“Should I quit my job?” 16 signs it’s time to move on

If you are so unhappy at work that you find yourself Googling “Should I quit my job?”, then Houston, you have a problem.

Here are 16 signs it may be time to quit your job if you can. Obviously, if you have a family to support or you have little savings, you will need to find a new source of income before you take the leap. But the more warning signs you can relate to, the more important it is to prepare your exit now.

Warning sign #1: You dread going to work

Do you lay awake at night, acid churning in your stomach, agonizing about your job? Do you wake in the morning and let fly a string of obscenities? Your job is making you miserable. This is no way to live. You can—and should—do better.

Check out this video of Steve Jobs delivering his commencement speech to the graduates of Stanford University in 2005. I discovered this clip at a time when I myself was asphyxiating in a job I hated. No exaggeration—this speech changed my life. Pay special attention at the nine-minute mark when Jobs says:

“Every day for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror each morning and asked myself, ‘If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?’ And whenever the answer has been ‘no’ for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.”

Watch the whole speech. It’s inspiring.

Warning sign #2: Your job is affecting your health

Work-related stress can absolutely make you sick. If your job is causing you to drink more, sleep less, or live in a constant state of anxiety, your health is suffering. Long-term exposure to this stress can weaken your body’s immune system, making you more susceptible to colds, flu, and other physical problems. In the worst cases, job stress can even cause anxiety and depression.

Don’t risk it. Your health is too important. If you feel like your job is having a negative effect on your health, you need to make a change now.

Warning sign #3: Your job is affecting your home life

People who feel unhappy at work often find that this negativity follows them home. If your family life is being compromised because you are working long hours, feeling depressed, or you are short-tempered with loved ones, it’s time to take stock of what’s really important.

Hint: It’s not your job. It’s your family, your happiness, your quality of life. Go out and find a new opportunity that supports and lets you nurture those priorities.

Warning sign #4: You don’t respect your boss

In my mind, the single most important factor affecting job satisfaction is your boss. He or she makes all the difference. A good boss who supports you and helps you grow in your profession can make up for a lot of other shortcomings in a job. On the other hand, if your boss has no backbone, or she doesn’t know her stuff, or he’s a mean and arrogant ass, then your work life will be much harder. Granted, you may be able to tough it out for a few years, and maybe this person will move on. But you shouldn’t bet on it.

If your boss is ineffective, or keeping you down, or has a management style that just isn’t compatible with the way you work, then you may need to make a change.

Warning sign #5: You dislike your team

Good jobs are hard to find. Good co-workers doubly so. If you are having serious problems getting along with people who work closely with you—whether Stan is annoying, or Sue is lousy at her job—then you are going to feel that pain possibly several times a day. Unless you are a higher-up or you have pull with management, you need to understand that you are extremely unlikely to change a co-worker’s behavior.

It’s even worse if you find yourself outnumbered. So if you don’t think you can live with your team members as they are, then you need to make a change.

Warning sign #6: Your team dislikes you

I recently saw a quote: “How people treat you is how they feel about you.” If your team starts acting differently toward you—taking a tone with you in conversations, excluding you from work projects or social gatherings, and calling meetings that make you feel like everyone around the table is talking about you—then you are in trouble. Once your personal brand has been tarnished and you get a reputation for being “Not a Team Player,” it can be difficult if not impossible to recover.

It doesn’t matter who is to blame. Some personalities just don’t mix, and workplace rivals can make your life miserable if they decide they don’t want you around. When the knives come out, you generally have two choices: You can knuckle under, keeping your head down and your mouth shut; or you can look for another job.

Warning sign #7: Your attitude is suffering

If your co-workers are noticing that you are unhappy or frustrated, you need to change that fast. The longer you display your disruptive behavior—and that’s what it is, no matter what is behind it—the more damaging it will be to your work relationships and job security.

Try talking with your manager to find solutions to your problems. If your boss is unwilling or unable to help—and you know in your heart that your attitude has no chance of improving—then you need to find a different job.

Warning sign #8: You’ve become an emotional wreck

Are your emotions on a hair trigger? Spending every day in fight-or-flight mode can wreak havoc on your nerves. If you burst into tears at your desk or blow up at your co-workers on a semi-regular basis, you have a problem. If your job is the cause, you need to find a new one.

Warning sign #9: You aren’t up to the job

Sometimes people find themselves in jobs for which they are not a good fit. It is important to recognize this if it happens to you. Underperforming in a job can create enormous stress and anxiety. It can destroy your self-esteem. Should you get fired, it will leave a permanent mark on your resume. Or, if you manage to stick around, it may be to the detriment of others. (See warning signs #4, “You don’t respect your boss,” and #6, “Your team dislikes you.”) If you find yourself in over your head and struggling to perform, you need to find a different job that is a better fit for your skills.

