You deal with constant micromanagement
Micromanaging is when your boss does not allow you to have any independence in the way you complete tasks at work. Being monitored in every little thing you do is not only incredibly frustrating but can come off as pretty insulting as well. It can make you feel like your boss does not trust you to do your job or like the way you choose to complete tasks when given the chance to decide.
Your days feel lifeless
Not every day can be wonderful and exciting but that doesn’t mean that everything should be awful either. If everything feels mundane and pointless, and no goal at work feels like an accomplishment, your job is clearly not giving you the things you need. You need those interesting tasks to balance out the monotony and boring things that work sometimes requires. Without that balance, your mood can suffer.
The company is sinking
If the company you work for isn’t doing too hot, it’s better to get out before you can be made redundant! You don’t owe the company your work just because they are suffering due to choices you had no say in and it’s certainly not worth it. Take that leap and get out early. You’ll thank yourself for it soon enough.
You dread every morning
Not every day is going to be amazing at any job, even your dream job. That being said, you should not be completely miserable and dreading going into work every morning either. Some days at work can and should be good days. If that just isn’t feeling possible at your job anymore, it’s probably time to move on.
You can’t stand your co-workers
Your co-workers do not have to be your friends and it stands to reason that you will have to work with some people you don’t like in your life. While that is the case, you should be able to get one okay with at least some of your co-workers. Your ability to work together could be worth quite a lot in your company’s setting so if you find it impossible to get on with them, this probably isn’t the workplace for you.
Work is affecting your health
Our minds and bodies are very closely linked to one another and work can be physically demanding as well as mentally. For these reasons and many more, work can have physical negative effects on our health. If you are constantly exhausted and getting ill due to working too hard or anxious and stressed because of the pressure from your job, it’s time to re-evaluate whether this is what you should be doing.
You have no work-life balance
Work is an important part of life for the majority of adults. It takes up a large part of our day and can lead to interesting opportunities and an easier time later in life. However, work should not be the only thing that counts. If you are spending less time with friends and family or less time on your passion projects than you have at other jobs or at different points in your life, then it’s important to think about how much value you place on work compared to other things.
Your role is bigger than your paycheck
It can happen in a job where you end up taking on extra responsibility that doesn’t fit your job description. This can be a result of staying in the same job for a long time so you are trusted enough to undertake more tasks. The issue is that your pay will not be raised to reflect this additional responsibility. If this has happened to you at work with no sign of it being fixed, then it may be time to find a job that values you accordingly.
You’re expected to respond during time off
Time off from work should actually be time off. When you are off for the weekend or on holiday you should not be expected to be on call just in case. If your co-worker or boss contacts you during time off, you should not feel the need to respond. Your time off should be respected just as the work you do at that company should be respected.
You don’t feel challenged
Career stagnation is more serious than it might sound! When you don’t feel challenged at your job, it can make you feel like you’re not going anywhere and make you stop reaching for new exciting goals. Career stagnation is where your aspirations go to die. If you are feeling like nothing at work is scintillating or challenging anymore, it’s time to find somewhere new.
You don’t agree with the company
Over time, companies will start to move in different directions and it is up to you whether those directions are things you want to back by staying in that role. You might have taken your role at that company because you really needed a job, they were hiring, and you were desperate. In such a case, any job will do, but if you are no longer desperate and do not agree with what the company is doing and the direction they’re moving in, it is probably worth moving on.
You’re underpaid and resent it
Some industries pay less than others simply due to the type of work involved and the available funds allocated to staff salaries. If you love your industry and understand that staying there will get you paid less and have made peace with that fact, more power to you. However, if you know you’re underpaid and have grown to resent it, which is also perfectly reasonable, think about moving on.
You know you could do better
Perhaps it is because you’ve seen other people come and go from the company you’re currently at, or perhaps you’ve been browsing job boards. Either way, you know there are opportunities out there that you are more than qualified for. If you’re aware that there’s better out there for you and that those roles are achievable, it makes no sense to stay in the role you’re currently doing.
You’re not interested in it
Sure, a first job could be acquired out of necessity rather than passion, but this is not a pattern to be continued. If you have no interest in the job you’re doing, it isn’t the job for you, pure and simple. If you want a fulfilling career, you’re better off pouring your skills and effort into a role that does you justice and that truly interests you.
