Should I Leave My Job?

Marie Weston • 4 February 2020

6 Key Signs it’s time to leave your job


Should I leave my job? Sometimes this can be an easy decision to make and you’re looking for a chance to progress in your career. Chances are, if you’re reading this article, you’re looking for other reasons it may be time to move on to pastures new.


There are many factors that can contribute to considering ‘should I leave my job?’ Sometimes these can be negative and you’re trying to understand if it’s you. Other factors may not be as obvious and require you to take a step back and look at the bigger picture.


I speak to people every day who tell me about the reasons they wish to leave their current role but I find there are common themes. I want to share these with you to help you make a decision about your current job situation. So, here are 6 key signs it’s time to move jobs…


1. Your Work Environment


Just like you can’t get on with everyone in life, you can’t fit into every type of company culture and the working environment it provides. It is not to say that the company you work for has a bad culture but the way they operate doesn’t align with what you value in a working environment.


It’s therefore important to understand what you value when you work for a company and if your current employer is living up to this. It may sound silly, but you’ll excel in an environment that allows you to be the best version of you.


If you’d like to know more about understanding if you’re in the right culture, read this handy guide.


However, sometimes the culture isn’t because you don’t fit in but it’s simply a toxic culture. This could be due to various factors including:


  • The colleagues you work with aren’t friendly and you don’t feel part of the team
  • Your Manager is causing issues between you and your colleagues
  • You don’t feel appreciated
  • You don’t receive direction or feedback to help your career development
  • The culture is de-motivating


If you find yourself saying yes to any of the above, it is a real warning sign you need to get out of there. It’s not you!


2. Your Commute

6 Key Signs it’s time to leave your job


Should I leave my job? Sometimes this can be an easy decision to make and you’re looking for a chance to progress in your career. Chances are, if you’re reading this article, you’re looking for other reasons it may be time to move on to pastures new.


There are many factors that can contribute to considering ‘should I leave my job?’ Sometimes these can be negative and you’re trying to understand if it’s you. Other factors may not be as obvious and require you to take a step back and look at the bigger picture.


I speak to people every day who tell me about the reasons they wish to leave their current role but I find there are common themes. I want to share these with you to help you make a decision about your current job situation. So, here are 6 key signs it’s time to move jobs…


1. Your Work Environment


Just like you can’t get on with everyone in life, you can’t fit into every type of company culture and the working environment it provides. It is not to say that the company you work for has a bad culture but the way they operate doesn’t align with what you value in a working environment.


It’s therefore important to understand what you value when you work for a company and if your current employer is living up to this. It may sound silly, but you’ll excel in an environment that allows you to be the best version of you.


If you’d like to know more about understanding if you’re in the right culture, read this handy guide.


However, sometimes the culture isn’t because you don’t fit in but it’s simply a toxic culture. This could be due to various factors including:


  • The colleagues you work with aren’t friendly and you don’t feel part of the team
  • Your Manager is causing issues between you and your colleagues
  • You don’t feel appreciated
  • You don’t receive direction or feedback to help your career development
  • The culture is de-motivating


If you find yourself saying yes to any of the above, it is a real warning sign you need to get out of there. It’s not you!


2. Your Commute

You enjoy your job but find the commute a miserable experience. It’s no surprise to learn studies find our commute to work has become longer over the past decade. This impacts our health. Longer commute times are linked to increased stress, higher blood pressure, lack of sleep and gives us less time to do things that are good for us.


You probably find yourself asking, should I just stick this out as the commute is the only issue or should I leave my job? There is light at the end of the tunnel, this can be resolved in a less drastic way than moving jobs. Why not discuss your commute with your employer and ask if you can arrange a more flexible arrangement where you come in later and work later or earlier and leave earlier. There’s also the option of working from home a few days a week.


If you really enjoy your role, reducing your commute means you become more productive which only helps your employer. If they are not willing to discuss this, maybe they don’t value you as much as you thought. Is it, therefore, time to move to a job closer to home or that offers hours to suit you?


This does all depend on what your job involves as not all roles could accommodate this. Hence, do think very carefully before rushing in to ask your Manager to change your hours. If this is you, you may want to reconsider the type of job you do and if it’s for you.


3. The Job has changed for you


When you started your current role, everything was great, your Manager, your colleagues, and the culture. Now things aren’t the same because of changes within the business outside of your control.


Some of the things I come across include:


  • A re-structure within the business has meant your role has changed
  • The business has become financially unstable, leaving you worried if you’ll even have a job
  • You just feel it’s time to go
  • Your Manager has changed and you don’t get on


With all of the above, I find people are struggling to see how they can reach their career goals in the current situation. It’s at this point I always discuss the potential of moving to a new company that could support their ambitions.


Have things changed for you?


4. You’re Procrastinating

Do you find yourself
clock watching?

This doesn’t necessarily mean you’re lazy or a bad employee. It could simply be, you’ve outgrown your role, you know it inside out and it’s no longer a challenge. Basically, it doesn’t make you want to jump out of bed in the morning!


The problem with this situation is you become too comfortable and that’s when you start making mistakes. Anyone who is driven to succeed in their career knows they need to be motivated. How do you do that? By constant learning and understanding. It keeps you on your toes but when this stops, you become less alert.


There are 2 ways of dealing with this:


  1. You speak to your Manager and see if there is room to progress or take on more responsibility
  2. You move on to a new role with fresh challenges


Your employer (although they may want to) may not have the resources to promote you or there may not be the extra work for you to take on.


It’s important you assess why you’re procrastinating and decide if moving jobs is the right thing to do.


5. Your Wellbeing


There are times when everyone’s job becomes stressful, especially when meeting deadlines. However, it should not be like this all the time. If you find work is becoming too much, it can have serious effects on your physical and mental wellbeing.


A recent Health and Wellbeing at Work Report by Simply Health and the CIPD revealed over 50% of people are stressed at work. This is caused by high work volumes, bad management, and poor working relationships. In turn, this results in people working when ill or when on holiday which should not be the case.


It’s important to have a balance between your work and personal life to ensure our wellbeing is at a good level. This is different for each person but you need to know what is right for you and find an employer who can accommodate what you’re looking for.


Are you suffering from stress? If its work-related, is it time to move on?


6. You aren’t working to your full potential


It’s important to review this. Especially if you’ve been in your current role for a while. You know you’re doing well, could do much more but you’re not being given the chance. For example, maybe you’ve got a solution to a problem but no one listens to you.



For some people, it’s about confidence, they can do it but are unsure if it’s a leap too far. We are the biggest critics of ourselves. The next time you feel you can’t do it, say you can, write down everything you’ve achieved and don’t listen to the voice in your head.

For others, it’s not quite so obvious they aren’t reaching their potential. Ask yourself, does your job give you satisfaction even for the smallest of tasks? Do you feel excited about the future at your work? If the answer is no, it’s time to address this either by moving or speaking with your Manager. Even if you really enjoy the people you work with, it’s not always enough. Don’t feel bad for considering leaving, it’s your career! Make sure you are making the most of your potential.


What Next?


Do any of these signs ring any bells? Has it helped you answer, should I leave my job? If, yes, have a chat with us about potential roles.

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Marie is the Internal Recruiter for ASC Connections. She finds talented individuals to join the ASC family. She really enjoys her role to help the business grow by bringing in talented people and supporting people prosper in their career.

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