Why Do People Want to Leave Their Current Job?

The modern working life looks mighty different from that of the Baby Boomers. Spending a lifetime at a single company is a rarity. The average worker changes job around a dozen times in their working life. They’re also spending about five years at every position on average.  

There are a variety of reasons why people jump ship so often. They range from the obvious to the obscure, and everything else in between. Here are 12 reasons why people decide to pull the plug on their current jobs and seek their fortunes elsewhere.

1. Salary

Employers don’t often reward their inhouse staff. Raises hover around the 3% mark, which means going elsewhere is often the easiest way to give a boost to your bottom line. Let’s face it: money talks.

2. Do something for the common good

You’ve got that prestigious big-city career. The high-flying salary. The power suit. You’ve got it all. Or do you? You don’t feel happy like you’re contributing anything to society. That feeling that you want to do something for someone else is one of the big reasons why people leave lucrative careers for jobs in community services, for example.

3. It’s boring

Jobs usually have an expiry date. Us humans like experiencing new things, learning new skills, and being challenged. If we stay in the same position for too long, it gets repetitive and super dull. When you no longer get that spark, you used to, when you’re running on autopilot more often than not, leaving your job is probably the best option.

4. You have trained for something else

People don’t often use their college degrees for their chosen careers. And in many cases, it’s not out of choice. There aren’t loads of job options for English or history majors. But once an opportunity crops up, people will leave their current careers for something they’re trained to do.

5. Horrible bosses

Hollywood made a comedy out of the concept, but in real life, it’s no picnic. Even the best jobs can be ruined by a boss that mismanages employees and treats them without any form of respect.

6. Life changes

Sometimes life throws surprises that force employees to change careers.

• Think of having a new baby.
• Your partner may find a job in another state.
• Parents that are ill or need help in their day-to-day.

Sometimes a career change will have nothing to do with your professional life, but with changes in your circumstances.

7. No way up

For every single job out there, you’ve got a ceiling that will stop your progression. Whether it’s a manager you can’t dislodge, an unfair hierarchical system, or the simple reason that you work for a small company, sometimes you have to move elsewhere to progress in your career.

8. The economy sucks (and Killed Your Industry)

Many sectors don’t survive an economic downturn. The motor industry in the United States seems to be in a consistent state of gloom, while the financial market isn’t exactly what it used to be in the Gordon Gecko 80s. And many construction projects were cancelled from day to the next after the Great Recession. The economy has often forced people to reinvent themselves and look for a new career.

9. Emerging Industries

When one thing goes down, another comes up to take its place. The IT industry is a fantastic example of an emerging industry that has given a wide range of job opportunities to people of all ages, qualifications, and skillsets. If you’re smart, riding the wave of an emerging industry can result in some serious $$$.

10. Stress

Long working hours. Unrealistic deadlines. Demanding clients. All good reasons for feeling stressed before, during, and after going to work. That 24/7 feeling of stress and anxiety is a common reason why employees decide enough is enough. If the financial and professional rewards no longer match the emotional price, people will choose to move to greener pastures.

11. Flexible working hours

Studies have shown that people that work flexible hours are more efficient and take less time off. Yet some companies are resolved to stick to tradition and keep the 9 to 5. And for many, that’s not the way to make a living. Traditional industries seem to be the most resistant to change, and it’s affecting the type of talent they can recruit.  

12. It’s possible!

The final reason why people leave their current jobs is simple: it’s possible. Long gone are the days where people are tied down to a single career for their entire lives. The current employment environment can be competitive and cutthroat at times, but there have never been more opportunities out there. So if your career isn’t giving you the satisfaction it used to, load up those classifieds and start looking for a new direction!  

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