Warning sign #10: You aren’t learning new things

Do you find yourself doing the same old tasks every day? Do you feel bored and unchallenged? Are your skills stagnating as the world passes you by? If you are not entrusted with new responsibilities and your employer is unwilling or unable to invest in your professional development, staying in this job is doing long-term damage to your career.

In this day and age, a job is more than a way to make money. It is an opportunity to fulfill your potential. Every new job should be a stepping stone, a place where you can learn and grow into the next phase of your career. If not, it’s a dead end and you are wasting valuable time staying where you are.

Warning sign #11: Your work is underappreciated

We all like to be recognized for a job well done. But what if your managers and colleagues don’t appreciate the work you do? Worse, what if they actually work against you, undermining your work intentionally or unintentionally?

If your good work is rarely acknowledged, or frequently compromised, or you notice that you are being overlooked for high-profile projects—then you should look for a new job where your skills and contributions will receive the respect and recognition they deserve.

“Your circle should want to see you win. Your circle should clap loudly when you have good news. If not, get a new circle.”

Warning sign #12: You aren’t being paid what you are worth

Hopefully you have some idea how much money your skills and experience are worth. If not, sites such as Glassdoor and Salary.com can show you what professionals in your field are making. If it turns out you are underpaid or your job responsibilities are growing faster than your wages, then it is time to negotiate for better pay. Talk with your boss. Brush up on your negotiation skills if you have to. Then, if the company cannot pay you what you are worth, find another that will. Money isn’t everything, but it is the reason most of us work.

Warning sign #13: Your workplace culture is toxic

If your workplace harbors cliques, or if the people around you are perpetually hostile or unhappy, then your work environment is sick. Healing it requires nothing less than a full commitment from competent management. If you and your colleagues have tried to bring attention to the problems and nothing has changed, stop wasting time and start looking for a new job.

Warning sign #14: The company’s values don’t align with your own

It is hard to work in a job that requires you to compromise your personal values. If you don’t feel good about the things your company is doing, or making you do, then your best move is to find a new job.

Warning sign #15: Your heart is somewhere else

Do you feel unsatisfied in the work you do? Unfulfilled in your career? Would you rather be living someplace else entirely? Then you are indeed a long way from happy. If you know what kind of life you want and you aren’t living it today, then now is the time to decide: Are you serious about making it happen? What do you need to do to get where you belong?

It may take time. You may need to go back to school or wait for the kids to move out. But the sooner you start, the sooner you can get there. As the saying goes, “A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.”

Warning sign #16: You’re only staying because you are afraid of change

If the only thing keeping you at your job is a fear of changing jobs, then any unhappiness or dissatisfaction you feel, any lack of fulfillment—it’s on you. There is simply no helping you if you are experiencing several of these warning signs and you still won’t act to improve your situation.

Yes, change can be scary. But you can’t let that stop you from doing better for yourself. You need to conquer your fear. Know that you deserve better, that you are worthy of happiness and respect and appreciation for what you do. Until you decide this, you are doomed to your current reality.

I have several friends who stayed overlong in jobs they didn’t like, thinking they could ride it out for a while or hang on until retirement. Most didn’t make it. For various reasons, their companies let them go, unceremoniously and out of the blue—a final, embarrassing insult after months or years of injury.

The lesson? It is better to find a new opportunity now, on your own terms, than to risk wasting away in a job that makes you unhappy, only to be kicked to the curb later.

Should you quit your job or not?

If you are still reading this, you have my sympathy. You are grappling with some hard feelings and tough decisions. One thing is sure: If you are experiencing several of the warning signs above, or even just one or two that are especially bad, then you should be looking for a new job now.

But what if you can’t wait to find one? What if you simply cannot suffer another day with your current employer? Can you, should you, do you dare to quit now? Consider carefully:

• What is your plan? Will you take time off? Look for a new job? Change careers?
• Do you support a family? Think of your dependents first.
• Do you have savings? Enough to live comfortably without an income for six months to a year or more?
• How is the job market? Are job openings plentiful in your field?
• Assess your skills. Are you competitive with other job seekers? Be honest. If you are good at what you do and you have a strong resume, your chances of finding new work improve.
• Can you get freelance work? An alternative income can help you bridge the gap to a new full-time position if that’s what you want.

Think hard about your situation. Talk with family and friends. Do your research. Find and read more articles like this one. Above all, make sure your decision is based on rational thinking, not raw emotion.

“Don’t settle: Don’t finish crappy books. If you don’t like the menu, leave the restaurant. If you’re not on the right path, get off it.” —Chris Brogan

Quitting a job is rarely easy. Quitting a job without first finding a new one can be extremely risky. But sometimes the right choice is to bet on yourself, take the leap, and do your best to live the life you want.

Go to blog home page.

Can you relate to the warning signs above? What will you do about it? Or maybe you’ve already said “enough” and quit a job or boss that was making you miserable. How did it work out? What are you doing now? Was it the right decision, and are you happier for it? Share your experiences below.