8 questions to ask yourself before you break up with your job

Is it time to call it quits?

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Just this week, local celebrity couple, Andie Chen and Kate Pang announced that they left Mediacorp to focus on their YouTube channel, Kandie Family. In a statement, Chen said, “I have always placed my growth as an artist as the top priority in every career decision I make. This means making unique and seemingly illogical career choices at times. Setting up my own company will give me the freedom to pursue projects that I am passionate about and I believe this is the only way an artist can reach his full potential”.

Andie Chen and his wife were not the only celebrities who have decided to cut the cord, last month, local actress Jeanette Aw revealed that she will be leaving her long-time agency, Hype Records-Artiste Network and Mediacorp to be her own agent because she felt that, “to grow, as a person and as an actor, I need to welcome challenges, in this case find new challenges. I've always believed in the need to renew and reinvent the self, and reignite the passion along the way”. Interestingly, all of these celebrities cited professional growth and development as a reason behind their departure from Mediacorp.

This brings into question of why and when you should leave your job. There is nothing worse than feeling trapped and stuck at a job that just isn’t doing it for you. If you’re can’t quite decide whether it is time move on, ask yourself these questions.

Photo: Jeanette Aw/Facebook

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Am I learning and growing professionally?

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There is nothing wrong with loving what you do. And sometimes, it is easy to get stuck doing the same thing and going through the same routine in a job. That said, if you’ve reached a plateau and you don’t feel like you’re being challenged, it could be a sign that you need to move on. While it is unrealistic to expect to learn something new on the job every day, you should be honing your core skills and learning new skills as you go. Before you submit that resignation letter, try communicating with your boss and ask if you could get involved in a new project or attend a course or seminar pertinent to your discipline, for instance.

Also, if you’re not getting the feedback you need on your performance, take this into your own hands and actively seek feedback and ask your manager about your strengths as well as areas of development.

Photo: 123rf

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Is your job making you sick (literally)?

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If your job is taking a toll on your mental health and even making you ill, it might be time to submit that resignation letter. We spend more than 40 hours a day in our workplaces, if you are caught in a negative situation (harassment, bullying, etc.), it can and will creep its way into your personal life and trust us when we say, no job is ever worth the price of your health and your well-being.

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Are you severely underpaid?

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Unfortunately, raises and promotions are hard to come by in most, if not all of the organisations. Rather than quitting, try to secure a new job first. When you quit without a job, your market value also drops and you will have less bargaining power with future employers. In the meantime, it will be wiser to research your market value and try to negotiate a raise with your current employer.

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Does the mere thought of Monday mornings make you groan?

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I can’t think of one person who doesn’t dread waking up and going to work. However, if you dread that eight hours of being in the office from the bottom of your heart, it might be worth turning in your two weeks notice. Along the same vein, if you can’t find a single thing you are remotely interested in your day-to-day work, your current job probably isn’t the best fit for you.

Photo: 123rf

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Is everyone around you leaving?

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If farewell parties and going-away drinks are a frequent occurrence at your company, you might want to update your LinkedIn profile and beef up your resume. While you shouldn’t blindly follow the herd, when there are so many people leaving the company, it means something. Ask your colleagues why they chose to leave to get a better sense of whether you should continue staying put at your job.

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Do you hate your boss?

7/9

Does it feel like your boss is always giving you a hard time? Even though you’ve been hitting all the targets and going the extra mile, nothing seems to be able to satisfy your boss.

While you’ve never heard a word of praise and encouragement from him, he is always quick to point out your mistakes. The being said, your boss isn’t your BFF. Sometimes it isn’t such a bad thing to have a difficult boss. Being able to accept negative feedback is an important skill to have in any workplace.

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Do you have something else you are more excited or passionate about?

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If there is a cause, industry or job that you are fiercely passionate about, go for it. After all, life is short and precious, you don’t want to live by the “what ifs”. Before you quit your job, make sure you find out what matters to you - your values, interests and preferences.

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If you had the benefit of hindsight, would you be upset if you were turned down for the job?

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If you answered “yes”, pop that resignation letter into the shredder. All of us would have had qualms about work at one point or another. Instead of quitting, talk to your boss and see if you can find ways to make your job a little more interesting. You could start small and jazz up your workspace or simply have a chat with someone from another department.

The grass isn’t always greener on the other side, leaving your current job is not a panacea for all of your problems. And growing in our professional lives may entail weathering some tough times.

Photo: 123rf

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