As we discussed earlier this week, there is such a thing as a bad reason for quitting your job.  As bad as some aspects of a job can be, they’re not always worth quitting over.  After all, quitting a job is not just about finding a new one.  You have to think about the effect of that decision on your income, retirement plan, health insurance, and work history.

Then again, there are good reasons for making a switch.  Here are some examples, though these are by no means the only good reasons for quitting.  If you can think of some I’ve missed, please write them out in the comments section!

• I hate my boss.  No, I haven’t run out of ideas and I’m well aware that this reason is in the other post as a bad reason.  The reason it’s in both is that it’s imperative to discern why you hate your boss.  If you dislike your boss because he or she is socially awkward but still gets the job done, it’s probably best if you stick it out.  The flip side to this, however, is when you hate your boss because he or she is abusive or inept.  By abusive I mean that your boss affects you in a way that is psychologically distressing, and by inept I mean that his or her poor management skills are actively preventing you from performing well at your job.  If your boss hurls verbal or physical abuse at you, consistently makes outrageous demands, or sexually harasses you, you have my full blessing to get the heck out of there.  It’s not worth staying in a job if your boss negatively affects your mental health.  Likewise with an inept manager.  If your manager’s shoddy management skills make it difficult for you to perform as well as you’d like, it may be worthwhile to consider looking elsewhere.  You don’t want his or her poor performance to drag you down too.
• There’s no opportunity for advancement in this company.  There are some jobs that just never change.  They are a set of responsibilities and duties that neither progress nor leave room for growth.  At times, these jobs are terrific.  They’re a great way to learn the ropes of a company and gain some job experience.  However, if you’ve been in the same position for at least a year and your job responsibilities haven’t changed or grown, it’s time to expand.  If the company you work for simply does not have a place for you to go, it’s perfectly understandable to look for a new job.  If you really like what you’re doing, then by all means stay, but if you’re itching for new challenges and projects, this is an ideal reason to bust our your resume.
• I have another job offer.  The best reason for quitting is perhaps the presence of a job offer.  Let’s say you’re networking and someone expresses interest in your work.  You send over your resume, meet for a coffee, and wham!  A job offer.   Congratulations, this is a great reason for quitting.  As I’m sure you’re aware, however, it’s extremely important to know what you’re getting into before accepting, so make sure the company who’s trying to woo you checks out.  The last thing you want is to quit one job for another that is worse.  Also, if you’re going to quit one job for another, make sure you do it right.  Give two weeks of notice and quit with class.

Can you think of another good reason for quitting?