There are certain times in your career where the trends you’re seeing within your organization aren’t indicative of positive change. Management may assure you that everything is a-okay, but your gut tells you otherwise. With any company there are going to be challenging periods that will ultimately turn out fine. Other times, however, a company may be giving unintentional subtle hints that there are more serious troubles brewing. If you are noticing these signs, it may be time to start thinking about leaving your job.

Sign #1 – The Numbers Don’t Add Up
There are numbers that measure how a company’s business is doing – stock prices, earning ratios, sales numbers, etc. While one bad quarter does not make a bad company, if you are seeing quarter over quarter trending downward, that is a compelling sign that it may be time to think about leaving your job.

Sign #2 – Whatever Your Company Makes Isn’t Keeping Up
If your product is dated or becoming obsolete, or if your competition is a better provider of the service you are offering, this is a strong indicator that things are not going in the right direction and it may be time to explore other professional options.

Sign #3 – Your Job is Redundant
If your company is being sold or merging and you end up in a role that is redundant, you’re in a fight for your professional life. This is an obvious sign that it’s time to consider your options.

Sign #4 – Your Boss Has Gone Silent
If your relationship with your boss has always been open and communicative, but is growing less so, it could signal a few things – maybe she is looking for a new job herself, or maybe there are other things on her mind like too much headcount in your department. If your boss isn’t talking, find out why. The answer could help you decide if it’s time to leave your job.

Sign # 5 – Communication from Top Down has Slowed to a Trickle
When times are challenging, most companies tend to under communicate. They aren’t necessarily skilled in the art of delivering difficult messages, and rather than share bad news in the best way they can, they don’t say anything. If you’ve noticed an obvious slowdown in communication from the top, it could signal that it’s time for you to investigate other opportunities.

Sign # 6 – Key People are Leaving
Turnover is inevitable in any organization, but if many of the best people are moving on to do other things, it’s a bad sign and could signal the company isn’t as healthy or strong as it once was or needs to be. For your own job security, you may want to follow the lead and start looking for a new position.

While it may be tempting to put your head down and work through these difficulties, it’s better to recognize the signals and be prepared in the event something does happen.

Photo credit: Pixabay