Working in a job you are not happy with is a miserable existence. If you have to deal every day with a grumpy, unreasonable or bullish boss, chances are you’ve already fantasised about your very public and dramatic resignation with relish, imagining that you would be a hero amongst your colleagues and a legend in the office for years to come.

Whilst a big, brash exit from your job might seem like a fun thing to do, in reality having the last word might not be all it’s cracked up to be. The repercussions of your outlandish decisions will almost certainly end up having a far greater impact on your own career than on the business of your previous organisation. The decision to resign is a serious career choice, and in the current economic climate can be a rather foolhardy one without the offer of another job to go to. However, there comes a time in every employees life when they genuinely have outgrown the organisation they work for, so know when to quit and do it for the right reasons.

1. Do you believe in the company values?

The moment you start to seriously doubt the ethics or values of the company you work for, you need to start thinking seriously about making a change. Great salespeople can only sell products they believe in, and this goes for any job role in the same way. If you doubt the way your company does business, feel it treats its customers or suppliers unfairly or think the employees are getting rough treatment, it is probably time to think about going before the cracks start to show.

2. Do you enjoy your job?

It can sound a bit trite, as many of us wake up on a Monday morning wishing we didn’t have to go to work, but for the majority of people, once they are at work and into the swing of things, they really quite enjoy what they do. If you are finding you have to force yourself into work and to stay motivated once there, then this could be a sign that things aren’t right.
Being unhappy at work is highly damaging for any employee, and can result in poor productivity and performance, which could, eventually, see you being pushed before you can jump. It doesn’t necessarily mean the company is a bad place to work, it may just be that you aren’t challenged enough in your role or that you feel overwhelmed. Whatever reason, if you genuinely hate your job, you need to think about leaving pretty soon.

3. Do you trust your seniors?

If you walk into every meeting with your manager or team get together wondering what you will have to put up with today, you might want to take a closer look at the actions of the managers at your company. If you know they are involved in underhand practices, unfair treatment of staff or like to cut customer satisfaction in favour of profits, you will already be suffering as a result. If you’ve truly lost faith in the ethics and opinions of your seniors, your workplace is going to be a miserable place to stay, so get out as soon as you can.

Globalserve is an advisory business firm, providing Cyprus Taxation and various corporate services for International clients.