Should I Leave My Job Quiz

“Should I stay, or should I go?” It’s a question I’m seeing a lot of people asking in finance and accounting. Particularly those in the throes of busy season in public accounting. Or those joining startups, who are often doing the jobs of 2 or 3 people. In response, I’ve created a “Should I Leave My Job Quiz” to help you decide the best course of action for your career.

It’s important to avoid hasty decisions. I’ve seen some folks panicking, saying they ruined their life, because they quit, and now they can’t roll back time. Think it through thoroughly, so you won’t end up in the same boat.

Let’s dive in! Take the Should I Leave My Job Quiz.  

Review each question and write out your answer in as much detail as possible. This is for your eyes only, so don’t hold back. Be brutally honest with yourself about your current situation. 

How satisfied are you with the work itself?

Are you performing work that is squarely in line with your skill set, interests, and career path? Are you learning something new or expanding the scope of your expertise? If not, can you see yourself happily performing this work for the mid to long-term? (In other words, how important is learning and growing vs. developing and/or maintaining mastery of the current job). Our recent blog, The Pros and Cons of Becoming an Accountant may help if you’re not sure you love accounting.

How strong is the career path and future with your current company?

Is there a mapped-out path to the next level and levels after that? Or is it murky with little guidance on whether or not you will move up? Does it depend on the people above you moving up or out of the company? Or does it not matter, and you could remain at your current level for years and not become dissatisfied?

How well do you get along with and work with your peers and managers?

A lot of people spend more time with the people they work with than their families. We might with it weren’t so, but the fact is, you need to get along with your coworkers. Otherwise, it can become a highly dysfunctional situation. Take stock of your coworker relationships. Are they honest, collaborative, and respectful? Do you support each other on the job and in each other’s careers? Or are they secretive, passive-aggressive, underhanded, dishonest…you pick the dysfunction. If they are any of the latter, you may need to rethink your desire or ability to remain in the current situation.

How is your health in relation to your job?

Are you enjoying a balance between your personal life and work, or are you experiencing excess levels of stress that are impacting your sleep, physical health, eating habits, ability to exercise, and/or mental health? Is this temporary or inherent to the job?

How is your compensation relative to the workload and market rates?

There are two parts to this question because they both matter. Even if you’re paid well for your role, there may be no amount of money in the world that would make you happy in your current situation. It may be that bad. Or it may only take a raise for you to feel that the work you do is time well spent and well rewarded. Take stock of how you feel about the financial rewards of your role and do some market research to find out how well you’re paid relative to the market. (Here is a good place to start)

Should I Leave My Job Quiz – Results

After you’ve answered these questions, walk away for a little while, or sleep on it. Then sit down and read through your answers. Add anything you missed.

If someone else shared these answers with you, would you advise them to stay or go?

Should I Leave My Job Quiz – Other Considerations

Do you have another job lined up?

You’re ready to say “I quit” if you’ve accepted a new role, completed all background and other checks, and are cleared to start.

Anything less requires some serious thought before you leave a “sure thing” current job (sure as it can be in this environment!) and embark on a job search without already having a job lined up.

If you’re an individual with substantial savings and relatively low living costs, you will have some runway to conduct a job search while unemployed OR take time off before launching a search. Someone with multiple dependents, a large mortgage and other living expenses, and minimal savings may want to think twice before leaving a job without finding one first.

The time frame to landing a new role can be fraught with uncertainty. Many factors are at play, including your work experience, skills, and performance at your previous employment, the state of your field or industry, and economy / job market conditions.

Are you prepared to take the risk of starting a new job?

The answer to this may be complicated. How is your family situation? Are you the sole income earner in your household or is there another steady income to fall back on? Do you have dependents and their needs to consider? What about any health issues you’re facing that may impede your performance in a new job? A new role will likely be more demanding in the beginning as you learn your job, the people, and the company.

Can you improve your current situation?

Are there any actions you can take that would turn your current situation into a positive one? These could involve conversations with your manager about your career path, compensation, the teamwork dynamic, or any other source of dissatisfaction. I always advice having these conversations first before pursuing other opportunities.

Should I Leave My Job Quiz – Conclusion

Now that you’ve asked yourself the right questions, hashed through some additional considerations based on your personal situation, you should be coming to a natural conclusion to the question, Should I Leave my Job? The next step is to take action to either make the best of your current situation or begin the process of leaving your job.