Should I Quit My Job? Here's All You Need for Doing it Right

should I quit my job
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  • “Should I quit my job if it makes me unhappy?”
  • “Should I leave my job for more money?”
  • “Can I quit my job due to stress?”

If these kinds of questions have been on your mind for a while, these are the signs you should quit your job. Whatever your reason for wanting to leave a job, doing so is not a failure— what matters is whether you actually enjoy what you’re doing and whom you’re working with. 

If you’ve decided to leave the current role, make sure you do it as professionally as possible. Some things you need to consider are showing your employer and the HR manager good reasons for resignation and giving them proper notice in advance. 

7 Signs You Should Quit Your Job Immediately 

If you’ve noticed the following signs, it's time to quit your job. Note that in this part, we will focus on factors that push an employee out of the role. 

1. There is a high turnover rate at the company.

The turnover rate refers to the percentage of employees who leave a company within a certain period of time, including those who resign voluntarily as well as being fired or laid off. 

Below are the major drivers of employee turnover:

  • Job content
  • Work satisfaction 
  • Stress
  • Compensation
  • Co-workers 
  • Leadership 
  • External environment

Different businesses and industries have different expected turnover rates. But generally speaking, a high turnover rate is often the result of negative employee experiences. Thus, if your company has high turnover, it will also affect your mood and productivity too.   

2. The company has no future.

As an employee, you expect to work for a financially-secure company with a clear vision. If not, you may feel less secure in your role and worry that you may be laid off due to the company closing or downsizing. 

So, how to know when it's time to leave a job? Observe the financial position of a company before applying for the job and while working there. Additionally, you can pay attention to whether the company's vision and mission are not aligned with what has been mentioned in the job interview.

3. Your workplace is toxic.

Oftentimes, being dissatisfied with the work environment is one of the major reasons for wanting to leave a job. Negative workplace culture can present itself in different ways, but generally is made apparent by the following practices:

  • Your workplace has poor communication. 
  • Many people are calling in sick or, worse, are working sick. 
  • There are many cliques, gossip, and rumors but no genuine friendships among coworkers.
  • Almost everyone doesn't appear to be happy working there. 
  • The higher-ups demand that employees like you have to agree with everything they say and do, and they also set very high standards.

Working in a toxic workplace can lead to stress, burnout, damage to your self-esteem, and serious disruptions in your normal life. Hence, consider leaving an organization if you notice some signs of negative company culture. 

4. You are not growing professionally.

A lack of future opportunities can bring a sign that you should quit your job. When pursuing a career, you should also care about your professional growth. That means you have chances to acquire new knowledge and skills, take on more responsibilities, and thus bring more value to the employer. Hence, if you feel like the managers can’t support your career advancement, that’s when you should tell yourself “I want to quit my job.”

5. You are no longer contributing at work.

When you first start a new job, the employer details all of your responsibilities and duties that you are excited about, challenging tasks and opportunities to learn and make contributions to the company. However, things have changed over time—you realize what you're doing is entirely different. 

You find what you have been working on is boring and, even worse, doesn't create much value for the employer. That will be a clear sign indicating it's time to quit your job. 

6. You are not motivated.

According to a study by LinkedIn in 2019, not feeling a strong sense of purpose is among the top reasons people leave jobs, making up 35% of the 3,000 professionals surveyed.

Quite simply, it means that you dread going to work and don't really enjoy what you're doing every day. Moreover, you don't see your work having a purpose and/or creating an impact. For that case, it's an appropriate reason for leaving a job. 

7. You are not valued at work.

Does your employer often provide you with positive feedback and praise? Or does your company run employee-recognition programs of some sort?  

If the answers are no, your work is likely not valued by others in the company. 

It's never pleasant to be unseen and unheard at work, especially when you contribute to the success of the team or the company. Since employee recognition is very important in the workplace, it's time you tell yourself “I want to quit my job and find a better employer” where your efforts are valued more.

6 Good Reasons to Leave a Job

Now, let’s take a closer look at pull factors and personal reasons for leaving a job with examples of a specific situation as shown below.

✨ A better job offer

“Should I leave my job for a better one?”

Everyone has different expectations about salary, benefits, and career advancement. If you have been made a better offer that meets or ,even better, exceeds your expectations, leaving your job for it seems to be a no-brainer. However, you should still carefully weigh the pros and cons, and make sure it’s potentially a big improvement.

✨ Relocation plan

Looking to live somewhere else can also be an appropriate reason for leaving a job. For example, you want to move to somewhere with lower living expenses and/or more things to do, or you prefer to live near your family and friends. 

If you work remotely, you don’t necessarily need to quit. However, consider this as a sign to quit your job since it might affect your life in the long run. 