You can’t fulfil the job responsibilities
Sometimes jobs stop being a good fit because your circumstances change so that you’re not able to do all you could when you first started there. Whether this comes down to physical health, having children or other dependants, or for any other reason, you might just not be able to do everything your job requires anymore. If that’s the case, you’re better off finding a role that is suited to your present abilities.
You know it’s not for you long-term
Plenty of people take job roles that aren’t their dream job. That’s often what leads to experience and career progression that allows for better things later on. However, if you’ve been at your job for a while and don’t plan on being there for years to come, it is okay and important for your development to take that step into a new one when you’re able.
You wouldn’t want friends working there
It’s not uncommon for people to refer friends to their employer. If you would never do that to your friends, think about why that might be. Knowing what you know about the company from working there, there are definitely things about the environment that you find unpleasant enough that you would hate your friends to work there.
Your current job has stripped you of your character
While any job can generate some stress which makes you act a little different from time to time, this should not be the majority of the time spent at your job. If all your focus is going on your job to such an extent that stress and irritability becomes your default setting, you’re not in the right role. If you have had people telling you you used to be nicer, more vibrant, or more relaxed, take that as a sign to leave your current job.
You’re constantly negative
A cycle of negativity can come from a lot of different places in your life, but you should probably be able to tell if this spiral of low mood and pessimism stems from your job. You struggle to take a positive outlook because you have the gloomy reality of your job constantly hanging over your head. If this is where you find yourself, get out of that job as soon as possible.
You feel othered
When you’re at work does it constantly feel like everyone else is in on some big joke that you just don’t get? Are you the last to hear about office parties and constantly feel shunted to the side? Feeling like the odd one out is terrible, especially when you find yourself noticeably excluded. There are better work environments out there for you so don’t stay in this awful one.
Your work feels useless
At your job, have you ever been set projects and deadlines for work that then goes on not to be used by anyone? How about several times over? This is the sad reality of employers who do not know what needs doing and do not value their staff enough. If you find yourself doing work that is utterly useless when things come down to it, then it’s time to leave your job for something better.
Your workplace is into burnout culture
Burnout culture is the culture of working yourself until you break yourself and physically can’t do anything more. Your workplace, while they obviously want you to work hard, should not be actively trying to get you to work yourself into the ground. This sort of culture can have devastating affects on your mental and physical health, so get out while you can.
You need to detach after work
Your post-work habits actually say a lot about your work life. You should still be able to enjoy your time after work and do the things that you’re truly passionate about. If you feel the need to completely numb yourself or detach from reality after work so you don’t have your work ruining your mood for 24 hours a day, something is up. Two ways people tend to do this is constantly playing plotless video games for hours on end or, more worryingly, drinking a lot.
You cry over work
When work is so awful that you find yourself actually bursting into tears over it you know things are looking pretty bad. Work certainly doesn’t have to be super fun day in day out, but anything that is making you cry (especially if it’s on a regular basis) is not something you should be keeping in your life if you can help it.
You want a career change
We are sometimes told that you have to stick with the career you got into when you got your first proper job, but that is far from the truth. It is never too late to change your career, but keep in mind that what you really want to do may require training. As such, the longer you stay in your current job, the less time you will have in the career you actually want to be in.
You’re constantly distracted
If you are not someone who tends to be easily distracted, this one’s big! You should be able to work on and complete tasks at work as well as you do other tasks in your day to day life. If you find yourself constantly checking your emails or even scrolling on your phone during work hours to avoid completing tasks, there’s something about your job that isn’t working for you. It’s time to consider your other options!
You can’t be yourself in the office
Having to act professional is one thing, but having to alter who you are as a person in order to make it at your job is something else entirely. If there are aspects of your identity you have to go out of your way to conceal, or you are treated badly for being yourself in whatever way, that is not the kind of place you should be working for. The correct job will want you as you are to work for and with them.
You can’t agree with your co-workers
You don’t need to be friends with your co-workers, but if you cannot seem to connect or even agree with any of them, that probably says something about the beliefs and environment of the company as a whole. Working with like-minded people can make a huge difference as to how you feel about the work you’re doing. It makes work both easier and more enjoyable.
