8 Signs It’s Time To Quit Your Full-Time Job

You spend 30-plus hours at your full-time job, so it's important to make sure it's a job you enjoy doing. Not all of us have the luxury of landing our dream job right out of college, but chasing a fulfilling career will never be something you regret. But how do you know when it's time to cut ties with your full-time job and move on to something else? It's a scary concept, especially if that day job provides benefits and stability, and you're leaving it for a job that doesn't.

You need to ask yourself lots of hard questions in order to determine if cutting ties is the right move. The last thing you want is to make a hasty exit and have nothing to fall back on. That will only lead you to unnecessary tears, stress, and panic. On the flip side, if one or more of the following things are happening at work, finding something else to fill its place might be the best move. Here are all the signs it's time to pack your things and quit your full-time job. It is your life, after all, and you weren't put on this Earth to be bored and miserable every day.

1. Your side hustle is taking off.

So, you've started a blog and already have a ton of followers. Or you've dabbled in freelance writing or graphic design, and you're at the point where it's consuming your every waking moment. Examine your bills and all of your expenses. If you're making enough money from your side gig to help you get by for a few months until you can set up your own health care plan and retirement fund, go on and give your notice. Just make sure to evaluate the longevity of your side gig, first. Make sure it can last. Because if it stalls out in three months and you've already quit your full-time job, times will be tough.

2. Your boss is making you miserable.

There are seriously few things worse than having a direct superior who makes you feel like garbage on the reg. And it's such a delicate balance as to how to handle it. Do you report it to HR? Or will that only lead to more trouble? But if you're consistently being hit with passive aggressive comments and no support, even though you always show up on time and work hard, then it might be time to look for something else. Never settle for staying in a toxic environment if you can find better options.

3. Your savings can handle some time off.

You've always been a smart saver, eh? First of all, I'm completely jealous of your willpower. Second of all, that cushion is there to catch you should you decide to leave a job without immediately starting a new one. If you need some time to do a dedicated job search, then map out how long you could make it on the money you have saved, and if there's enough to last a few months, give your notice.

4. There's no growth potential at work.

If you find yourself maxing out at your current company in terms of job growth, then it might be time to hit the road. There's nothing wrong with getting comfortable with your role, but getting too comfortable will ultimately lead to boredom. If there's no room for you to be promoted, then you have outgrown your company. Seek bigger challenges and more important roles. You'll enjoy it.

5. You're always bored.

Speaking of boredom, this is never something you should experience outside of a part-time gig in college. Once you get a real job and start building a career, boredom should never occur. If it does, then either you are settling for a position beneath your skill set, or your employers aren't putting enough value on your potential. There should always be things to learn, projects to start, and people to collaborate with. If you're not getting any of that, it's time to quit.

6. The company culture is toxic.

Focusing on improving the company culture is not a hipster startup trend — it's extremely important to the overall success of a company. If your employees aren't happy, or don't know or trust each other, how are they supposed to spend five days a week pouring their energy into their jobs? If your office is filled with complainers, people who gossip all the time, and zero efficient ways of communicating your concerns with the team, then you should look for a company that prioritizes that.

7. You feel overworked, and you see no end in sight.

It's no longer considered cool to brag about working 12 hours a day. Do you know what is cool? Creating a work-life balance. And your company should be doing everything they can to support that goal. If they need to hire more people or lighten the load of certain employees in order to get them out of the office at a reasonable time, then they should do so, immediately.

8. Your requests for raises have been ignored or rejected.

You won't always get the raise you want — and that's totally normal. Sometimes it's just not in the budget. But if you've made multiple requests for a raise that have been rejected, you need to cut ties with this place ASAP, because clearly they don't see the value you possess as an employee. You deserve so much more than this — in dollars and support.

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