✨ Personal conflicts

Your personal life has changed and your current workplace cannot accommodate—that's when you should quit your job. Let's say you find it hard to get along well with your colleagues even though you are all nice.

Or maybe, the current job involves a lot of travel, which doesn't really match your lifestyle. Your partner might even be moving to another city or country where he/she gets a new job offer. These kinds of things will lead to changes in your personal life, indicating a sign it's time to quit your job.

✨ Scheduling issues

Sometimes being unable to resolve a scheduling conflict, either due to child care arrangements or personal issues can also be a good reason for leaving a company.

✨ Pursuing further education

You have decided to go back to school to further your education, either on a part-time or full-time basis—this can necessitate a job resignation (unless you can maintain a work-study-life balance).

However, it's still better to focus on one thing at a time. Given the demands of your job and having a busy school schedule, your current employment may no longer be a good fit.

✨ Career change

Here are the top reasons for wanting to leave a job as career-changers are becoming more and more common nowadays. 

Many of you feel like you have been doing the same thing for too long, and now you are looking to do something different. It can be a new field, a new industry, or a new career path that may bring you a lot of exciting challenges.

Upon deciding when you should quit your job for a career change, make sure you know exactly what you're passionate about and what you want to do for the next employment.

Reasons Why You Should Not Leave Your Job

To know when it's not a good idea to leave your job, check out the following reasons.

💭 You are overlooked for a promotion.

Of course, it's hard to feel happy, or even content, in the workplace for being passed up for a promotion. Even so, you need to figure out why other colleagues can make it whereas you can’t. There're many factors contributing to career advancement and getting a promotion takes more than just doing your job well. 

💭 You receive harsh but fair criticism.

An inappropriate reason to leave the current job is that you are not willing to accept negative evaluations. Instead of quitting, try to reflect on constructive feedback given, which is very vital for your professional growth. 

💭 You don’t know why you want to quit.

Obviously, this is not either a sign you should quit your job, or a good reason for leaving a company. Having no clue about the situation means that there is nothing serious that affects your work and life. 

💭 You don’t have a clear plan for the future.

You will always need to be well-planned at every stage of your life, especially the moment your gut tells you “I want to quit my job.” It's not a good idea to leave the current position while you don’t know what you’re passionate about and what you want to do next. That will make you feel your life is pointless and meaningless in the long run. 

💭 You haven’t tried to consult HR or your manager to resolve issues.

To stay or leave the company is your decision. Yet, you should have a conversation with your boss or the HR manager so they can give you important counsel. There might be some issues at work that they are unaware of, and thus they can't help you resolve the problems. 

How to Quit Your Job and Leave On Good Terms

Once you have enough appropriate reasons for leaving a job, do it properly and professionally. 

Step 1: Know why you are leaving.

You can keep the actual reason to leave the current job to yourself. However, prepare something nice to say when being asked by your boss and even the potential employer in the next job interview. 

Step 2: Check your current contract. 

In the employment contract, you can find the notice period and any details relevant to your current benefits. Reviewing this carefully will likely ensure that you follow every essential step of resignation without missing anything.  

Step 3: Check unemployment benefits.

Upon your resignation, you may receive a severance package from your employer, including your final paycheck, compensation for unused PTO or holiday breaks or a 401(k) account. Depending on your situation, you may also want to look up labor laws to see if you qualify for unemployment benefits offered by the government that provides you with temporary income when you’re no longer employed. 

Step 4: Inform your manager and the company in advance.

Normally you will need to notify your employer at least two weeks in advance. Give them  a good reason to leave your current job and avoid being negative. This is not only part of the resignation process but also work etiquette, so they can have the time to find your replacement.

Step 5: Write a polite resignation letter.

This is the last but most critical step in quitting a job—to write a letter to inform your employer of your intention. 

A resignation letter should cover the following elements: 

  • Date and address
  • Your job title
  • Your name and your manager's name
  • Resignation date
  • Reason for leaving the current job
  • Gratitude to the employer 
  • Your contact info
  • Closing & Signature

💡 Pro Tip: Keep it short, simple, and polite!

🔑 Key Takeaways: 

All in all, be wise when seeing signs that it’s time to quit your job versus signs telling you that you shouldn’t. Do the reasons come from yourself, the company, or both? Have you talked to your boss or the HR manager regarding the issue?

If you’ve decided to leave your current role, make sure you have a specific plan for your career path. And most importantly, keep in mind to resign professionally so you can leave on good terms.  

With Cake, you can easily create a CV online and download your CV’s PDF format for free. Land your dream job and create your CV online (free download) now!

--- Originally written by May Luong ---

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