You spend more time on out-of-work projects
Hobbies outside of work are a good, healthy thing, and you do not need reasons to have said hobbies. That said, if you are spending significantly more time on your out of work projects than your actual job, you might want to think about a career switch. If you could be working on things you actually care about full time, why not take that leap?
You feel obligated to stay
It can be incredibly hard to leave a job. You may feel like the company needs you and since you’ve been there for this long already, you have some sort of duty to stay. If you feel this way, you are likely also finding things you don’t like about the job that are making you feel this way. You do not owe your company your employment when you could be doing better things.
It hasn’t gotten any easier
We’re all nervous on the first day of a new job. The fear tends to be that you have no idea what you’re doing because you are yet to learn all the nuances and skills required for the role. Once you start the job and get into it, things tend to get easier and less stressful after you’ve been doing it for a few weeks or months. However, if your job remains just as stressful as it was right at the start, something is wrong! Save yourself the pressure and quit.
Your friends tell you to leave
Your friends and family know you better than anyone. When they can see that things are affecting your physical or metal health, they are likely to hint at it or even tell you outright. These people who are close to you want what is best for you, after all. If they say that your job is not good for you and that you should think about quitting, listen to them!
You’re constantly burnt out
Burnout describes a state of physical and mental exhaustion from pushing yourself too hard or undergoing long-term stress. Being burnt out takes time to recover from but if you are working a demanding job that does not value your wellbeing, you might not get that time. If you are working hard enough at your job that you are constantly burnt out, it might be time to move on to better things.
You’re being harassed
Harassment of any kind at work is completely unacceptable, but it can be incredibly hard to speak up when it’s occurring. This is doubly true if the person harassing you is your superior in some way. If you do not think it will be possible for you to successfully speak out, then leaving your job might be your best option. Nothing positive about your job can justify enduring such treatment.
You have to censor yourself
Having to stop yourself from swearing at work is obviously not an issue, but if you are unable to speak your mind at all, your workplace has an issue you shouldn’t ignore. Part of producing good work as a company is the sharing of ideas. Because of this, if you do not feel like you can voice your ideas and opinions on work-related matters without facing unnecessary criticism, then you should look towards a job elsewhere.
It doesn’t match your lifestyle
You might be at a place in your life where you desire a certain kind of routine or lifestyle that your job just does not align with. If you want a job that lets you work from home two days a week or that does not require you to work on the weekends, then you may have to think about quitting. You won’t get the life you want if you don’t strive for something nearer it.
Lots of people are being fired
Companies will occasionally do big lay-offs where large chunks of the staff are fired. If this is happening where you work, you should look to quit, even if you know you won’t be fired. Large lay-offs mean that your responsibility will almost definitely increase to being beyond your pay-grade and it means that the company is not doing well systemically or financially.
Your confidence has been knocked
Being in a job where your ideas are always shot down, you are undervalued, and your boss is rude to you can knock your confidence pretty badly. If you have less confidence in your skills now than you did when you started the job, it’s time to look at other opportunities. Your career should be about growth and if this job has only made you less sure of yourself, it’s not serving you the way it should.
You get no benefits
While you are there to help the company that employs you, they should be there for you to help you as well. If your job provides you with no benefits or leeway, then they are not supporting you the way you are supporting them. Work should be a two way street so if your needs aren’t being met or appreciated, then leave.
You’ve developed depression
No matter what your job, it is so important to take care of your mental health. Symptoms of depression include a persistent low mood, loss of interest in things you once enjoyed, and feeling worthless. While depression does not always have a situational cause, it often does and your job might be that cause. If you think it is for you, then that’s not a job you should be staying in.
You can’t abide your boss
Never underestimate the importance of good leadership. If you can’t stand your boss, your work will not be its best and you will constantly feel irritated or unsettled at work. Not being able to trust the person in charge makes such a difference to your work and your life as a whole. If being in the same room as your boss has you wishing you were anywhere else, it’s not the job for you.
Your commute is too long
Sometimes a job can be great but the things surrounding it make your quality of life plummet. If you are travelling more than an hour to work and an hour back each and every day, this can have huge effects on your mental and even physical wellbeing. A super long commute makes your work-life balance even worse and leaves you no time for things outside of work that you really enjoy.
