Even with jobs so scarce these days there are good reasons to quit:
- You found something better - The best reason there is. You found a higher-paying job, or one that pays the same but with saner, smarter people. Don't think twice; get ready to leave.
- You're bored - Maybe you are overqualified for the job, or it's just uninteresting and you aren't challenged. You spend so much of your life at work that I think you owe it to yourself to find something you enjoy doing. It's great if you can find something you love doing - and all the college commencement speakers will tell you not to worry and 'do what you love'. I'll be a little more realistic: at least don't be bored eight hours a day. You'll find that five years will go by quickly and you'll still be at a job you hate.
- You're not getting promotions or raises - You're young and you're smart. You've entered the workforce at a junior level. At least early on, you should be gaining skills and becoming more valuable to the company. If you are stagnating, that's a warning sign.
- The company is circling the drain - Read what I wrote about zombie startups. It isn't just startups that can be dead men walking. Even established companies lose focus, innovation and customers. You can hang on in hopes that there might be a layoff package, but wouldn't you rather be working at a vibrant, viable company?
- The people are driving you nuts - Maybe you have a dysfunctional boss or crazy co-workers. And you've tried the techniques in Working with Other People. At some point you have to give up and realize they aren't going to change. Start looking.
- You just need a change - The culture could be a bad fit for you, or you just want out. I suggest a bit of self-examination if you can't really pinpoint a reason. Try the online work personality assessment. If you aren't happy at the company, what could be changed to make you happy? Do you want a smaller (or larger) company? Do you want to work in a less competitive atmosphere? Do you need the stability of an established company, or are you craving the excitement of a startup? You need to figure out what's wrong with the current situation so you don't end up miserable in a new company.
