Change can be scary. But too many people stick around in the same-old jobs because they’ve become complacent—and complacency never leads anywhere positive.

Instead, it gets you stuck in a rut, going through the motions of a job you don’t love, working for a company with which you don’t align, doing work about which you’re not passionate, or working below your pay grade.

There are a whole wealth of reasons why it may be time for a new job—and those reasons can be very personal and vary for everyone. However, if you’re unsure whether it’s time for a new job, here are some signs that it most certainly is.

7 signs you need a new job

These seven signs suggest that it’s time for a change. 

1. You dread waking up for work each day.

If you wake up every day wishing you didn’t have to go to work, it’s a tell-tale sign that it’s time to move on. We’re not talking about the typical Sunday Scaries that many people can get (80 percent of the working population, according to Headspace). We’re talking about daily dread.

Not everyone is passionate about their work; some work to pay the bills so they can afford a lifestyle they love outside of work. And that’s okay—you don’t need to be in love with what you do. But you need to find it tolerable or, at the very least, sufferable. After all, we spend a good chunk of our lives working (about 90,000 hours in an average lifetime).

2. Your day-to-day work has become mindless.

While it may feel nice for your work to become mindless, it is less stimulating. Sure, you probably get things done a lot quicker and easier, but you lack a challenge that keeps you growing, personally and professionally.

Endless research supports the idea that challenges can be good for us. Challenge keeps you interested and motivated and helps you develop on a personal and a professional level. The mundane monotony can stunt your growth if your work isn’t challenging anymore.

3. You’re not getting paid what you deserve.

If you’ve been with the same company for quite some time, and you haven’t been given a pay raise you deserve—despite negotiating for one—it may be time to look elsewhere for the salary you want. This is particularly true if you’re working for less than your industry average or peers in the same position.

Of course, asking for a raise before looking for a new job is important if the lack of one is the only reason you want to leave. If you don’t ask, you’ll never know what you could have been earning.

4. Your workplace is intimidating, hostile, or abusive.

If you feel uncomfortable at work or in danger at work, you should look for work elsewhere. While finding a new job shouldn’t be your burden to bear since being treated unfairly at work is unfair, you’re better off getting a job where you don’t have to worry about your comfort or safety.

Harassment in the workplace shouldn’t be taken lightly, either. Harassment is defined as “unwelcome conduct that is based on race, color, religion, sex (including sexual orientation, gender identity, or pregnancy), national origin, older age (beginning at age 40), disability, or genetic information (including family medical history),” according to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

It becomes unlawful when “enduring the offensive conduct becomes a condition of continued employment” or “the conduct is severe or pervasive enough to create a work environment that a reasonable person would consider intimidating, hostile, or abusive.”

If you’re experiencing harassment at work, you can report it to the EEOC.

5. You’re feeling burnt out.

Burnout is endemic in the workplace. You’re not alone if you’re feeling burned out at work. According to Deloitte research, burnout was cited among the top three reasons for young people leaving their jobs in 2022. More specifically, almost half of Gen Zers and millennials (46 and 45 percent, respectively) say they feel burned out due to their work environments.

Burnout is why 40 percent of Gen Zers and 24 percent of millennials want to leave their jobs within two years, according to the survey. But you shouldn’t necessarily wait so long to find a new job. Your mental health is important.

6. You don’t feel like your work has meaning for you anymore.

If your work doesn’t fulfill you, it could be a sign that you need a new job that does. Employees say that meaning matters more to them than money these days. Nine out of 10 workers would swap 23 percent of their earnings for “work that’s always meaningful,” a recent BetterUp survey suggests. That’s about $21,000 a year.

Your work might not necessarily feel meaningful, but the bigger picture could. For example, maybe you don’t care about your day-to-day activities, but helping a team, you appreciate or working toward a company mission you value are important to you. Finding something you feel worth doing is key.

7. You were presented with an opportunity that excites you.

There doesn’t need to be anything wrong with your current job to receive a sign that it’s time for a new job. Maybe the sign is external.

If you receive an opportunity for a job offer that excites you, even if you still love your current job, it might be time for a change. You miss every shot you don’t take, so it may be worth exploring when a curiosity-inducing door opens. You won’t know unless you try, anyway.

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If you’re not sure where to look for a new job, Ivy Exec has you covered. When you’re ready to start your job hunt, you can kick it off with our go-to resource on everything you need, from the search to the interview process.

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