Reasons for Leaving a Job: When to Know It’s Time

Leaving a job can be one of the hardest decisions that one can make; but knowing when to do this is just what it is very important in everyone’s life. There can be many other reasons for leaving a job like family obligations or family circumstances, job interview, company restructure and many more.

Last update:
01/01/2024
Reasons for Leaving a Job: When to Know It’s Time

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One of the top reasons for leaving a job, that workers give in, while quitting work is because of job stagnation or inadequate prospect for promotion professional growth and advancement. This is a sign that if your position does not have a career ladder or career advancement that you can ascend or training that you can undertake, then it is time to change jobs. This blog post aims at identifying the feasible main causes for quitting or the reasons for leaving a job behind, and gives you insights on

  • Career growth and Advancement
  • Professional development and Education
  • Work environment and Culture
  • Compensation and Benefits
  • Work life balance and Flexibility
  • Personal reasons and Circumstances
  • Transitioning into a new job
  • Preferred Job Roles and their reasons
  • FAQ

Career Growth and Advancement


One of the main reasons one wants to quit their current job or seeker's current role is because their current job or their current role has company work ethic and bad management which effects their skill set and personal values.

And if your present job does not have any chance of promotion, then it must be the time to find another job. Career change and advancement is important in satisfying one’s needs in working and enhancing one’s skills in a certain job.

reasons for leaving a job

Stagnant Position:

This is actually undesirable if a particular position one occupies in an organization has no prospects of a promotion or any change in rank. However, promotion freeze was recently found to be disastrous for an employee’s own career goals and progression plan and is widely considered as a curse to a staffer’s advancement.

No Clear Career Path:

If your old company still does not avail a clear promoting avenue map, or if it does not avail ways and means of how you would progress in that organization, then it will be very difficult living and working with those people in the future.

Underutilization of Skills:

It would be worse if you are trapped in a position that you are not able to use your strength to transferable skills to the maximum, let alone that is half the time that make someone frustrated in his/her employment. Search for a company which is likely to employ those skills that you have, and which is likely to make use of them.

Limited Professional Development:

The leaders hiring managers or employers should take care by their human resources by either feeding or training the employees. And if there are no training programs for you or, in fact, no opportunities to have a mentor, maybe it is a good idea to look for the company which would act according to your visions career aspirations of the future.

Professional Development and Education


Training and development are very relevant in the new industry and the modern organizations because the environment is fast changing. If your previous job or former employer does not promote learning; their little or no training programs, or your previous employer does not offer tuition remission, it is probably time to go.

This is especially necessary in the positions like software developers or engineers because they need to use the up-to-date technology.

No matter it a great company with its work if the current employer doesn't show any positive light for your long hours of training and doesn't respond to your queries by giving good impression or a valid reason.

reasons for leaving a job

Lack of Training Programs:

Therefore, in a situation where an employee’s prospective employer does not have segments of training or continuing education, it puts the employee at a disadvantage.

No Tuition Reimbursement:

They also limit your choices by not being able to pay for tuition fees making it impossible to further your education in organizations that offer such provisions.

Absence of Mentorship:

Shortcoming in the areas of mentorship and coaching implies that one is on his or her own when it comes to the problem-solving skills, new skills, and tackling the activities in the course of the career.

No Certification Opportunities:

Holders of a certification truly deem certification as very valuable asset and important in many professions. If the current employer does not encourage certification programs, the next option is to look for meaningful work with another potential employer.

Work Environment and Culture


Toxicity can be termed as a devil in workplace culture erodes your mental and physical health significantly. If you experience high stress levels, dealing with office politics or experiencing harassment that’s the signal to leave dream company.

For instance, an employee in sales position is likely to work efficiently and be content with hiring manager in senior role when the organization practices equal treatment.

If your new boss doesn't treat you well in your last job current position and if your flexible schedule does not work remotely align with the new company, culture or values of your current company or previous job either. Then, it's time to look out for your next and last job too.

reasons for leaving a job

Toxic Work Environment:

This implies that if the work climate is negative, or worse, toxic, then your health is at risk and thus, you should move on.

Lack of Supportive Culture:

The last one is lack of collaboration and teamwork if the company culture didn’t endorse it this can lower the job satisfaction of the employees.

Discrimination or Harassment:

Discrimination and sexual harassment are things that cannot be acceptable and any working place that accepts such things deserves to be resign.

Unclear Values and Ethics:

When one accepts last job interview or employment with an organization whose ethical climate is different from the individuals, then what is witnessed after job interview is frustration with thinking about ethical norms.

📌 Tip: Mention your hobbies, career options and interests Tito showcase your professionalism.

Compensation and Benefits


It is your hope that the compensation offered by new company should be one that can be equated to your skills, job description, experience alongside the going rate in your current role in the market. If you are remunerated less than what you expect or you get unattractive benefits, then it will be wise if you look for new position in another company.

This is so much relevant switching jobs in the fashion industry lucrative fields for which the going rate may be vastly different. Let your next few prospective employers, job seekers, employers and employer to know that they have availed themselves of a valuable commodity, therefore, should compensate you well.

reasons for leaving a job

Below-Market Pay:

When your company pays you peanuts with regard to the rates other companies offer those of your call, then it is time to look for another job which supports your career growth.

Lack of Raises:

The absence of hikes means that the employer doesn’t value you or the efforts you put in; there is no reason to seek higher wages hence the lack of that aspect.

