How Do I Know When to Quit a Job?

Wondering when to quit a job? Wonder no more. If you have been feeling dissatisfied with your job lately, and you are not sure of when to quit a job, the questions in this article will help you to know when to quit.

By Catherine Adenle

Miserable at work and wondering when to quit a job? Well, having a job is fulfilling because you benefit from the regular paycheck, the opportunity to grow your skills, the many great colleagues and people you meet at work, the camaraderie and the routine. However, thousands of people quit their jobs daily for various reasons. Usually, people quit their jobs because they need some new challenges, they are in pursuit of more money or due to unforeseen circumstances. Mostly, the majority of people quit their jobs because they are simply unhappy for various reasons.

Before you quit a job that you are currently doing because you are unhappy, ensure that you’ve done everything you can to make the job work. Then, strive to have another job lined up before you quit if you know that you will struggle financially if you are not employed for a period of time.

First, explore these 12 questions that you need to ask yourself to determine when to quit a job.

Questions to ask in order to know when to quit a job

The questions will help you to decide how soon you need to quit the job. Answer each of the following questions truthfully by adding YES or NO in front of each:

If you’ve answered “yes” to most of the 12 questions to ask in order to know when to quit a job, then it’s time to plan your exit from your current job.

Your answers to these 12 questions to ask yourself in order to know when to quit the job provide solid clues to whether or not it is time for you to quit your current job straight away. Were most of your responses “yes” for the questions? The precise number of questions you answered “yes” to do matter, because even a single one of these factors may be a sign it’s time to quit your job.

See 14 Signs It’s Time To Leave Your Job

Here are some thoughts to consider:

A Gallup Poll of more than one million employees found that how long workers stay at companies is determined by their relationship with their immediate manager. If you cannot tolerate your manager, this may hinder your progress and affect your personal life. The result of this may be stress, loss of sleep, negative thoughts, and debilitating physical symptoms of stress. There are bad bosses in every big organizations, but that doesn’t mean you have to work for one.

See How to Manage 7 Types of Bosses

If your work is not challenging anymore, but your manager is supportive, you can manage the situation by speaking up and asking for more responsibilities. You need just the right amount of challenges to feel good about your work. In order to stay satisfied with any job, most people need new challenges. If you are not currently challenged, it may be time to move on but you must not be in a hurry.

If you have seriously considered taking stress leave, then, consider a new role in the same organization or a new career that causes you less stress instead.

If you are working yourself to the bones, it’s a bad thing that you feel burdened with too much work. This will make you resent that you aren’t being fairly compensated for the hours you work. And if you are seriously overworked, you probably answered “yes” to considering stress leave as well.

If you have looked into how much severance pay you would get if you left your job, you should probably look into finding a new job as well.

As well, if you have recently visited career websites, read the newspaper ads for jobs or apply for a job, you are already one foot out of your current job.

Even if you haven’t made up your mind on when to quit the job, your behaviour can give you solid clues about your desires. At the very least, you are curious to learn if there might be something better for you out there. Carefully plan when to quit the job so that you can get to a happier new beginning in another organization.

See Tips for Quitting Your Job

Now that you know when to quit the job, think carefully about your next line of action.

See The Graceful Way to Quit a Job You Hate

If you have left your job in the past due to any of the reasons above, let’s hear from you.