Signs it's time to move on

By Karen Salmansohn | Special to amNewYork

April 2, 2007

I believe it's always better to have a short, bad job than a long, bad job.

If you're presently unhappy with where you're working what's preventing you from taking that last step out the door? How do you know for sure if now is the time to leave?

Marci Alboher, business journalist and author of "One Person/Multiple Careers" talked to amNewYork about the signs that the day of reckoning has finally arrived:

1. You're definitely ready to leave your job when you've ceased to be challenged. If every day you're on auto-pilot, it's probably time to hand in your resignation. Studies show that people need to feel a sense of challenge to stay engaged in all commitments, whether it be a job or a relationship.

2. If you can't stop thinking about other people when you're romantically involved, it could be a sign the relationship has reached its expiration date. The same holds true for jobs. If you spend your time on the clock fantasizing about quitting, then you're ready to end the fantasy and just do it.

3. Is your job a necessary stepping stone in getting to the place you plan to be in the next five to ten years? If not, then why are you still there? It doesn't matter how fast you get somewhere if you're heading in the wrong direction.

4. When you start to get unpleasant physical symptoms come Sunday night, it's likely a symptom that you aren't looking forward to working Monday. The mind and body are in cahoots, and if you're not happy about your job, your body will eventually go on strike as well.

5. It's great to have a social life, but when you find yourself putting increased pressure on your non-work activities (hobbies, vacations, outings), it may be a sign that you're trying to replace what you're not getting at work.

6. Do you feel your boss or supervisor is blocking your goals? If so, leaving your job is perfectly acceptable. Studies show 80% of people leave their job due to a bad boss.

Karen Salmansohn is the best selling author of "Enough Dammit," and many other career books. She is also the host of a daily sirius radio show, "Be Happy Damn it!" Tune into Lime Channel 114 for more info.