12 Signs It's Time to Leave Your Job
How do you know when it’s time to move on? To start looking for a new job? Or to stay and make the best of your current situation?
There are peaks and valleys to every job. Sometimes you are sailing along, and sometimes you hit a crazy project or the CEO dumps a big fire drill on your team, and you have to scramble.
There comes a moment when you realize your current job might not be the right fit anymore. It’s likely an accumulation of moments or signs that it’s time to start thinking about a change.
I recently had conversations with two friends weighing this decision. One has a new boss and is in a very toxic culture. The other has observed management making desperate decisions, and her gut is telling her to run! She described it as a S*** Show!
Deciding to leave a job is a big decision and deserves careful consideration. To help you spot the signs for when it might be the right time to move on, I’ve put together a list of key signs to watch for. Whether you’re craving new challenges, facing a toxic work environment, or simply ready for a career change, these tips will help you gather the information you need to decide.
In my career, when I decided to move on, it was a combination of things like no career growth opportunity + boredom with the repetition of projects. Or a toxic boss and workplace combined with health issues from stress.
12 signs help you know when it’s time to leave your job or power through and stay
Personal
1. Your physical health is suffering.
If your current role is causing health issues like migraines, insomnia, grinding teeth, or constant stress, your body is telling you to make a change. This may be a sign of an abusive boss or harmful work environment.
I decided to leave a job early in my career when two different doctors asked me if I was under stress.
2. You are feeling burnt out
If your fuel tank is on empty every day, it’s going to be tough to sustain the current work levels. Can a day of PTO help you recharge? Or is it a larger sign that your current job requirements or work environment are not sustainable?
3. You have “Sunday Dread”... every day.
A little nervousness is normal. Chronic dread? That’s a big, flashing, red warning sign! Try to identify what is giving you the most anxiety? Is your workload overwhelming? Or do you need more training? Can you talk to your boss about this? Or is your supervisor the source of stress? Do they make you feel unsafe, disposable, or unsupported?
4. You’ve lost motivation for your daily tasks.
If dragging yourself to work feels like climbing Everest, that’s a clear sign something’s wrong. Are you bored and need a more difficult challenge? (see sign #5!) Talk to your boss about a development plan and possibly taking on more challenges. If they can’t offer you new projects or tasks, this might be a sign.
5. You are bored with the repetition of the job.
You’ve been doing the same things for years, and you are ready for new projects or tasks. The nature of some jobs is repetition. This can bring comfort for some people. They enjoy knowing exactly what is expected and repeating the same work. But if you find yourself getting bored, you might be able to talk to your boss about taking on new challenges. Or this may be another sign.
6. You’re doing the work of three people.
Have other people on your team left and you inherited their work? Or does your team have an underperformer and their workload has been redistributed to you? I’ve seen high performers get rewarded with more work, not more pay or a promotion. Unrealistic workloads = unrealistic expectations = burnout.
7. You're craving a new career path.
If you’re dreaming about a career change 24/7, listen to yourself. This may be larger than just a similar job at a new company. Are you a teacher who wants to get out of teaching? Are you in marketing but want to become a web developer?
This part of the decision will take more soul-searching and planning. Does your company offer tuition reimbursement? Or additional training courses and professional development? You may be able to start exploring the new path at your same company.
Environment and Company
8. High levels of workplace stress
It’s natural to experience some stress at work during a busy season or a special project but it shouldn’t be an all-day, everyday occurrence. Work-related stress doesn't just affect your performance at work; it can gradually erode your overall well-being. When chronic stress begins to impact your mental health, relationships, sleep, or physical health, it may be a sign that it's time to consider whether your job is still the right fit.
If you have a physical job requiring long stretches of activity, lifting, or operating heavy machinery, you should pay special attention to the stress. This could affect your physical safety on the job.
9. Toxic work environment
High drama, gossip, bullying? Credit stealing, unrealistic work hour expectations, and high turnover? A toxic workplace will fight with work-life balance. The company culture is way out of your control! This may be one of the biggest signs it’s time to start looking.
10. Abusive boss
Does your boss make you feel like you might be fired at any moment? Do they threaten you with a write-up for no valid reason? (These are real-life examples from a job earlier in my career!) Do they belittle you or yell at you in front of co-workers? Do they set unrealistic expectations?
These are just a few signs of an abusive boss and one of the most important signs it’s time to start your job search. Trust me, you may experience the psychological effects of an abusive boss for years to come.
11. High turnover rate
Is there a revolving door on your team or in the company? Pay attention! This is not a good thing! What are they noticing that you haven’t yet? Why is everyone leaving? I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s sign #10!
12. Declining sales
How is the company doing financially? Does senior leadership share company metrics like revenue, profit, etc? Listen to the town hall presentations and monitor the news for your industry. If the company is struggling, will layoffs be coming in the future? You may want to get ahead of those announcements, update your resume, and start looking.
Is This a Bad Job or a Bad Season?
Before you start hitting ‘Easy Apply’ on a bunch of jobs on LinkedIn, take a breath! Try to be rational and honest about the signs I mention above. You might even journal your observations and worries. Or meditate!
Is this a particularly difficult season?
Has the problem existed for months or years?
Have things gotten progressively worse?
Have you tried to improve the situation?
Getting Ready to Start a Job Search
Ok, you’ve checked the signs and your gut is telling you it’s time. I have an entire post dedicated to this topic: 9 Tips to Finding Your Next Job While Working Full Time.
This is a bit like being a double agent. You have to remain engaged in your current job. They are still paying you for your work; you still need to do a good job. But you need to balance that with enough after-hours energy to update your resume and apply for jobs.
Here are a couple more tips for beginning a job search while you are still employed:
What do you want? Before you start a job search, take some time to simmer and think about what you really want. Do the introspection to figure out what kind of job you want so you can focus your search efforts. What are your career goals? What are you interests? What are you really good at and enjoy?
Update your resume. Even if you decide not to leave, it’s always good to have an updated resume, just in case a recruiter comes calling!
Keep this confidential. Do not let your coworkers know you are looking. If you have ever watched Survivor, you know no one keeps a secret!
Turn off notifications on LinkedIn. I explain how in that blog I mentioned above. You don’t want to start updating your profile on LinkedIn and have notifications sent to your entire network!
Do not use your work computer! Never use your work computer to update your resume or apply for jobs, or anything personal, ever!
Remember: leaving a job is a personal decision that deserves careful consideration. Listen to your gut and weigh the key signs. Something awesome may be waiting for you in the future!
If you’re ready to chase new dreams, I’m cheering for you!
Additional Resources
