13 signs you’re ready to quit your permanent job
Dread Monday mornings? Don’t know if you’ve fallen out of love with your career, or are just having a bad patch? Here are 13 signs you’re ready to quit your permanent job.
We’ve all been there. Having another ‘one of those days’ at work where you feel like you’ve just had enough.
But how can you be sure if you’re having just a bad week or if you’re ready to quit your permanent job and work more flexibly by becoming a contractor or freelancer?
13 signs you’re ready to quit your permanent job
To help you work out whether this is just another bad day (or a run of them), or it’s genuinely time to move on, Jenny Winslow from Intouch Accounting explores the 13 signs you’re ready to leave your permanent job for good.
1) The glass ceiling follows you around
As the years go by your progression in permanent employment begins to stall. You’re either waiting for senior members to leave so you can be promoted, find that moving from role to role doesn’t deliver the position you crave, or the opportunities just aren’t there.
2) You spend too much of your personal time commuting
Your daily commute is starting to get to you. Your time is so precious, so don’t waste it travelling when you could be with friends and family, or enjoying a hobby.
Working from home could offer you just this, your commute would be little (or none!) and you’d have much more time to yourself.
3) Your job isn’t fuelling your passion
You know deep down that your heart is no longer in your job. It’s hard to rekindle passion once it’s gone, so if your job is no longer fueling that fire, it’s time to get out.
4) You’re not reaching your earning potential
You look forward to an annual pay rise – if you’re lucky! For the number of hours you work, your pay really doesn’t reflect the effort you put in. It leaves you feeling undervalued and depreciated.
5) You’re no longer challenged
Is work too easy? Does it leave you feeling like you’ve barely broken a mental sweat every day? You owe it to your professional self to challenge your mind and keep it sharp.
6) You’ve told people you want to quit
Once you’ve already told someone of your feelings, mentally you’ve already handed in your notice. (Here’s how to write the perfect resignation letter, when you’re ready to make your feelings more formal.)
7) You can see yourself as your own boss
You feel ready to be the master of your own destiny. Reporting to someone daily when you feel like you don’t need to can lead to feeling demoted. As your own boss in freelancing or contracting you make the rules, and if you don’t like them you can change them!
8) You’re bored
Boredom leads to frustration. If you’re bored, your work will suffer.
9) You hate Mondays
You long for Fridays to end and dread Monday mornings. If your work doesn’t excite you, then it’s time to reconsider your job.
10) Your voice is lost
Your voice and opinion isn’t heard or respected. This can make you feel demotivated and question whether you’re needed there anymore.
11) You can’t see a future working for someone else
If thinking about working in permanent employment for the next month, year or even decade fills you with dread – it’s time to move on.
12) Your job won’t satisfy your professional goals
You can’t get the professional satisfaction you crave in your current permanent role.
13) When you know – you just know!
If you’re considering leaving your role, you’ve already taken the first step. It’s time to think about what you want and deserve from your career, and go for it.
So you’ve made your mind up – what’s the next step?
You’ve so many options, from handing in your notice right away to trying out freelancing or contracting as a side gig to make sure it’s for you. You’ll also need to prepare yourself financially and ensure your skills are in demand.
Whilst there’s plenty of things to consider, there’s also lots of resources out there to help you on your way. Check out the blogs on Talented Ladies Club for all the professional support and advice you’ll need to get ready for life as a contractor or freelancer.
Finally – good luck and enjoy! Being your own boss is such an exciting and lucrative step, so much that many don’t look back once they’ve taken the leap.
And always remember, there are so many successful people out there out there who have done exactly the same so you’ll never be alone!
Jenny Winslow works for Intouch Accounting, the expert contractor accountancy firm for Limited Company contractors.
Photo by Annie Spratt