It’s not your industry of choice
Maybe your job isn’t the worst. Maybe your actual job description suits you well but you aren’t passionate about the work your company is doing due to it not being the industry you truly want to be in. If this is the case and you now have some of that essential experience, it is likely time that you start looking for jobs in the area that truly matters to you.
Your workplace environment is competitive
In the workplace, you should all be working together to achieve the company’s goals. If employees are competing against each other to be the best, to get the most leads or conversions or to complete a task first, things start to get toxic. If your workplace is making employees compete for the company’s approval, they do not care about the wellbeing of their employees and it is time to move on.
Full-time means all the time
When you get a salaried job with full-time hours, you probably expect to be working 40 hours a week. Some companies expect their employees to work extra long hours because they are salaried and it is the role that calls for that pay not the number of hours. If this is the attitude your workplace has, it’s not worth it, especially if you are expected to work until midnight or beyond at an office job.
You can afford your dream
Whether you’ve always wanted to open your own business or to take a year to travel around the world, such dreams can be expensive. However, if you are at a point in life where you could financially fund that once-in-a-lifetime ambition of yours, it’s probably time to do so. If you have something that you’d always rather be doing and you have the means to make it happen, it makes no sense to not do it!
You’re not appreciated by your boss
This is a key sign that your job may be wrong for you at this point in time. If you find yourself ignored by your boss and consistently have the worst jobs delegated to you, then you’re not in a good place. When no one listens to you and your boss does not care about your professional development, it’s time to start looking elsewhere.
Your role is not what was described
It can happen that you go into a job expecting one thing based on the job description and the interview, and then what you get just isn’t what was sold to you. Maybe you’re doing tasks that should not apply to someone with your job title, or maybe what you spend most of your time doing was not something you were ever told about. Being misled by the company is sign enough to get out, but it also probably means you’re not doing what you want to be doing.
Too much is expected of you too soon
Does your job set unrealistic deadlines for projects all the time? Such things tend to keep employees stressed, anxious, and overworking themselves, leading to feelings of inadequacy. If your job is doing this, it’s best to get out of that environment. It’ll only make you more unhappy to stay any longer.
You want a career, not a job
Some jobs simply do not have room for growth, or lead you to a point where you can enter the industry you most want to be in. Not every job can lead you to a career and if you are in one of those jobs, it would be a good time to start thinking about your transferrable skills and applying to other positions. Seize that opportunity to begin building a career you’ll be proud of.
You’re only staying because you’ve been there a long time
Research has shown that the more time or money people have invested into something, the harder they find it to abandon it. Known as the sunk cost fallacy, this explains everything from why people finish movies they’re not enjoying to why businesses keep investing in clearly failing products. It also explains why people stay in jobs they hate, just because they’ve been there for years.
Your parents pushed you into it
Many parents have clearly defined ideas about what they want their kids to be when they grow up, and guide them towards it from a young age. If you’re only in the job you’re in because your parents pushed you, give yourself some time to reflect on if that’s what you truly want in life.
You constantly check job listings
It’s always sensible to keep an eye on the opportunities that are out there, but if you keep finding yourself compulsively browsing for job listings online, it could be a sign that you’re subconsciously yearning for a change. This is especially true if you get a sense of excitement or relief while you’re looking.
You’re just not good at your job
Studies have shown that people are at their happiest when they have the sense that they’re developing mastery. Equally, a constant feeling of incompetence is likely to leave you profoundly miserable. If you just can’t get to grips with your role, even though you’ve given it your all, it’s time to accept that you can’t be good at everything and move on to something else.
You’re having sleep issues
Sleep is the pillar of physical and mental health, and getting a solid seven to nine hours a night is crucial to live a long, happy life. Unfortunately, sleep disturbances are on the rise, and work related stress is one of the leading causes. If you job is interfering with your ability to nod off at night, it’s simply not worth the sacrifice.
You’re afraid to leave
As the American author Neale Donald Walsch once said, “life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” If the thought of leaving your job frightens you, reflect on whether that fear of uncertainty is the only thing keeping you where you are. If it is, a career change, while daunting, might be exactly what you need.
