessary tasks they have you doing without your awareness. For example, no one should be controlling your free time. If your company has a rule that you can’t leave during your lunch break or you can’t watch funny youtube videos while eating lunch at your desk, time to leave your job. You’d rather roll-out than get controlled-out.

Sign #4: Your new manager is your arch-nemesis

I think everyone has a story like this. You’ve spent a few wonderful years at a company and maybe even outlasted a few of your managers. Company leadership didn’t loop you in at all when they interviewed your new manager, and lo and behold, your new manager is a Karen. Not just a Karen, but a controlling, micro-managing Karen who makes your skin crawl when you see them. You’ve paid your dues there and if they didn’t feel like they should loop you in on the new hire, they obviously don’t respect you or your contribution to the company. Time to leave your job.

Sign #3: You are passionate about your job, but no one else is

You show up every day energetic and with fresh ideas, and you tackle every challenge with your full heart. You don’t understand why everyone else is dragging their feet or not as excited as you. This is a sign you are too good for your company. Passion is priceless! Your determination should not be wasted on others that don’t see the value you bring. Leave your job, and don’t look back

Sign #2: You don't trust management to have your back

Speaking of not looking back… Your manager is RIGHT BEHIND YOU.

Just kidding. They aren’t (at least we don’t think so).

But seriously, you spend 33% or more of your time at work. If you don’t trust your manager or company leadership to take care of you behind closed doors, that’s a sign that you should leave your job for better opportunities. At the end of the day, you need to look out for yourself, but it’s best if you can trust that your boss isn’t going to screw you over.

Sign #1: You’ve given feedback and no one is acting on it

We put this at Number 1, because this is sadly what we hear all the time. You filled out a survey, expressing your feedback to management. You also told them the same feedback at your yearly review. And maybe you’ve mentioned it to others at the holiday party. Every time you express your feedback, you are met with nodding heads and complete agreement, yet no one is doing anything about it.

Leaving in these circumstances can be the most freeing! You’ve tried your best, and that is all you can do. Take your great ideas to another company that aligns to your vision of the future, or better yet, create the company you want. Because if the past couple of years has shown us anything, it’s that you have no time to waste on someone else’s bulls*&#.

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