10 Reasons for Leaving a Job According to a Job Hopper

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As a Career Coach and ex job hopper, I’ve heard, seen, and experienced many of the top reasons for leaving a job. Often times, leaving a job comes with a lot of emotions including excitement, fear, nervousness, and guilt. After coaching hundreds of professionals (at all levels), there seems to be one question that always shows up in conversations. That question is, “is this a good reason to leave my job?” Today, I am going to share with you the Top 10 Reasons for Leaving a Job.

I want to start off by reminding you that the 10 reasons for leaving a job listed below are not all inclusive. This means that there are many other reasons for leaving a job outside of what I list. At the end of the day, I want you to remember that you don’t need a “good” reason to quit your job. If there’s something that doesn’t sit well with you, leave! If you’re not passionate about the job, leave. You have to do what is best for your mental health, well-being, and overall happiness. You don’t need validation from me, your friends, your parents, your boss, etc.

Every reason that I list below is based on my experience as well as the professionals that I’ve coached. I’ve kept track over time on why people quit their jobs and these seem to be the most popular. If you don’t see your reason on the list, it’s ok! Feel free to leave a comment on this article and share your reason for leaving a job. You never know who you will inspire by sharing your experience! Let’s go ahead and dive in.

What are the Top 10 Reasons for Leaving a Job?

Reason #1 for leaving a job- The environment is toxic.

This is one of the top reasons employees leave their job. I’m a huge advocate against working for toxic employers and bosses. It’s too damaging for your mental, emotional, and physical health. If you find yourself working in an environment that causes stress, lowers your self-esteem, and increases self-doubt, the environment is most likely toxic and that is more than enough reason to leave. If you’re wondering about toxic workplace signs, check out my article Is My Work Environment Toxic.

Reason #2- You don’t like your boss.

Whether the boss is a micromanager, verbally abusive, narcissistic, or unrealistic, these are all valid reasons to leave. Working with someone who is difficult to communicate with or be around is a struggle that no one needs to put up with. If you find yourself struggling to get out of bed in the morning and go to work due to your boss, it may be time to leave or transfer to a different department. As an employee your boss should be your biggest supporter and ally. If they can’t fit those shoes, it can become difficult for you to get your work done with quality and without stress.

Reason #3- You don’t like your coworkers.

You spend the majority of your day at work communicating and building relationships with your coworkers. Having coworkers that bully, sabotage, or lie on you makes it difficult to want to go to work every day. Believe it or not, bullying in the workplace has been on the rise over the last few years and is a common reason for leaving a job.

P.S. You don’t deserve to be bullied in the workplace, so if this is you… get out of there!

Reason #4- The job isn’t what you thought it would be.

Many of my clients reported starting a job and quickly realizing that it was falsely advertised. This actually happened to me during my career. I once interviewed for an event management role. During the interview we discussed the types of events and audiences I’ve planned events for. After accepting the job, I walked into my office during the second week to see a revised job description on my desk. It turned out to be an accounting and data management role. As you can guess, I decided to leave that job pretty quickly. After coaching clients, I found that many of them had experienced similar situations.

Reason #5 for leaving a job- You’ve outgrown your role.

If you’ve found yourself at a point where you’ve mastered your role, you may quickly become bored. If there’s nothing new to learn or conquer, it is easy to become complacent and just watch the time go by. In this job market, it is important to remain marketable. You increase your marketability through consistent learning and growing. If you’ve stalled out, it may be time to leave and seek a new challenge.

Reason #6- There is no work/life balance.

If 2020 taught working professionals anything, it was how short life is. Many mid-career professionals that I coached realized that they were working way too much and not spending enough time with the people that mattered most to them or doing activities that brought them joy. Consistently working overtime, working through breaks, and answering calls on the weekend, is not balance. Many professionals are now leaving jobs to find companies that promote a work/life balance.

Reason #7- There is no upward mobility

Similar to #5, professionals who find themselves excelling in their role, but with nowhere to move up often find themselves with no other option but to leave. Not having upward mobility decreases your opportunity to increase your salary, challenge yourself, and learn new skills.

Reason #8- You got a better offer!

I should’ve put this higher on the list because it is often the best case scenario for professionals. Getting a better offer for a higher salary, better benefits, and perks is a top reason to leave a job. Leaving for a better offer sometimes causes feelings of guilt, but you have to think about your long-term goals and remember to do what’s best for you. If you’re struggling or have struggled with quitting guilt, check out my article, How to Quit without Feeling Guilty.

Reason #9- You become a parent.

This is a huge milestone for many professionals who experience being a parent for the first time. After children are born, there are many parents who decide to stay home with their children during the early years. This is another reason why professionals leave jobs.

Reason #10- You want to change careers.

Not everyone can stay in the same role or industry until they retire. With an endless amount of options and having multiple passions, changing careers is becoming more common. When it comes to changing careers the most important thing to remember it, it’s never too late to set a new goal or try something different.

These are all very valid reasons for leaving a job. Like I mentioned earlier, there are many more including caregiving, moving out of state, returning to school, wanting to travel, etc. No matter the reason, you should be confident in your reason for wanting to leave your job.

On top of being confident, I recommend having a backup plan (if you can). Your backup plan can include saving up to six months’ worth of expenses, having a new job lined up, or asking your partner for financial support. Although sometimes it’s necessary to quit without a backup plan, I don’t often recommend it.

Should you feel bad for leaving your job?

No, you should avoid feeling shame and guilt when it comes to leaving a job. I promise you that the company will survive without you. If you need convincing, just think about the last person in your company who quit. Did they replace them? Did they have a party where everyone cried because they were leaving? Once you answer these questions, I’m sure you will begin to realize that it is ok to quit a job, regardless of the reason. Companies bank on people leaving everyday and they have plans to implement in order to recover from the temporary absence.

Whatever your reasons for leaving a job, I want to wish you the best as you embark on your new chapter. Keep your head up, remain confident, and know that everything will work out the way it is supposed to.

Cheers to your success!

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