No matter how many 200,000-plus job reports the Bureau of Labor Statistics cranks out, the economy is a long way from supporting the decision to quit your job on a whim. But, there are circumstances under which an accelerated plan of departure makes sense. If any of these conditions exist at your job, it’s time to start buffing up your resume and calling old co-workers for coffee dates.
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1. The boss is a jerk.
You don’t have to love your boss. You don’t even have to like your boss. But, if you can’t work with your boss at all — if he is untrustworthy, unsupportive, or unavailable — you need to make a change.
Bad managers are the No. 1 reason people quit their jobs, but the good news is that they’re not necessarily a reason to ditch the company altogether. Before you cut ties with your employer, scout out opportunities to move to a different department, role, or team.
2. Your health is suffering.
“The research is clear that stress impacts our health and capacity in insidious and dangerous ways,” writes Kristi Hedges at Forbes. “We all have stress, but when it starts to feel unsustainable, then it’s time to go.”
Don’t wait for physical changes like weight gain, exacerbation of existing health conditions, or a diagnosis of clinical depression or anxiety. If you’re chronically tired, unenthused about getting out of bed in the morning, or letting your commitment to take care of yourself slide, consider making a change.
3. You don’t want your boss’s job.
“One reason you’ve been staying put is that your current company promotes advancement,” writes John Rampton at Entrepreneur. “But what happens once you figure out you that don’t want a managerial job like the one your boss has? If you can’t stand the idea of being in your boss’s shoes, then probably you should think about getting out before your go-getter peers pass you by.”
4. There’s nothing left to learn.
How long should you stay in a job? As long as you’re learning something new. The day that stops happening, start looking for opportunities that will help you keep growing. It’s better for your career over the long haul, but it’s also more engaging on a daily basis as well.
5. Someone, anyone, yells at you.
“You’re not a kid,” writes James Altucher at his blog. “Yelling is abusive. Nobody should ever yell at you. Ever. But that’s a hard habit to break if you are used to people yelling at you.”
Tell Us What You Think
What made you leave your last job? We want to hear from you! Leave a comment or join the discussion on Twitter.
Early in my career, which began in 1984, my mentor advised me never to take a job or turn down a job based on who the boss was. In any organization, the boss can and will be changed. Who your boss is replaced with is not within your control. I heeded his sage advice much to my advantage. Years ago, I posted for an internal position with global responsibility. My friends advised against taking the job because the woman I… Read more »
When you start to lose respect for yourself, the work you do, or the people you work for it is time to leave. Never ever compromise your values.
#4 I asked my boss to teach me his job, so that when the oppertunity comes up, I can apply for that job title at another location. My boss told me that, I have my own shift to concern myself with. Since then my shift has become the best in the company, which makes my boss look like the smatest manager this company has. I have cross trained all of the employees under me and some have even moved up… Read more »
#5 should be taken with a grain of salt as some even gold-hearted, professional people have a bad day and they can still apologize and not let it happen. If someone or anyone yells more than once, the next step is to take action to stop it and if nothing is done then that calls for a reason to quit.
Left my recent job because of something similar to yelling. New HR manager, with no HR experience or training, sent out and email to my boss and the VP of the company reaming me out for twisting a conversation she thought she heard behind her closed door two offices away from her. She is a long term employee who does this kind of crap all the time, and is never let go. No one understands why, but I knew I… Read more »
you should also leave your job if you dreamed to start your own business. If you have a great idea and courage go ahead with your dream. Working for your own dream is always better than working under someone’s supervision
I left my last employer, after ten years of service because they insisted that I reduce the level of service I provide to my clients so as to free up time to bring in more new clients.
The last customer of the day deserves the same level of service as the first one of the day.
They should have hired another employee.
I left and started my own company.