How Do I Know When it’s Time to Leave my Job?

I’m sure that many of you reading this are considering changing jobs. Or even changing careers.

First: Try to Fix It

Before you think about leaving, try to change the job from the inside. Ask for more freedom in how you work. Push back on things that aren't working. Reshape the role to fit you better.

This is always the first move. A lot of what feels permanent is actually negotiable. Leaving before you've tried to fix things isn't brave. It's just avoiding the harder conversation.

But some things can't be fixed. When you've tried and hit a wall, that's when you start paying attention to the signals.

Sometimes you feel guilt. Should I leave? What about my projects? What about my colleagues? What about the time they've invested in me? You feel bad about things. That's normal. But guilt is not a reason to stay.

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The Signals That It's Time

You feel it before you can explain it. Sometimes you ignore feelings because you're an intellectual, right? You should be able to reason your way in and out of things, right? But your body often knows before your brain catches up. If something feels off, that matters. Don't talk yourself out of it.

You think about leaving often. Not just on bad days. Regularly. If something keeps coming up in your mind, if you keep ruminating, it's a big sign.

You look up and don't want any of those jobs. Look at the people above you. If you don't want a single one of their roles, why keep working toward that?

You're hiding who you are. How you work. What you really think. When you start changing yourself to fit in, something important is being lost. Yourself. You shouldn't have to perform a different version of yourself every day. Yes, you might need to hide some of your eccentricities, but you shouldn't have to hide yourself.

You feel alone. No one in your corner. No support. That's both unpleasant and unsustainable. People do their best work when they feel backed. Does your boss back you? Are your colleagues out to get you?

Nothing is pulling you forward. The right job should stretch you a little. It should sit just outside your comfort zone. If everything feels easy and flat, you've stopped growing. If you're on autopilot every day, that might be easy, but it isn't growth.

Don't get me wrong. If you're in a phase of life where you want easy, that's fine. I've been there. If you're a new parent, dealing with health issues, living in a new city, taking care of family, or a million other things, and you want a quieter life for a while, that's okay. We've all been there. Don't beat yourself up about it.

But in all other times, for people who care about getting better, comfort is a warning sign. And a sign to move on.

The Personal Signals

Some signals are harder to put on a general list. They depend on your life.

Money. The big one. If you want more money and you can get it, go get it. And if you have enough money and you want to step back from the grind of stressful work, do that too. When you have enough saved to take a risk or weather a gap, your options open up. Don't let fear of instability keep you somewhere that isn't working.

You're not yourself. We mentioned this earlier. When you can't be yourself, that's no way to spend eight hours a day for years and years. Not a work version of yourself. Not a quieter version. Just not you. When that's true, it's time.

So When Do You Go?

One signal doesn't always mean leave. But when they stack up, it's time.

You've moved from should I leave to what am I waiting for.

Start by trying to fix it. Talk to your manager. Renegotiate your role. Ask for what you need. If nothing changes, or nothing can change, trust what you've been feeling.

You already know what you need to do. Give yourself permission to do it.

👋 Want to Learn More?

If you want to go deeper, I've put together resources to help:

• LinkedIn Guide: Optimize Your Profile for Success

• ChatGPT Resume Creation Guide (Full prompts)

• How to use the 80:20 rule to get more done in less time.