It can be difficult to know when it’s time to leave a company. Whether you’ve worked there for a long or short time and you’re happy or unhappy, there are a lot of considerations to take into account when deciding to look for a new job. Change can be overwhelming, but it’s also important you keep moving forward in your career, or just life in general. If your current company is holding you back in some way, it’s time for you to move on.
You don’t like your boss
One of the biggest reasons people leave their jobs is because they do not get along with their boss. While you could move to a different department or team within your company, sometimes you cannot avoid a person you just don’t mesh with. If you just don’t like each other much, consider sticking it out if you’re at your dream job. But, if there are serious personality issues between you and your boss or there’s something about you that’s a major red flag, start looking for new opportunities elsewhere.
The culture isn’t good
Sometimes, your boss isn’t the problem; it’s the entire company culture. If you value spending time with your family, but are working somewhere where they expect you to put in 60 hour weeks, it’s time to leave. If there’s sexism or discrimination in the office, get out. If you don’t have a single coworker you can grab lunch with, it’s a sign this company isn’t the place for you. Some office cultures can be incredibly toxic, so know how to identify it and then leave.
You’ve exhausted your opportunities
If you’ve been with your company for a while, you may have plateaued in your career opportunities with that business. If you don’t really see yourself moving forward in your current position or company, look for a different place where you can thrive. If you’re complacent with your job, but don’t really enjoy it, try to find a way to move within your company or consider a new place of business altogether.
You want to switch industries
For plenty of people, there comes a time when they realize they want to work in a different industry. Oftentimes, this industry has nothing to do with their current company and they need to go somewhere new. If this person is you, start your search. Research what steps you need to take to get into the industry you really want to work in and get ready to say goodbye to your current company.
It’s causing you too much stress
Maybe you used to be okay dealing with putting out fires at work and dealing with demanding coworkers or clients, but now it’s getting to be too much. If you find you’re completely burnt out and constantly stressing over your work, it could be time to completely move on. Even if you take time off, the stress of the job won’t be less when you come back. You either need to find a better way to deal with it or find a new job.