The days of holding a job with the same company for your entire career are long gone. In its place, you need a different set of skills, one which includes knowing when to quit. Many people stay in tough job situations because they feel like they cannot leave. Although remaining in a job you hate offers certain benefits, it can also affect your mental health and future career growth. Here are a few ways you can tell that you could benefit from pursuing other job opportunities.
Low Pay
Most people cite low pay as a reason they decided to quit their jobs, according to the Pew Research Center. Low pay can make it harder for you to manage a budget and plan for things you want, such as buying a home, going on a vacation, or retirement. A low salary can also make you resent your company for failing to prioritize your position. You do not have to make minimum wage to feel like your work is taking advantage. If you make much less than the average for your role and area, you are well within your rights to ask for a raise or consider quitting.
Persistent Burnout
Burnout is a common problem for modern workers. In a world where many people are expected to give their full focus to everything all the time, overstimulation can increase the difficulty of getting through the workday. Burnout is more likely to happen when you feel like you do not have control over your work responsibilities or have simply lost interest. Depression and anxiety tend to go along with burnout, making it harder to get out of the rut. If you have tried and failed at common treatments for burnout, such as getting therapy and making time for self-care, a new job may be in order.
Toxic Work Environment
A toxic work environment may make you dread your job more than other work problems. A toxic environment can come from a variety of sources, including your boss, coworkers, employees in other departments, and support staff. Toxic environments may look like:
- Bosses who do not listen to employee concerns
- Coworkers who bully others in the company with little recourse for affected employees
- High-handed management tactics that decrease flexibility or create a stressful work environment
- A pattern of excluding certain employees from team-building or career growth opportunities
Toxic environments can cause long-term effects that harm your ability to function appropriately in other jobs.
Little Upward Mobility
Among all the reasons to quit a job, according to the Pew Research Center, lack of upward mobility ranked as high as low pay. Most people do not want to stay in the same job for decades. Even if they intend to remain with the company, they look for opportunities to grow in their careers. Career growth often leads to jobs that give people higher pay, better benefits, increased flexibility, and a stronger sense of accomplishment. If you feel stuck in your current job, you have less incentive to go the extra mile for your company.
Need for Flexibility or Remote Work
Flexibility in work location and schedule is rising as a priority people set when they look for jobs. Many workers feel like they work too many hours or too few, which creates either a lack of time or funds. In some cases, remote work allows people to streamline their expenses, using services like vehicle donation as a way to cut costs and earn a tax deduction. A shift to remote work or flexible hours can help you minimize your commute time or coordinate around a childcare arrangement, but many companies set strict limits.
Changes to Career Goals
A change in your career plans can certainly prompt a need to quit your job. The World Economic Forum notes that Americans will hold an average of 12 jobs by age 55. The average age of a complete career change is 39, indicating that it is common for people to switch gears after 15 to 20 years of work. Generally, deciding to change careers works better if you start as young as possible. If you are certain you do not want to remain in your current role, changing your career may create the best opportunities for the future.
Boring Work
Some people like to work in an environment where every task is predictable, but many workers find it horribly boring. When you first start in a new role, you can feel excited about learning how to complete new tasks and handle fresh responsibilities. After a year or two, the sheen might wear off and you may find yourself wishing for a greater challenge. Ask your manager for opportunities to take on new tasks that will improve your skills. If they cannot meet your expectations, you may need to look elsewhere for fulfillment.
Incompatible Company Values
People, especially those in younger generations, are more likely to look for work with organizations that maintain compatible values. If you feel like your company does not support the things you think are important, you may not want to stay. Even if the company generally aligned with your vision of your career at the start, your expectations could change over time. You may be less willing to accept certain practices than you were. New managers or executives may have changed the running of the company or its branding, making you feel uncomfortable with the association.
Unappreciative Management
A great company takes pride in the work of its employees, but not all businesses operate this way. Although pay and benefits are the biggest reasons that people choose a particular job, they may not stay without appreciation and other advantages. The Pew Research Center reported that more than half of employees reported disrespect at work as a chief reason they chose to quit. A lack of appreciation for hard work can disincentivize you from exceeding your management’s expectations, which can lead to a loss of raises and promotion opportunities.
Feeling the “Sunday Scaries”
Even if you feel like your job provides a lot of the things you need, you may still not enjoy it. Many people get the “Sunday Scaries,” which describes a general feeling of dread about the start of the work week. You might get competitive pay, great benefits, and supportive management, and it still will not be enough. If you hate your job to the point that you dread starting the week or waking up on a workday, you should consider other options available to you.
Finding a new job is often a scary prospect, but it may not be as bad as staying in a dead-end job that makes you miserable. People decide to quit a job because they do not get sufficient pay or room for advancement, but these are not the only reasons. You might decide to quit a job because you dislike the company or your work environment, especially if the business refuses to make improvements. By considering these signs, you can tell if you are ready to move on to other opportunities.
⸻ Author Bio ⸻
Goodwill Car Donations is a national organization that accepts vehicle donations. It is committed to providing disadvantaged individuals with job training, employment services and critical community-building support.
