A question many people ask themselves is, “Should I leave my job or should I stay?”

Maybe you’re wrestling with this exact question like one of my readers who asked:

“May, I love the company I work with and I can do my job with ease, but I've been in the same role for 10 years. I upskilled during the past two years, but feel I need to leave in order to use this new skillset. I can't see any promotions ahead. And I feel unsupported at work. Is it time to leave?”

The decision to leave is a personal one and it's one that only you can make. That being said, here are three ways to help you decide.

1. Create a decision filter

To do this, list the criteria you have for your job. For example, things like upward mobility, commute, enjoyment level, highest use of my unique abilities, or whatever is a factor for you. Put them in order of importance, and then rate/score the job you’re considering on each from 1-10. One being the lowest, 10 being the highest.

Then do the math. Add up the scores across all of the criteria for the job you’re considering and compare that to the maximum score you’d get if you had your ideal job.

Once you see the score, you’ll have an immediate reaction and gauge how you truly feel about it.

2. Negotiate for what you need

The only thing more important than knowing what you need is vocalizing it. When completing the decision filter, you’ll find where the gaps are between your current job and the ideal job. Once you’ve found the gaps, you can ask for what you want.

As a colleague once told me when I was facing the same question, “You are not allowed to leave until you've tried to make it work on your terms and found that you can’t.”

You are your biggest advocate and at times, it’s necessary to have these honest conversations with your company’s decision makers.

3. Trust your gut

Nine times out of 10, you already know the answer. Change can be scary but, as the saying goes, there’s no such thing as “hell maybe.” So if it’s not “hell yes,” it’s “hell no.”

When it comes to deciding whether to leave your job or stay in it, remember to use your decision filter, negotiate for what you want and need, and trust your gut.

Have a question about your career? Ask me here!