11 Obvious Signs That It's Time to Quit Your Job And How To Do It!

11 undeniable signs that it's time to quit your job!

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(Last Updated On: October 19, 2020)

Are you wondering, “Should I quit my job?”

Are you looking for some clearcut signs that it’s time to quit your job? If so, keep on reading.

Call me a giver of bad advice, but whenever my friends come to me asking if they should quit their jobs, my answer is almost certainly yes. Reason being? The majority of these friends have exhibited most, if not all, of the “11 undeniable signs that it’s time to quit your job” described below.

If you can relate to any or most of the points below, then it probably means that it’s time to quit your job.

1. You are overqualified and underpaid.

This is the worst combination and leads to 100% workplace dissatisfaction.

You’re immensely overqualified and should have gotten a promotion years ago. However, there is no real place for you to go and no sign of future advancement within this company. In other words, you’re stuck.

You are underpaid and can get paid far better elsewhere. You feel exploited. Why are you staying at a company that does not value your worth?

2. You are miserable.

You are unhappy with your job and that’s all that’s on your mind. Quite frankly, it’s all that you ever talk about. It’s gotten to the point where it’s negatively affecting your personal life and relationships. All you can do is complain about how much you hate your job.

3. Getting up for work is the hardest thing to do in the morning.

Whenever you think of going into the office, your heart sinks a little.

A surefire way to ruin your Sunday night? Thinking about having to get up for work the next day.

4. You never picked this career.

You probably entered college not knowing exact what you wanted to do in life. Being young and confused, you may have followed the bad advice of a career counsellor, a relative, or a friend who suggested this career path because it’s “secure” and “pays the bills.” Or perhaps your parents forced you to go down this path. Whatever the case may be, you were never given the CHOICE to choose a career that is right for you.

5. You’re only staying in it for the money.

Your job pays the bills. It’s secure and you like getting a pay cheque at the end of the month. But as time passes, even this pay cheque is not enough to make bring a smile across your face.

6. You are super unproductive.

You spend less than 10% of your working day actually working. In fact, you find just about every excuse NOT to work. You chat with colleagues and go on multiple coffee breaks. You even block off your calendar to make it seem as if you’re attending a meeting when in reality, you’re playing hooky. If most of your time is spent looking at your Facebook feed and chatting on the office communicator, it might be time to bid adieu to your workplace.

7. You are not being challenged.

You have mastered all the aspects of your job such that it has become a mindless routine. In other words, you can do your job in your sleep. Worse yet, your manager is not investing at all in your personal development. There are no plans of adding new projects or job responsibilities to your plate any time soon.

8. You work in a toxic environment.

You hate your boss and you hate your colleagues. Maybe they also hate you.

If you’re spending 8 hours a day at the office, you should at least be spending them with people you actually like, right?

9. You do not believe in your company.

You do not believe in your company’s mission. The corporate culture is foreign to you. Maybe you’re a vegetarian and you work for a company that processes meat. Or perhaps, you detest smoking and you work for a big tobacco company. Whatever the case may be, you are going against your personal values and ethics by working at your company. You’re not proud of your company and feel almost ashamed when people ask which company you work for.

10. You lack work-life balance.

Your boss overworks you. The workload just keeps piling up. Whenever you finish one task, another 2 or 3 are waiting to be completed. You go into the office early and are one of the last to leave. You even have to log in from home in order to resolve issues that “can’t wait” until the next day.

11. The idea of quitting your job is the only thing that brings you happiness.

This last point is key. If you’re constantly daydreaming about quitting your job, then it might be time to finally pull the trigger.

How can you quit your job?

There’s no perfect way to do it, but follow these steps to make your transition smoother.

1. Have a backup plan.

You can’t just quit without having a plan. Make sure you know what you will do once you are unemployed. Some options are:

Starting a new job right away
Job hunt
Have a mini-retirement
Start a business
Travel
Take some time off

It doesn’t really matter what you plan to do, as long as you have a solid plan and even financial resources to sustain yourself.

Definitely do not quit without having enough savings to live off of. Save up at least 6 months of living expenses in case you don’t find a job right away.

If you plan to start a new job right away, then you should start job hunting as early as possible and give your notice once you get a new offer. So make sure to update your resume/CV and LinkedIn profiles ASAP!

2. Give two weeks’ notice

The standard is usually two weeks but make sure to check your work contract to make sure you’re complying with the rules. You don’t want to leave on a sour note by not giving ample notice to your employer.

You can give your two weeks notice orally or in a written format. The best way to do it is written (either letter or email) so that there is proof of the date that you gave your notice. In the past, I have only given my notice period orally and it was fine.

3. Prepare for your handoff

You should make sure that your team knows how to do your job once you leave. You don’t want them calling you up with questions after you’ve left.

A good way to do this is to update or write a new manual explaining your job to your successors.

4. Get recommendations

Make sure to not leave your job without getting a glowing letter of recommendation from your employer. This is vitally important for your next job search!

5. Clean your workspace and destroy personal data on work computers/email accounts

Leave your workspace clean and free of any of your personal belongings. Ensure that your workplace is as neat and tidy as the first day you started working!

Make sure to delete anything personal off your computer and email. Otherwise, the company will have access to this and you don’t want that.

Also, make sure to save a backup of anything that you will need after you leave your company.

6. Conduct an exit interview with HR

An exit interview allows you to give honest feedback to your employee as to why you’re leaving. This can help your company improve for future hires.

7. Find out what happens to your corporate health plans, stock options, pension plans, etc.

Educate yourself about what happens with your health plans, stock option plans, pension plans, etc. You might have to transfer your pension plan to another plan. Find out everything you need to know while you still have access to the internal platforms.

8. Say your thank yous and goodbyes

Finally, say goodbye to your friends and colleagues!

Bring in a treat on your last day to thank them for all the great experiences over the past months/years.

Also, make sure to keep in touch with important colleagues. You never know when you will run into them again. They may even present you with new business or career opportunities later down the road.

Key take-aways

If you’re reading this article, then you can probably relate to most of the signs that it’s time to quit your job.

In fact, you have probably already made up your mind. Deep down, you already know what you have to do. It may be time to leave your job and consider pursuing another company or career path.

I’d recommend that you read my story about how I quit my job.

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