How to Address the Signs That You Should Quit Your Job Immediately

The end of the year usually marks a period of self-reflection, especially concerning your professional career. After all, there is more appropriate time than this season to review your goals professionally and personally. Perhaps, when you work on your New Year's Resolutions, you realise that your current job isn't taking you where you need to go. 

It is no wonder many consider January an opportunity to seek new opportunities. With the start of the year equated to new beginnings, many would opt to wrap up loose ends at the end of the year to start fresh for the next. Plus, being entitled to year-end bonuses certainly doesn’t hurt, either. If you're looking for a sign to quit your job immediately, this article may be it.

Why Do Employees Quit?

Workers have become more emboldened to seek greener pastures because of the Great Resignation. A survey cited by The Straits Times revealed that 52 per cent, or one in two people, of those who resigned during the pandemic did so because they no longer felt engaged at work. About one-third said they left to make a switch from a toxic work environment or to take care of their mental health. Add to the fact that Singaporean workers have the poorest mental health condition in Southeast Asia, according to the Singapore Business Review, with only 57 per cent of employees saying their mental health was fine.

If employees have their needs met – whether financial, social or anything else – they might feel more inspired to work. They may even work with passion.

Employees who have passion and commitment to work are valuable to a workplace. According to the Harvard Business Review, passion provides powerful motivation for learning and can thus accelerate performance development. Furthermore, driven employees will seek out others who can help them meet their goals, potentially improving a company’s talent pool.

But passion doesn't have to be your work fuel. Some people find that turning things they love into profit puts them under tremendous pressure that becomes counterproductive. However, whether you love what you do or do what you love, you must feel positive about your job. Complete disinterest in your role is one sign you should quit your job immediately.

A study published in the Journal of Organisational Behaviour finds that defining your “work passion” can help you understand how you feel about your job, how committed you are to your occupation, and how well you perform. While you do not need to go as detailed in your analysis as the authors of this research, you must assess your career to figure out if you are still where you should be.

Should You Quit? Things to Consider Before Leaving a Job

Quitting a job can be a liberating process – but you should not do it haphazardly. Some things to consider before resigning from your post:

• Current and potential career prospects
• Your financial capability while in between jobs
• Whether there is room for renegotiating with your employers before taking the plunge
• What you value and prioritise now in your career

These factors will help you decide whether you are in a good position to move on and start a new chapter. To do so, you may ask yourself the following questions:

What Do You Value?

What values do you care about, and does your work align with these values? For instance, most organisations appreciate conscientiousness (the ability to be thorough, careful, and vigilant), believing it to be the key to your eventual success. This trait is likely to be rewarded when there is a clear and defined synergy between what you value and what your company values.

However, it goes beyond that, too. Does the company show signs they value you at work? Do they appreciate what you do? You know your company takes care of you when there is equal pay for work of equal value, a corresponding give-and-receive relationship where you are rewarded well for the positive contributions you have shared.

A company that cares about your mental health is also a huge bonus and relevant in today’s context. The 2021 Great Place to Work study in Singapore found that organisations that put their staff first, engaged and communicated with them and asked what they needed during the pandemic were the best workplaces.

What Drives You to Keep Working?

What motivates you to work? What gives you energy? Understanding your motivations can help you realise if you genuinely look forward to going to work every day or are simply going through the motions.

According to author and leadership strategist Dan Pontefract, there are three mindsets people adopt in their careers:

• Job Mindset: You work to fulfil your financial needs. Whether it be your compensation or the company benefits, it is a priority that fuels your reason to work.
• Career Mindset: Furthering your career and growing to move forward is why you want to stay in your current line of work. Additionally, a promise of promotion may add to the pros of why your job currently works.
• Purpose Mindset: You live to serve and have pure passion and love for your work.

Knowing what kind of mindset motivates you can help you further determine your next steps. Are you looking for a new role that fits your values more seamlessly? Would you be willing to take a pay cut if the job offers high-growth opportunities? Or would you jump at the first opportunity that offered you a pay bump? There is no wrong or right answer or choice — only the one that makes the most sense to you.

After you have determined your purpose, then it’s time to harness your skills. Amid fluid shifts within the industries, many companies begin to adopt automation, with several skills-based jobs now done in a snap.

Most employers are looking for jobseekers that provide a passionate outlook along with innately ‘human’ skills one can’t quite get from AI. These are also known as transferable skills. 

Are You Being Compensated Accordingly?

Even with passion in mind, there is still much weight when we say that hard work still must be paid off. Are you fairly compensated for the work you put in? Personal value and financial value may well be some of the oldest partnerships in the book, but it still rings true today. In Singapore, employees have placed financial compensation at a higher priority than in previous years, according to the Decoding Global Talent report, only next to having a good relationship with superiors and colleagues.

With Singapore’s inflation rate rising to 5.3% in September 2022, many workers are feeling the pinch — hence, it’s not surprising that many of them would prioritise financial compensation during these times. As workers’ priorities and needs have changed, employers should think about how to target their spending to retain talent. Some companies can look into raising pay levels, retention bonuses, and mid-year salary adjustments.

Feel free to communicate your needs with your HR manager. If they value your contributions, they should consider your opinions, as well. You must be in a place where your passion and purpose are positively reinforced and rewarded every time because financial security is just as important, especially today.

How to Leave a Job Professionally

If you have decided to quit your job, then make sure to do the following steps.

• Do it immediately and as honestly as possible.
• Have an open conversation with your superior about your decision. 
• Be transparent about your reasons for quitting and file your resignation letter immediately, so they can have time to find your replacement.
• Maintain good ties with your manager and colleagues, and keep your doors open for networking opportunities.

Are you experiencing signs that you should quit your job immediately? Once you’re ready to move on, update your JobStreet profile to reflect your preferences and download the app on App Store or Google Play for easier access to opportunities. Check out our Career Resources page for more expert advice on making the most out of your jobseeking journey.