Reasons to Leave a Job

There are many valid reasons to leave a job. So much of modern professional culture uses fear and shame to keep employees in place. The fear of having a resume gap, of being perceived as disloyal, or of being labeled a job hopper are all examples of common fears and shame tactics that can keep people from making the best career moves for them. Throwing these antiquated ideas out the window for a moment, what are some of the strongest reasons to leave a job?

1. Health: First things first, any environment that makes you feel unsafe, unhealthy, or discriminated against is a serious and important reason to leave any job. Surveys have found that bad/toxic bosses have more impact on employee mental health than doctors or therapists. Chronic work-related stress can literally kill you. So a high-stress, unsafe, unhealthy work environment can be a strong reason to look for a new job.

2. Wellness: We’ve all heard the “work-life balance” buzzword, but notice that it places work first. Yes, we all have bills to pay. But I’d argue that life is what’s most important here. If you find yourself unable to be present in your relationships, having trouble scheduling vacations, doctor appointments, workouts, or hobbies, and unable to relax when away from work, your work may be at odds with your wellness. This is reason enough to find a job that allows better wellness.

3. Money: Employees who stay in jobs for longer than two years earn 50% (or more) less over their lifetime. There’s still much shame that keeps employees from moving to new roles for higher pay. Yet, gone are the days when staying in one job for a lifetime meant a livable salary and a hefty pension rewarding loyalty. Without a livable salary or promise of a pension, gone are the incentives that keep employees loyal. If changing jobs can net you a 9-100% increase in salary, plus gain you access to new learning and the opportunity to expand your professional horizons, it’s absolutely ok to leave a job for this reason.

4. Opportunity: Businesses can often be plagued by an entrenched “that’s the way we’ve always done it” mentality. That mindset and the culture that supports it stifles not only innovation but also your potential. Opportunities to advance, to work on new kinds of projects, or to test new ways of working can all be cut off. Leaving a job for this reason can expose you to new challenges, tools, strategies, and advancement opportunities. You may even find that the writing is on the wall in your current organization; moving on before layoffs or other company downturns is a strong reason to leave a job.

5. Alignment: Making alignment-based career decisions is a surefire way to ensure that your moves center your values, vision, and holistic needs. Alignment-based decision-making helps you ensure that you’re always walking in the direction of your personal “true North.” When something starts to feel “off,” or out of alignment with your values, your professional or life purpose, your wellness or financial needs, you can more easily diagnose the cause and make a job or career change that brings you closer to your vision.

When to Leave a Job

Half the battle is deciding to leave. There are so many internal and external barriers that can keep us stuck in careers or jobs that no longer serve us. Once the decision has been made, there can be energy and desire to make a switch right away. Often, though, just because you’ve made the decision, doesn’t mean you can take immediate action.

The prevailing wisdom seems to be “Don’t quit unless you have another job lined up.” I’m not a big fan of this thinking. While some of it is sound advice— you have no idea how long it may take to find another job— some of it rests on the premise of scarcity. You may choose to take a sabbatical or time off for burnout recovery. You may have been saving up to take a break, or you may decide to spend time prioritizing your family.

Making an alignment-based decision about when to leave a job sets you up for success, however you define success. It allows you to take into account more than social pressure to always be working. You can assess what you need financially, what you need to be well, what you need to live in your values, and what you need to help bring you closer to your vision for life.

If you’d like to take time off to recover from burnout before returning to the workforce, you may need a longer runway (and some patience!) before leaving your job to save up. If you’re looking for a specific kind of opportunity, you may begin a job search that lasts a long time— delaying your departure from your current role. If you’re in immediate danger, like active bullying or discrimination or extreme mental or physical distress related to work stress, you may decide to leave immediately— with or without something else lined up.

There’s no wrong or right answer so long as you’re deciding from an aligned place.