Is it time for you to find a new job? Luckily, we’re not in a time where a job is for life anymore. Sometimes it’s time to look for a new job and say adios to your current one. I mean, I have so much love and respect for people like my Grandad who put in decades and decades to one firm, retiring with a golden handshake and a plaque. But at the same time, being able to switch between roles and industries affords us a whole new luxury that our ancestors could only dream of! Although employers do look favourably on applicants with long service to individual companies, spending 3+ years is ok, much in the same way people used to spend 20.
I had a friend who really didn’t enjoy her job, but felt a sense of loyalty to her company and stayed because of it. Even though it made her incredibly unhappy. She stayed in this arrangement for two years longer than she should have, only to be made redundant. She didn’t have long to find a new job and with a wedding around the corner, it was a lot of pressure. She felt betrayed that the company didn’t show her the same loyalty she’d shown them. Her role was moved abroad to keep costs down as the London office was so expensive and she was left on the back foot.
Now, we all have different reasons for wanting to leave work. It could be that you’re sick of working in a toxic environment or a lack of career progression. But when do you know it’s time to move on? I’ve based this advice on my own experiences and those of friends and colleagues who I’ve spoken to about the topic.
SIX signs it’s time to hand in your notice and find a new job
You’re no longer finding fulfilment in your duties
You might have loved your daily tasks when you started. If you’re no longer finding your job duties challenging, the first step isn’t to leave. I’d suggest doing some research into whether there are additional tasks you can take on. If there are ways to delegate or automate some of your duties in order to make room for more challenging tasks in your current position.
If it’s not possible to take on new tasks, perhaps you can job shadow and pick up skills in another part of the company?
Waking up in the morning is hard
Even if you’re not a morning person in general, when you’re enjoying your role, mornings are bearable. When you find yourself having to hit snooze on the alarm more and more it’s time to take stock. For me, it wasn’t so much the alarm as having to have a pep talk in order to propel myself out of bed and into the shower.
You look for excuses not to go in
Sometimes things can be so tedious or toxic at work that you really will do anything not to be there. This is a sure sign that it’s time to find a new role. Or at the very least, if you actually feel the job is worth fighting for, having a word with the relevant people within your workplace to discuss the current state of affairs in order to get the situation rectified.
You’re reading this post
Seriously. If you found this post by doing a web search for “signs it’s time for a new job” or “when is the right time to quit my job” then you’re probably looking for external buy in. You already know things aren’t right and you’re looking for someone else to say as such! Take stock, make a plan, move on! Most of the people I spoke to before writing this admitted that they too had googled plenty of articles on when to quit work before they actually handed in their notice. You’re not alone in this!
You clock watch
Yes, the old adage is true, time flies when you’re having fun. If you’re finding yourself keeping an eye on the clock, counting down the hours until lunch and then the end of your shift, then Houston, we have a problem. Another cliche for the mix here, but it’s also said that if you do something that you love, you’ll never work a day in your life. I can attest to that being the truth. When you’re being challenged and you enjoy your work, it will seem crazy to think that you’re actually being paid to do it. Time to work in something you’d do even if you weren’t getting paid for it!
You’ve reached a developmental ceiling
Sometimes you love your job but there just isn’t anywhere else to go. If you’ve reached your ceiling in terms of growth at a firm it can be frustrating. Yes, you could wait six years for your superior to retire so that you can fight the other members of staff for a seat at the table, or you could go and carve out your own place somewhere else. Growth is good. If there is no room for promotions or developmental growth at your firm, then don’t stay stagnant. It’s probably a good sign that it’s time for you to look for a new position in a different department or company.
Do you have any other tell tale signs I should add to the list? I’d love to hear your own experiences. When did you know it was time to move on and find a new career?
