We’ve all had a bad day at the office. In fact, we’ve likely had bad weeks.

Realistically, everyone experiences peaks and troughs in their jobs, and too much flip-flopping in your career can send up big red flags to future employers about your tenacity and work ethic. Nobody wants to employ someone who seems to just cut and run when the landscape gets rocky.

That said, the time to move onwards and upwards by seeking a new job will arrive for everyone at some point. It’s a very personal decision, and not one that can be based on a checklist. But if you’ve noticed these signs for a good few months now, it may be time to consider pastures new.

#1. Same old, same old – you aren’t being challenged

You feel like you can do your job, but it doesn’t stretch you or utilise your ‘best skills’. If you’re constantly itching to do more, and are being stifled by the confines of your current job, it sounds like you’ve outgrown it. Inquire about internal promotion, or suggest ways you could add value that go beyond your current remit. Taking this initiative in itself could see your employer take note and develop your role, but if that’s not an option, cast yourself a broader net.

#2. Company culture – you just don’t feel like yourself

You hesitate before you speak, you can’t laugh out loud, and you feel yourself playing a part. Nobody likes that feeling. If you’re new, then give the dust time to settle, but if that doesn’t improve further down the line, it’s a legitimate reason to look elsewhere. Maybe you feel like a small cog in a rigid corporate and would feel more at home in a boutique, start-up atmosphere. Equally, you might be sick of grinding away on a small enterprise that just isn’t going anywhere, and you want to spread your wings for an established brand with structure and a path for progression. Be honest with yourself, and take that step.

#3. False advertising – it’s not what it said on the tin

Promised exposure to different parts of the company that isn’t happening? Promised training opportunities that haven’t materialised? Is the company just not the one that was sold to you during the job interview? Your employer may not have realised this is the case, so it’s definitely worth airing your feelings in a professional manner. Failing that, try researching companies with a higher level of employee satisfaction and weigh up your options.

#4. Different visions – your personal goals can’t be met

It can happen: you have a clear-cut vision of wher