Inadequate Benefits Package:

If the previous employer is not providing what you need for example health insurance or retirement programs, then, there might be other ones.

No Performance Bonuses:

Lack of incentives to motivate student teachers another demotivation factor is level of financial motivation where student teachers have no incentive for good performance.

📌 Tip: Mention interpersonal skills on resume.

Work-Life Balance and Flexibility


Not burning out is essential to be happy with the job in the long run and to be happy with life in general. The first sign that one should quit their job is if the current job either requires one to work long hours, does not allow room for any flexibility, or continually encroaches on the individual’s personal life.

Work in previous job description that allows for remote work opportunities or adaptable working hours, which is typical for technological or artistic occupations, substantially improves one’s quality of life.

Healthy Work-Life Balance is a crucial element to follow in the company. To maintain a better work life balance, balance more responsibility just what is required to complete the day-to-day responsibilities and duties.

reasons for leaving a job

Excessive Overtime:

This is the major loss incurred in adding up to the working performance as it, one way or the other, affects the personal lives of the workers.

Lack of Remote Work Options:

Acknowledgment of working from home is now a necessity than before especially with the new generation where acceptance of change is the new trend.

Rigid Work Schedule:

These are overtime and it implies that you have no other option than turning up to work because there are their specific timetables to fulfill, and shift cannot be altered.

No Work-from-Home Policy:

If the specific place which you work for doesn’t offer you work from home facility, then it becomes mandatory for you to look for a new job.

📌 Tip: Add about your professional summary to get attention from your next hiring manager or other things hiring managers do.

Personal Reasons and Circumstances


Issues to do with family or health problems or work transfers may make many employees resign from their jobs. I think it is necessary to put additional importance into one’s health and other personal concerns before work. For instance, a hiring manager may have personal circumstances require taking a break from a busy position like maternity or take another job in a new location.

Family Obligations:

Emergency necessitating change of job include sickness or disability, this means that an individual may have to take care of a sick or disabled family member.

Health Issues:

Anyways, if leaving a job affects the health of a person negatively, then it is the health of the person that should matter.

Relocation:

Very often, the change of the job can be due to personal circumstances such as, for example, one is compelled by some circumstances to move to another city or migrate to another country.

Career Change:

This can lead to a person choosing to change his or her career path with accurate skills due to passion or interest that one has may make one quit a job.

📌 Tip: Try to add more money to your achievements in your resume.

reasons for leaving a job

Transitioning to a New Job


It is quite often to resign from a position not because the conditions are unbearable but because there is a better offer out there. Swapping to a new job which has better prospects for growth, higher pay and perhaps more than anything else, a job that one truly wants.

Better Career Prospects:

Another good reason could be a new job that can be said to have better compensation and a far better chances of a promotion.

Higher Salary:

Another company could offer a larger offer in terms of pay across hence enjoys a better pay, so that can be one of reason to change the current company and culture.

Improved Benefits:

New job with better benefits is really interesting it is one of the major reasons that is mostly given by hiring managers to change jobs.

More Suitable Role:

A lot of job satisfaction is that which people receive when they have to shift from a job that hampers them to engage in a job that best fits them.

📌 Tip: You can now build your Resume with our website.

reasons for leaving a job

Preferred Job roles and reasons to choose them


Barista at Starbucks


  • Reason: Promotion structure, training ground for obtaining the customer services skills, shifts, medical insurance, and reimbursement for tuition expenses.
  • Read more: Starbucks Barista Resume

Sales Associate


  • Reason: Good sale and customer relation, prospects for the commissions, prospects for the careers, incentives for sales.
  • Read more: Sales Associate Cover letter

Adidas Employee


  • Reason: One of the most valuable assets is multination visibility of the accomplished work, outstanding work culture, market and design proficiency, career opportunities, and collaboration with a pluralist team.
  • Read more: Adidas Employee Resume

Retail Associate


  • Reason: First, sound interpersonal communication especially in the aspect of customer relation, Second, social skills would also develop.
  • Read more: Retail Associate Resume

Shoe Salesman


  • Reason: The advantages of the subject are the realization of direct relations with customers, earnings on commission basis, gaining acquaintance with the particular kind of products, the opportunity to develop sale skills, and the possibility of the active practice in the sphere of business activities.
  • Resume: Shoe Salesman Resume

Wal-Mart Employee


  • Reason: Variety of positions and employees’ reliability, guaranteed positions, motivation, definite organizational structure, courses for the professional development of employees, and social responsibility.
  • Read more: Wal-Mart Employee Cover letter

Fashion Career


  • Reason: High salaries, freedom, recognition, opportunity to work in different countries, communication with people, bonuses for the workers and education.
  • Read more: Best paying Fasion Jobs

Web Content Writing


  • Reason: The benefits of telecommuting, the specifics of work and topics’ diversity, the opportunity to develop video writing and SEO skills, independence, the constant growth of the chosen field, creativity, and possibility to grow in the chosen field.
  • Read more: 10 Charismatic Content Writer Resume Example

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FAQ on reasons for leaving a job

What is a list of possible push factors in the workplace?

Some of them are job stagnation/ career advancement, low pay, unsatisfactory working conditions, unstable work-life/ health work life balance and the staff’s health status or family problems.

How do I conclude that it is time to seek a job search or new employment?

The time to go is when you fail to get a promotion, there are no developmental chances in that firm, workplace bullying, poor or demeaning pay, or personal circumstances that hinder you from enjoying the positive aspects of the job.

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