1. It’s Time to Switch Careers
Maybe you’re not fulfilled because you never expected your job to be the last stop on your career path anyway. If you have an interest in something unrelated to your current job, you need a degree to get there. Earn an online degree even while you continue to go to work; flexibility and a variety of programs are the biggest benefits of choosing to get a degree online. Even if you still want to work in the same field, having an undergraduate and a graduate degree will increase your chances of getting a promotion and better job offers, both of which can take you out of your current rut.
2. You’re in a Negative Work Environment
Sometimes it’s not what you do, but with whom you do it. If you’re constantly subjected to harassment, moodiness or unrealistic expectations from colleagues and supervisors, it’s time to strive toward working elsewhere. This can be an especially toxic situation in a small business where the owner is unreliable or overly involved in what you do.
3. You’ve Got a Lot of Contacts
If you’ve got plentiful network contacts who might offer you a new job, you’ll feel more comfortable about your job prospects if you quit. If you don’t already have a reliable professional network, now is the time to start. Establish professional relationships with:
· Colleagues of friends and family
· Fellow volunteers in a charitable program
· Other people in the industry through events and conventions
Don’t complain about your current job — you never know who’ll repeat what you’ve said, and it might get back to your current employer. Even if you don’t care at this point if you’re fired — although you should, as it can look bad on your resume — most employers aren’t willing to hire people who bash their former employers. Instead, emphasize how you’re eager to move up and expand your responsibilities, and ask if they know about any opportunities that might let you evolve your career.
4. There’s No Room for Promotion
If there’s no hope at all in your current position for a promotion, it’s probably time to look for a new job. Even if you’re relatively satisfied with not being the boss or a team leader, you should at least be able to obtain more responsibility along with greater salary over time. If your company fails to acknowledge your efforts with any kind of reward after years of work, they likely never will.
Things to Consider
Before you turn in your resignation letter, it’s important you consider the difficulty of finding new work. Focus on working toward a new job — whether by pursuing a degree or job hunting or both — while you continue to work. If possible, don’t quit before you have another job offer even if you have adequate savings to last a while because some employers aren’t thrilled about employment gaps on applicants’ resumes.
If you must quit, whether it’s because the stress is too much or you plan to move to start your new life and you need to move now — fill your time with volunteering, both to have something admirable to put on your resume and to make new networking connections.
Forbes reports that a mere 19 percent of U.S. workers are satisfied with their jobs, so you’re not alone. However, quitting should be your decision only if you have a good plan for furthering your career. If you can barely muster the energy to get through each work day because you feel stuck and undervalued, it might be time to strive toward a new job — just be sure you’re ready to take the leap and quit.