Job hopping gets a bad rap, but staying in a role that's wrong for you can cost you growth, health, and time. The trick is knowing the difference between a bad week and a bad fit.
Signs It Might Be Time to Leave
- You've stopped learning. The work is repetitive and there's no path to new skills or responsibility.
- Your values don't align. You care about work-life balance; the culture rewards late nights. Mismatches like that rarely fix themselves.
- You're chronically stressed or disengaged. Occasional crunch is one thing; dreading work every day is another.
- You're underpaid and there's no movement. You've checked the market, asked for a raise, and gotten nowhere.
- The company or product direction no longer excites you. It's okay to want to work on something you believe in.
Signs It Might Be Worth Staying
- You're in a rough patch (reorg, tough project) but generally respect the team and the mission. Some phases are temporary.
- You're learning and growing, even if the day-to-day isn't perfect. Growth compounds.
- You have equity or a promotion in the pipeline that you'd regret walking away from.
- The job market is tough and you'd be leaving without a safety net. Sometimes stability matters more than the ideal move.
Don't Quit in a Fury
- Line something up first if you can. It's easier to negotiate when you're employed.
- Give notice and leave on good terms. The industry is smaller than it seems.
- If you must quit without a backup, have savings and a plan.
There's no single right answer. Reflect on what you need now—growth, stability, culture, pay—and decide from there.