Unhappy With Your Job? 8 Signs That It’s Time To Quit [VIDEO]

I had a heart-to-heart with a friend of mine who left one job for another, only to find out the grass may have looked greener on the other side, but she still had to mow. In other words, she was extremely unhappy with her job and couldn’t figure out why. She then left that job only to find the same issues in her new job. Sometimes we can work to correct the unhappy, but how do you know when it’s time to really look elsewhere? Here are 8 signs that it’s time to quit your job.

1. You no longer feel you are growing. After several years with your employer, you still feel like you are at a point where there is no room to grow. If you feel like you’ve reached the top of your departments “food chain” than it may be time to look elsewhere.
2. You are not involved in meetings. Monday morning meetings can be a real pain when you must endure them weekly, but what happens when you are not invited to attend any longer? It’s either a sign that your employer does not find you valuable, or could care less what you think. Maybe your employer doesn’t see you as a leader. Either way, before jumping ship, try to find out why you’re ideas and thoughts are no longer valued. It could be that your employer sees you losing interest in your job. If there is no clear answer from your superior, then it may be time to go.
3. You feel like your career is just a JOB. This is a big red flag that you may need to re-evaluate you working options. If you’ve been a stable, dependable employee for a considerable amount of time, and you feel like you’re just a robot, this is a clear sign that you need to see if you can change departments, or change jobs altogether.
4. Your company has undergone a massive change. When companies are bought out, sold, and management dismantled, often times you may find yourself having to change with it. Layoffs, firings, and demotions all play part in many of these changes. Be it good or bad, if the company you work for no longer fits the core structure you stand for, it may be time to quit.
5. “Raise? What raise?” If this sounds like you after one year of employment with no blemishes on your record, um, yeah — it may be time to go. If you feel like you’re being strung along for manpower purposes, and not getting paid anymore than when you first were hired, chances are there is a pattern of employees not getting paid what they are actually worth. Time to re-evaluate.
6. You feel like you’ve been wasting time and talent. If you find yourself in your cubicle wondering what you’ve done with the past 7 years of your life, instead of working — this is not good! You technically are wasting your time asking yourself this and your employers. Both are equally unfair. If you’re constantly mulling over and over in your head that you wasted good money and time going to college for this job, quit.
7. You’re home life is suffering. Often busy individuals are pulled, stretched and bent far away from their families. If your job is causing your home life to suffer due to hours, stress, or finances, it may be time to chalk up your losses and quit.
8. You just don’t feel like you’re valued. If you never hear praise, or get thanks for doing what you consider outstanding work, then walk. Make sure you as the employee have given all you can to make your job work. Be fair: If your employer has praised you for your good work, there may be potential there to tap into what can gain you increased notoriety. If the cards are still not playing out in your favor, do everyone a favor and quit.

In every job there are going to be struggles, downfalls, challenges, and stress, but if you feel like you are being used and over worked, underpaid – then chances are, it’s not worth staying unhappy. You are not doing anyone any favors being a toxic employee.

Listening to my friend, I feel like there probably would’ve been ways she  could’ve circumvented her just quitting what she called, “a good job.” A good rule of thumb: if your gig is not growing you, utilizing you (in a positive way), or exciting you, it may be time leave.

I hope the above are used as a guideline in your career journey into taking the path of the happily traveled.

Good luck!

Watch: Office Space “I Don’t Think I’m Gonna Go Anymore”