Travis Bradberry* lists some signs that however disruptive it may be in the short term, it is better to move on and seek new opportunities.
If you’re like most people, you spend more of your valuable waking hours working than you do anything else.
It’s critical that you spend your time with the right organisation, pursuing the right opportunities.
Bad management does not discriminate based on salary or job title.
A Fortune 500 executive team can experience more dissatisfaction and turnover than the baristas at a local coffee shop.
The more demanding your job is and the less control you have over what you do, the more likely you are to suffer.
A study by the American Psychological Association found that people whose work meets both these criteria are more likely to experience exhaustion, poor sleep, anxiety and depression.
Staying in a bad job for too long can be harmful to your career.
If you’ve tried everything you can think of to make things better and haven’t seen any changes, it may be time to move on.
Choosing to leave a job can be a gut-wrenching decision. You need to know that you’re making the right choice.
The good news is there are some clear signs that — if you experience enough of them — suggest it’s time to move on. Here are some.
There’s no room for advancement
It’s easy to get stuck in a job and, if you love what you’re doing, getting stuck can be comfortable.
However, it’s important to remember that every job should enhance your skills and add to your value as an employee.
If you’re not learning anything new, and are just puttering around doing the same old thing while people around you get promotions, it’s time to look elsewhere.
You’re out of the loop
Does it seem like you’re always the last one to hear about what’s going on at work?
If you’re left out of meetings and have never even heard of the big project everyone else is so excited about, that could mean your bosses just see you as a body filling a desk.
That’s bad news for your career and may mean it’s time to leave.
You know more than your boss
It’s frustrating to work for someone you believe to be less skilled or knowledgeable than you are, but the real issue is deeper than that.
If you can’t trust your leadership to make good decisions and steer the ship in the right direction, you’ll be living in a constant state of anxiety.
You have a bad boss who isn’t going anywhere
Bosses come and go, which is why conventional wisdom says that it’s best to just wait a bad boss out.
That’s not always the right move.
If you have a bad boss who’s liked by upper management, it may be time to leave.
In addition to making you miserable every day, a two-faced manager can wreak havoc on your career by taking credit for your work or bad-mouthing you to others.
You dread going to work
We all get a case of the Mondays from time to time, but if even thinking about your job fills you with dread, it’s probably time to leave.
Don’t keep telling yourself you’re having a bad week if what you really have is a job that’s a bad fit.
You’ve lost your passion
Even if you love the organisation, your boss, and your co-workers, it’s not worth the effort if you hate the work.
Passion is a necessary ingredient for success. If you’re unenthusiastic or even indifferent about the work you do, it’s time to reassess your career.
Your health is suffering
No salary is worth sacrificing your health.
Job stress can lead to depression, insomnia, headaches, frequent illness and worse. Don’t let this happen to you.
Your personal life is suffering
Whether you work too many hours or you’re stressed and miserable when you come home, it’s time to leave when your job starts affecting your personal life.
If you do decide to leave, be smart about it. Don’t burn bridges by venting about all of the reasons you’re leaving.
That accomplishes nothing, and could even haunt you later.
Instead, simply explain that you’re leaving to pursue another opportunity, and then do so graciously.
*Travis Bradberry is the award-winning co-author of the bestselling book, Emotional Intelligence 2.0, and the co-founder of TalentSmart. He can be contacted at TalentSmart.com.
This article first appeared on the talentsmart.com.
