For 32-year old Jason, the voices in his head were getting stronger. Workweeks were the worst. Getting out of the bed to make that one-hour commute to his office felt like a real drag while his mind played the same thing on an endless loop — “do I really need this job?” Having to struggle through the daily grind at the office and listlessly sitting through meetings with his new boss (who started two weeks ago and perhaps wouldn’t last more than 6 months), the thought finally crossed his mind — “I’m better than this place!” But he didn’t do anything about it.

Does this sound familiar?

If you’re reading this, I bet it does!

You’ve come to realize that you don’t love your job. You want to leave like a bat out of hell but still end up staying for years. But why? You might be convinced you won’t find a job that pays as well or worry that you aren’t qualified for other jobs, or you might simply not have the mental energy to hunt for a new job while you’re still stuck in a job that makes you unhappy. The truth is, the longer you stay put in a toxic job, the more likely that other areas of your life will be negatively affected – your relationships with friends and family, for instance.

However, if you’re putting off that job search for the fear of not finding enough opportunities out there, you should know that…

With More Opportunities in the Job Market, People Are Switching More Frequently

There used to be a time when people stayed in the same job for decades. Sure, there still were pink slips, transfers, and job changes, but on average, it was more common for people to work for the same employer for years back then than it is now. These days, people in IT change jobs every 18 months – 2 years. Research shows that the tech-space offers some of the most difficult jobs to fill, fuelling the demand for talent who can fit into these roles.

So there you have it — more than finding the right-fit job, it’s about convincing yourself that it’s OK to move on. And once you’ve done that, you’ve crossed the first barrier.

Here are three tell-tale signs that it’s time for you to switch jobs.

1. You feel you’re being micromanagedMost people don’t realize the perils of working in a micro-managed environment until it’s too late. They think it’s normal for their boss to control every detail of their work. Well, it’s not. Being constantly scrutinized for work isn’t just annoying, but it can also leave you with self-confidence issues and stunt your performance and professional growth in the long run.If you feel weighed down by the hyper-controlled environment of your workplace, it’s a sign that you should take the song Move on Down the Road seriously.
2. You don’t feel appreciatedDo you feel like your company takes you for granted? Is your great work going unnoticed? After a year of blood, sweat, tears, and really long hours, you expect to be rewarded. But you shouldn’t have to to wait for your performance review to feel like your work is making a difference. If you aren’t getting paid what you are worth, or worse, if your boss starts to take credit for your work, you may be feeling uninspired and unmotivated. And life is too short to work for a boss that doesn’t appreciate your hard work.
3. Your current job doesn’t allow for the growth you are looking forSo you feel the ladder is running out of rungs? You’re not alone. According to a survey, the number one reason why people change jobs is a lack of career growth. If you see your job as a dead end, it’s an immediate red-flag.

Moving from an OK job to a damn good one isn’t easy. You may have sleepless nights before you actually get down to doing it. But, it’s totally worth it. If one or more of these signs speak to you, then maybe you should start listening. Sooner rather than later.