How to know when it's time to quit your job

Job fair
A man waits to see a prospective employer at a job fair on Aug. 2, 2012 in New York City.
Getty Images/Spencer Platt

It's still a precarious time to leave a job. Unemployment is high and employers can still afford to be picky about whom they hire. But sometimes there's just no denying that the job you've got is a one-way ticket to nowhere.

From the Harvard Business Review:

Quitting a job can negatively impact your career and disrupt your personal life. But staying in an undesirable situation can be worse. "I find a lot of people paralyzed by their unhappiness with their current reality," says Leonard Schlesinger, the president of Babson College and coauthor of "Just Start: Take Action, Embrace Uncertainty, Create the Future." It's often easier to stay put.

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When do you know when it's time to move on, despite a bad job market?

Ben Michaelis, psychologist and author of "Your Next Big Thing," said there are four factors to consider:

1. Learning: How much do you get to learn at your job?

2. Value: How valued do you feel at your job?

3. Money: Do you feel that you are well paid for what you do?

4. Potential: What opportunities do you see for growth or possibilities for doing other interesting things in the future?

LEARN MORE ABOUT ADVANCING YOUR CAREER:

Should you leave your job? Do the math. Ben Michaelis gives some mathematical calculations to use to determine when it's right to ditch your job. (Psychology Today)

Is it time to quit your job? A discussion of the risks and benefits of leaving your current job and finding the right time to do it. (Harvard Business Review)

When to leave your company to advance your career. When is it better to work your way up the ladder in your current company and when should you jump ship? (Harvard Business Review)

How to get ahead without changing jobs. Sometimes it's better to make the best of the career you've got. Here's some advice to improve your job and stick it out. (CareerCast)

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