Reasons to Leave Your Job (A Checklist)

Making the decision to leave your job is not often simple or easy. There are several factors that go into determining whether or not your current job is fulfilling your needs in terms of job satisfaction, work-life balance, and compensation. You’ll also want to be informed about the status of the job market in order to determine your chances of landing a new opportunity. We have put together this checklist as a guide for potential candidates to help the decision-making process for beginning a job search.

Evaluate your overall satisfaction

The first step in deciding whether or not it’s time to leave your job should be to make an evaluation of your personal satisfaction. Do you feel engaged with and fulfilled by your daily work? Do you have more good days or bad days, and why? What’s missing? It’s important to identify and understand the factors for your job satisfaction in order to make the best decision for you. By understanding what’s missing in your current situation, you will know exactly what you are looking for should you decide to leave.

Have a conversation with your manager

Having an open and honest conversation with your manager can help troubleshoot what might be going wrong. Together you can come up with a plan in order to help increase your satisfaction in your role. If a manager is unwilling to negotiate or be flexible with your needs, it might be a good indicator that it’s time to begin your job search.

Research the job market

How likely are you to find a new job if you were to quit today? Currently, the job market is very strong for experienced candidates as the rise in demand for skilled workers continues. This makes companies competitive and many are offering substantial raises and benefits packages in order to secure good candidates. It’s always important to be aware of these market trends before you make the decision to leave your job.

Research your salary

Wages have been steadily increasing over the years. It’s important to know what the market rate is for your particular job so that you can see how your own salary compares. If you find you are underpaid, it’s worth a conversation with your manager. Otherwise, you might want to seek new employment in order to earn what others are making in your role.

Research the company’s finances

Staying up to date on your company’s position in the market and their financial security can help determine when it’s the right time to start looking for a new job. If you feel that your company lacks stability, it might be a good time to move on.

Your benefits are changing

Sometimes changes in your company are reflected in changes to your pay and benefits—and these changes can be negative. If you were accustomed to certain benefits it’s often difficult to give them up. However, sometimes you might be able to find a new job that will offer similar or better benefits.

 Your commute is too long

According to our September 2018 Candidate Survey, 95.3% of candidates commute less than 45 minutes to work, and 73% less than 30 minutes. A commute that adds hours onto your work day can quickly become tiring and demotivating. A change of location might be an important factor when considering new career opportunities.

There’s a need for flexibility

A work-life balance can be difficult to achieve at times. There’s an increasing demand for flexibility so that employees can more easily meet the needs of their families and manage life outside of work. Our Candidate Survey shows that flexibility and work from home privileges are the second most desirable benefits after medical and health benefits.

All of these factors contribute to making the difficult decision to leave your job. It’s important to evaluate your own job satisfaction and carefully weigh the pros and cons in order to reach your conclusion. If you do decide it’s time to move on from your current role, read our article to supercharge your job search and land the opportunity that’s right for you.

Bradley Staffing Group is a full-service staffing firm based in Wayne, PA. We are committed to matching A-level talent with best-in-class businesses. Our knowledgeable and well-trained staff brings a combined 70+ years of staffing experience to our clients and candidates alike. http://useful-sock.flywheelsites.com/contact-us/