Do you feel as though you don’t fit in at the office, constantly stressed about work or have experienced some type of abuse on the job?

If you see even one of these 5 signs, it might be the cue you’ve been waiting for, that it’s time to quit your job.

You’re At The Top Of Your Game

I get how this may seem counter-intuitive, but one of the best times to quit your job is when it is going well, because having accolades to discuss will make you a more attractive job candidate.

Especially if you can’t see a long-term future at your current job, or have a dream you want to pursue elsewhere, then prepare to leave, even if you’re successful.

When you don’t like your job, it’s easy to not give it 100%, but remember that especially if you are planning on leaving, it is important to excel as much as possible, whether that means working extra hours or taking on extra projects. In the long run, it will all be worth it.

Even if you love your job, you should think about leaving if it is not exactly what you want to do. Having a good job that you like and succeed at, breeds confidence; which is vital for landing a new job.

Just Before You Leave!

Also, consider how leaving will impact your career.

No matter how good you are, leaving a job too quickly can raise red flags when you look for future jobs.

Be wary about leaving a job you just started, as it will upset the people who hired you and might damage future job prospects. Remember that it can take several months to adjust to the people, systems, politics, and demands of a new job.

Age and responsibility matter when deciding how soon you can change jobs. Norm is, the younger you are and the less responsibility you have, the quicker you can walk away.

For example, if you hate playing customer support at your new job, then don’t be afraid to tell your manager after a couple of weeks.

If you are an experienced professional like an accountant at a new firm, there will be a stigma to walking away quickly. If you are a CEO, then the stigma might even be even greater.

Make a good faith effort to work through any problems, stay solution-oriented, instead of problem-minded. In the end, if you do decide to walk away sooner than anticipated, your efforts to make it work will soften the blow.

If You Lack Passion

If you’re not heading to work with a feeling of excitement on most days, then check to be sure that you are passionate about your job. And if you lack passion, your job will eventually come to feel like rock bottom.

Don’t linger at a job if you don’t feel like you have a future there. Remember, it sometimes takes up to a year to find a new job, so start preparing to leave now.

Being passionate means that you buy into both the company mission and the nature of the work. Remember: a great job for soem people might not be the job for you.

If you feel like your company is not providing true value to its clients, or if you want to change the world and instead feel like a cog in a machine, move on.

Also, if your job requires you to travel more than you would like, or does not offer enough upward mobility, it might be time to move on.

If the pay is the primary reason that you are working, then it is time to consider leaving your job.

Leave If You Are Miserable

If you dread going to work every day, then start tidying up; it is time to move on.

Does thinking about leaving your house to work make you anxious?

Do you feel like you are working too much or lack the work-life balance you desire?

Is your job negatively your mental or physical health? Are you  gaining or losing weight in a worrisome way? Or, are you suffering from anxiety or depression? Are you constantly tired and run down?

Leave If Your Career Has Stagnated

If you are constantly being passed over for promotion, your attempts to take on more challenging assignments have failed, your ideas are not being heard, your contributions go unrecognised, or you are no longer growing and learning, then your career has become stagnant.

This may mean it is time to start looking elsewhere, but first, you’ll want to make an effort to revive your career.

Make sure you know your stuff; work on your confidence.

Focus on growing the skills that the company needs and you are passionate about. If you’re a software engineer, that might mean being the best at writing code.

Also, if you’re a sales personnel, you need to be skilled at closing sales.

If you’re a lawyer, you might focus on knowing the ins and outs of the law in a certain field, arguing cases in court, or closing and bringing in clients.

Leave If You Dislike The People You Work With

If you don’t enjoy and respect the people you work with, or if you have problems with the corporate culture, then it’s probably a sign that you need to move on from that job.

Consider leaving if you are experiencing verbal, emotional, or sexual abuse.

Successfully managing workplace bullying or harassment is not easy; over 75% of targets eventually leave, either involuntarily or by their choice to escape the situation.


Have You Read: Work-Life Balance: How to Manage Your Career, Home


If you are being bullied, criticized publicly in a demeaning manner or sexually harassed, you should leave if you cannot resolve the situation in one of these ways:

In a large organisation, consider changing departments or locations, if possible.

Workplace trauma can be a lot, so take time off so that you can approach your situation with a clear head, and decide if you want to leave or try to resolve the situation.

But first, research your options.

Talk to a lawyer, particularly if you feel like discrimination plays a role (it does in a quarter or workplace bullying cases).

Look through your company’s internal policies for violations to report and go to the highest level person you can reach and make your case.

Find more resources on career and parentng here.