It’s the time of year for new beginnings and for you, that might mean looking at your career and the way you’re feeling about it. This year – and the previous – have been a mess with the pandemic. People have lost their jobs left and right, and you might not have been as progressive in your current role as you would have liked. You might be considering retraining (“new year, new start”) and you might be considering asking your boss to help you segue into another role in the company. When you head to interviews, the one question you’ll be asked by the prospective employer is why you chose to leave your last job. It’s one that most people tend to dread answering because no one wants to talk down about their previous role. 

If you are looking to move into a new role, then that is a question you’re going to have to be ready for. From breaches of clocking in and out regulations at your current job to an unsupportive employer, there are a lot of reasons you might want to leave your current job. You might not even want to leave because of your employer – it might be a you thing. There are no bad reasons to leave a job or a situation in life that isn’t serving you. It’s actually a really good indicator of your personal values that you’re able to overcome issues that present themselves and choose the path of gentleness for yourself. You should be able to enjoy your working day given that you spend an inordinate amount of time within it and often, that means creating boundaries for yourself so that you do well at whatever serves you the most. 

If you are applying for new positions and you get asked why you are leaving, it’s a good time to sit down and think about your reasoning for looking for a new job in the first place. Let’s take a look at ten good reasons that you should be leaving your job. You can use any of these to help you to phrase your answer to the question!

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1. There’s been a better offer. One of the best reasons to leave your job is that there is a new job on the table with a better deal. Whether the deal includes the chance to progress and gain recognition in a better position, or the role includes you being able to earn more money, a better deal is a valid reason to leave. You don’t have to remain in a business that isn’t serving you financially any more than you’d have to remain in a company that doesn’t offer you a raise in five years. A better deal can also include progression promises where you can grow your skills and have them appreciated. 
2. You hate your work. You could have loved your job for years and then something happens to make you feel disillusioned over it. If you are currently working in a role where you don’t feel any joy from the job, you might consider looking beyond your current company and you’d be doing the right thing. All jobs have bad days and you can’t help that, but when the bad days outweigh the good ones, you should look elsewhere. You should get some satisfaction and happiness over the role you’re working in and if you aren’t enjoying it, moving on is the best thing that you could do. 
3. You have other goals to pursue. There is more to life than your current job and the chances are that you recognize this. Leaving a job you have to pursue other goals is important – you only get one life to lead, right? You should be able to devote some time to pursuing goals outside your job. There is a whole world out there to see and a world of experiences to go with it, too. You might even want to take some time out to retrain in another industry – the time is never going to be better than right now when you make that decision.
4. You’re not getting promoted. There is no worse feeling than working yourself sick only to find out that you’re not going to get the promotion that you worked hard for. You don’t need to feel stagnant in your career, not when you can find promotional opportunities elsewhere. There will be plenty of other companies out there waiting to bring you on in the role that you wanted and your current company will be sad to lose you – but then that’s not your problem! A ceiling in a job is a dangerous thing as it can make you feel like you aren’t going to be anything more than you are. 
5. Your current boss has left the business. Often, it’s the people that make your job a good place, not just the role you’re doing. It’s not uncommon for people to leave a role just because their manager has moved on, either. You might well be ready to leave and it’s your boss leaving that has sparked your courage for getting off the ship and swimming to new shores. You might not like the new manager in place of your previous one who has left and that’s another good reason to leave. You deserve to work peacefully every single time!

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6. You’re far too qualified for what you’re doing. Some people accept a role knowing that they are far more than qualified for the position. They take it on because they need the job, and perhaps you were one of those people, but you needed the money so you took what you could. Over time, though, you’re going to resent the role you took because you are bored. You’re going to be done with the menial tasks in the job and be very ready for an atual challenge that meets your skillset. Moving on is the next step for you and you’ll find a job with better prospects when you do.
7. You want stability. If your normal job involves irregular hours that are shifted rather than fixed, you might be ready for a more stable position. It’s going to have odd perks in your day to day life to have something more regular and stable, and you’re going to want something more stable to get you through your days. It’s a big perk to have a regular job that you can follow rather than being waiting for work as a freelancer or unable to determine which shifts you should take as a shift worker. 
8. Your current circumstances have changed. Maybe you have new priorities involving your family. Maybe you want a slower pace of life. Either way, family circumstances can dictate your decision about leaving your job. You might need to have another job lined up before you move to a new property, especially if you’re heading out of the city and into the suburbs.
9. You want to start out on your own. What better reason to leave paid employment than a new business idea? If you want to get on and show your business initiative, starting your business is the best way forward. 
10. There is no more salary progression. Lastly, a good reason to leave your job is that you don’t have anywhere else to go in terms of your salary. You won’t ever be paid more because you’ve matched your salary ceiling. You might be able to get a higher salary when you go to a new position and you’ll benefit in the long term!