6 Signs It's Time To Quit Your Job

Chances are, you’ve had a season (or hopefully, many!) where you’ve felt extremely fulfilled in the work that you’re doing. You are encouraged to work hard regardless of the task at hand, knowing and feeling the purpose in your current position. Sounds pretty good, doesn’t it?

Unfortunately, it is also common to go through seasons where the work just doesn’t make sense. Maybe you’re disinterested, maybe you’re tired, or maybe you’ve lost the purpose in it. This stagnation could be temporary, but it could also be a warning sign that it’s time to consider leaving your job.

How do you discern whether this is just a season, or if it’s a bigger sign that you should be looking for your next opportunity? Below are a few common signs we hear regularly in our work with candidates looking for a new position.

1. You are using all your sick days each year.

It’s understandable to have some days where you’d rather have a lazy morning at home rather than coming into work. However, if you’re regularly finding yourself calling in “sick” because nothing sounds worse than going to work, there might be a bigger problem at hand.

Work won’t always be fun, but is also shouldn’t be something that you try to avoid at all costs. If you’re already out of sick days for the year because of this reason, consider looking into a different position.

2. You are bored for the majority of the day.

Boredom is often a sign that your current work isn’t challenging you or using you to your greatest potential. If you’ve sought out opportunities to be more productive and hit a standstill every time, it might be time to look for a position with greater responsibility. This will save both you and your employer from wasted time and money.

Now this isn't to say that your job should be free of boring tasks or responsibilities that aren't challening. Take time to reflect on whether your boredom is self-induced because you're not challening yourself to add the most possible value or because the organization is at a standstill.

3. You are not proud of the work you are doing.

You should always be able to find pride in doing good work, whether you are an Uber driver, personal chef, pastor, or engineer. If you aren’t proud of the work you do, we advise that you ask yourself, ‘Why?’ Answering this question honestly will give you a good idea if it’s the work itself, the organization, or your attitude that might need a change.

4. You have a bad relationship with your manager.

Maybe you’ve heard the anecdote: people don’t quit jobs, they quit bosses. It’s important to have a healthy working relationship with your manager, even if you wouldn’t get along outside of the office walls. This is a relationship that isn’t likely to change unless you either address it through a peaceful confrontation or move on.

There will always be people in an organization that are difficult for you to work with. But if you dread meeting with and/or interacting with your manager, that’s a bad sign.

5. You don’t line up with the culture of the organization.

Some people love working in a results-driven, goal oriented environment, and some loath the idea. Some people prefer to be in a relational, slower-paced ministry setting, and some like their workplace to be fast-paced and competitive. Regardless of where your dream workplace falls on the spectrum, ideally you would be working in a culture with similar goals and values as your own.

If you are realizing that your organization is building a culture that you don’t align with, consider looking into other organizations.

6. You don’t feel like your gifts are being utilized.

If the job you were hired to do isn’t completely utilizing your gifts right away, that is not a sign that it’s time to quit. It’s simply a sign that you haven’t hit your stride yet! However, if you’ve been working for 10 years and still feel under-utilized, it might be time to look for a new opportunity.

If you are a gifted in a certain area, whether it’s teaching, managing staff, or planning events, find the opportunity that best uses those gifts. Even if your role is in a different department, you could still volunteer in an area you feel you are gifted in the meantime.

Deciding to leave your job is a huge decision that requires a lot of prayer and contemplation. As you consider this transition, don’t forget to talk with your trusted mentor(s), community of friends, spouse, and most importantly, God. Very rarely is there ever one blaring sign that you should quit your position. Usually it’s a combination of a gentle tugging feeling and a few other confirmations from other trusted people in your life.

What are some signs you’ve noticed when you felt it was time to move on from your position?