How to Know When It’s Time to Leave Your Current Company to Advance Your Career

Have you ever felt STUCK in a job? Maybe it was because there were no opportunities for promotion, the people above you weren’t moving, or a boss was holding you back for whatever reason. Or maybe because of personal situations outside of work you didn’t feel you could leave and make a move to a new company.

Lenny, 48, from New York, has been with his current employer 12 years. He’s been stuck in the loyalty trap. He has a child ready to graduate high school and another in college. He’s stayed in his current job waiting for promotions that never came when the people above him never aspired to advance, and because he didn’t want to risk relocation, he felt his options were limited.

With 6.7 million job openings available and the average job switcher earning 48% more annual pay than the average job stayer it may be time for Lenny (and you) to explore new opportunities.

How do you know it’s time to leave your current company?

If you’ve been wondering if it’s time for you to explore what’s out there, here are a few signs it’s a good time to look around:

– No growth opportunities — and by that I mean opportunities for learning, training, and progressing. Are you thriving in your role or is it stagnant?

– No advancement opportunities — the company isn’t promoting from within, the people above you are not going anywhere in their career and have no desire to move, so there’s nowhere for you to go.

– The company is not growing so new opportunities aren’t being created.

– You’ve contributed all that you can or made the biggest impact that you can, and in order to continue making a difference you have to leave the current company.

– You’ve expressed an interest in moving up (maybe even multiple times) but your boss is holding you back — for whatever reason.

– The work environment is negative and it’s creating undue stress.

– The culture is stifling and your ideas and thoughts aren’t taken seriously.

– You’re unhappy, you feel like your career is stagnant, and you realize that you could be doing more, earning more, feeling…