Quitting Time: How Do You Know When Its Time To Quit Your Jo

By Author: Scott Brown
Total Articles: 35
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Nobody likes his or her job all the time. Even if you have landed your dream job or work for yourself in your dream career, there are pros and cons to every situation. Every now and then you might feel like everything is going wrong and you don't know what to do. But does that mean its time to quit your job? Probably not. However, if this happens more often than not, it might be time to start looking for something better. With so much going on in our lives, sometimes it's difficult to separate work stress from home stress and home stress from other personal stress. Your job won't always bring you joy, but if it's always bringing you grief, you might want to think about leaving. This week's job tip is about knowing when and when not to make that leap.

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

You know you have a serious decision to make, but that doesn't make it any easier. Quitting your job can be a very personal decision, but if you're having trouble deciding, there are a few things to keep in mind. Here are some signs that it's probably time to go elsewhere:

-You're not being appreciated:
* If your ...
... boss is gradually giving you fewer and fewer responsibilities
* You're kept out of the loop - i.e. not invited to meetings, not told what's going on until the last minute (or not at all)

-You've simply outgrown your position:
* Maybe you started at a low level position and have been passed over for promotions even though you're qualified
* You're not being challenged enough

If you started out at the bottom of the ranks, and now you're at the top, you shouldn't be getting paid the bottom salary. Start looking for a job that's right for your current level of expertise.

-Job stress is affecting your everyday life
* You have chronic headaches or backaches
* You have developed an anxiety, sleep or other disorder as a result of your job stress

The bottom line is work is stressful. There might even be some weeks where it's stressful everyday. But if the weeks turn into months or longer, you might want to start looking for something that fits your life better. Whether it's the actual work you do, the way your office is run, or the way your boss treats you, you should be able to look back and have some positive memories of your job. If you're constantly stressing about your job when you're not at work, it might be time to work somewhere else.


About the Author Scott Brown is the author of the Job Search Handbook (http://www.JobSearchHandbook.com). As editor of the HireSites.com weekly newsletter on job searching, Scott has written many articles on the subject. He wrote the Job Search Handbook to provide job seekers with a complete yet easy to use guide to finding a job effectively.