How do you, or how did you know when it was time to leave your job?

15 Comments

1. AnonymousFebruary 23,2025 at 5:18PM UTC

   When I found another job. Don’t leave until you have something. Obviously it’s time to leave because you’re considering it. Always be out there even if you’re happy. Things change so much these days. Good luck!

2. Leah AshtonApril 1,2025 at 12:50PM UTC

   thank you.

3. AnonymousFebruary 24,2025 at 3:09PM UTC

   Short answer? You just know. When you dread going to work every day. Suffer the "sunday night scaries" every week without end, and more nights than just Sunday. When you find yourself constantly looking for new opportunity (not that you should ever quit looking, but when you make it a big part of your day, that's a sign). When you feel you aren't valued, when you aren't getting the growth you want. When your employer isn't performing well, the workplace is toxic, no appreciation, no increases. Promises that aren't kept. Bad behavior being rewarded, etc. There are so many signs to know when it's time.

4. Colleen HansonFebruary 24,2025 at 3:10PM UTC

   I knew it was time to leave my job when I was in tears as soon as I left every day and had to start going to therapy. I could never enjoy my weekends or even vacations, because I knew I had to go back to work. NO job is worth compromising your mental health and happiness.

5. AnonymousFebruary 25,2025 at 1:35AM UTC

   When I day dream too much.

6. AnonymousFebruary 25,2025 at 1:17PM UTC

   Poor leadership and management which affects your team, constrained resources affecting your ability to do your job properly and successfully, when the stress at the job starts to take a mental and physical toll, and micromanagement. These traits individually and as a combination are some of the reasons why I had left previous roles.

7. AyianFebruary 25,2025 at 2:20PM UTC

   When I either start having stress dreams about the job or begin to feel anxiety when it's time to go back to work in the morning. By that point, I will have made my concerns heard, whether or not management has chosen to heed them.

8. Susan RoblesFebruary 25,2025 at 9:07PM UTC

   If you are asking yourself this question, it may be too late.

   Someone told me you should not be running away from a job but should be moving forward to your future.

   And I know it is never too late. Good luck!

9. KatFebruary 25,2025 at 10:12PM UTC

   Listen to your intuition. Once, I had just gotten hired (2 wks in max) and someone asked why I hadn't put my name on a mailbox yet. Mentally, I knew it was because I wasn't going to stay. Turns out that dept had high turnover and I didn't last. Another time, I could see that the newer hires were having trouble keeping up with the multi-tasking required of the job. I decided it was time to go before it made my job any harder. A co-worker left a different job and I was determined to be the next one out - and I was. If you think it's time to go, it is. Trust your instincts and get ready now because it's probably going to take a long time to find your next opportunity.

10. AnonymousFebruary 27,2025 at 1:30PM UTC

    When I was threated to take a jab or lose my job. I chose my health. I had been at the company for 18 years.

11. Jonna Ferguson, ACCFebruary 27,2025 at 2:41PM UTC

    My "Top 10 List" of ways people realize it's time to start looking for their next opportunity:

    1. You’re No Longer Growing or Learning

    2. You Dread Going to Work Every Day

    3. You Feel Undervalued or Underpaid

    4. The Work Environment is Draining You

    5. You’re Experiencing Burnout

    6. Your Talents Are Being Wasted

    7. You Have No Work-Life Balance

    8. Leadership/Company Values Don’t Align with Yours

    9. There’s No Clear Path for Advancement

    10. You Feel Strong Intuition It’s Time to Move On

    Observe the environment, how your body is reacting to it, and listen to your inner voice. Then:

    Get clarity on what you want next. Identify what’s missing in your current job (growth, pay, work-life balance, culture) and what you want in your next role. You can often make a current situation better with effort, and the best things typically happen when you take a risk, whether at your current place of employment or a new one!

    Assess your financial readiness. Do you need to save money before leaving, or better yet, can you secure another job before quitting? Review your finances and set a timeline for leaving.

    Explore new opportunities discreetly. Start networking, reach out to industry contacts, mentors, and LinkedIn connections. Update your resume, LinkedIn profile, and research companies that align with your values and goals.

    Develop new skills if needed. Take online courses to bridge skill gaps, volunteer or take on freelance work to build experience.

    Plan your exit strategy. Decide when/how you’ll resign and prepare for the conversation. Leave on good terms to maintain strong professional relationships.

    The ultimate goal is to step into something better. Take time for self-reflection and planning. Sometimes when people go through the steps above, they realize a work situation is resolvable and they put in the effort to stay and grow if the option is available to them. If it isn't, take the leap with an established plan!

12. AnonymousFebruary 27,2025 at 3:03PM UTC

    You'll know when you're getting the feeling that you're not being developed or you're being marginalized, overworked and consistently underpaid and disrespected. And when that happens, it might be time to move on.

13. AnonymousMarch 1,2025 at 9:29PM UTC

    Once the work started overwhelming my whole life and I could barely take care of my personal business.

14. AnonymousMarch 2,2025 at 3:20PM UTC

    Women have this glorious talent called intuition. So I fear that you already know it’s time to explore, if you’re asking yourself this question :( I knew it was time to leave my last job when chats with my boss became awkward out of the blue, and my annual review was Average when it was clear to all other divisions and our clients that I was blazing a trail for the university and our communities . Long story short, I was being bullied out so they could hire someone who was related to one vp and having an affair with another. Needless to say, leaving that role was one of the best things I’ve ever done lol! After I left, a huge weight lifted off my shoulders—one that I didn’t even know existed. I hope your situation is not that extreme and that you exit unscathed. Take care and stay strong!

15. AnonymousMarch 3,2025 at 9:47AM UTC

    When my boss said "if your'e not willing to do tasks outside of your skillset, outside of the scope of your job description, with no training, and just suck it up., then we will have a problem."