You live for the weekend
Weekends are great, but if you’re finding yourself desperately longing for them all week, it’s time to make a change. You spend a large portion of your life at work, so it’s absolutely imperative to find a job that brings you enjoyment and satisfaction on a daily basis. If every second you’re at work is spent wishing you were doing anything else, something’s wrong.
It doesn’t meet your financial aspirations
Everybody defines financial success in their own way. For some people crave exotic vacations, big houses, fast cars and fancy clothes; others just want enough to stay on top of the bills and provide for their families. Whatever it is you want out of life, if your job isn’t allowing you to achieve your ambitions you need to find one that will.
The thought of leaving excites you
Everyone fantasises about greener pastures from time to time, but if you get butterflies of excitement when you daydream about starting a new job it’s probably because you’re feeling stuck where you are. You don’t have to make any rash decisions, but at the very least you should start investigating what other opportunities are out there.
You’re expected to act in unethical ways
If the company you work for has a culture of using unscrupulous tactics to succeed – by employing an underhanded and dishonest approach to sales, for example – head for the door. The longer you remain in that environment, the more your own values will be eroded as you become desensitised to these unethical practices.
You have physical symptoms of stress
Chronic stress frequently manifests as physical symptoms, the most common including a permanent feeling of tightness in the chest, aching muscles and episodes of unexplained nausea. Over time, stress can lead to a range of more serious problems including high blood pressure, anxiety and depression, so if your job is the main source of stress in your life you should look for something new.
There’s a culture of gossip at your company
Gossip is a highly important social behaviour, with scientists believing it drives social bonding and improves peoples’ capacity to learn. That said, talking behind others’ backs can quickly become toxic, especially in a workplace environment. This is doubly true if management partake in the gossiping, as it creates a culture where it isn’t safe to confide in anybody.
Your company runs on favouritism
There are few thing more disheartening than putting your heart and soul into your job, only to be passed over for promotion because of nepotism. If your superiors are consistently handing out opportunities based on who they like the most, rather than who is the most qualified, you should get away from that toxic environment as quickly as you can.
You’re bored
Many people reconcile themselves with the fact that work is simply a boring reality of life. That defeatist attitude is guaranteed to lead to a life devoid of fulfilment. Studies have shown that chronically bored individuals are significantly more likely to experience depression, anxiety, problems with addiction and high-risk, self-destructive behaviours. If your company isn’t challenging you, find one that will.
There’s a high staff turnover
If you’ve noticed that your company has an exceptionally high staff turnover, it’s worth stopping to consider why. It might be because the company places unreasonable demands on its employees, leading to burnout, or because there’s a culture of bullying. Whatever the reason, high turnover is a rarely a good sign, and it should make you consider if there are better options elsewhere.
There are safety concerns
If you work in an industry where safety is important – construction, for example – and your employer doesn’t take their responsibilities seriously, you should leave on the spot. You should absolutely never be put in harms way in the course of your job, and no amount of money is worth risking physical injury or death.
You’re jealous of your friends’ jobs
If you get a tight knot of jealousy in your stomach when you hear your friends talking their jobs, it’s a pretty clear sign that you need look for new opportunities. It might be worth asking your friends about openings at the companies they work for, or even just for advice on how to get into an industry you’ll find more fulfilling.
Sick days aren’t tolerated
Illness is an unavoidable, and you should never feel pressured to work when you’re genuinely unwell. However, some companies view sick days as a costly inconvenience, and employ tactics to discourage them. This could involve factoring in the number of sick days taken when it comes to promotions or bonuses, or creating a toxic culture where anyone who takes time off sick is ridiculed.
There’s no progression anymore
While it’s nice to be at the top of your game, if there’s no more room for progression within your company you should definitely consider moving on to bigger things. Having goals to aim for is important for maintaining momentum in your career, and if you’ve hit the ceiling your motivation can soon start to crumble.
Your targets are unrealistic
Targets and KPIs might not be the most enjoyable aspect of work, but they’re unavoidable in most industries. It should go without saying that, while they should be challenging, your targets should also be achievable. Unfortunately, some companies set deliberately unattainable targets in a cynical ploy to avoid having to pay bonuses or commission. Such reprehensible tactics should never be tolerated.
