Think before you quit

Everyone gets frustrated with their jobs. But when are those frustrations enough to make you leave the company?

Before you make a hasty decision that could hurt your professional or personal life, make sure your reason for quitting is valid, advise human resources experts.

When emotions run high, beware. There can be plenty of stressful moments between you and your boss or co-workers, explains Ray Bennett, vice president of human resources for the American Bureau of Shipping in Houston. That's no reason, however, to decide on the fly to quit your job.

Instead of thinking rationally and talking with the manager about areas of needed improvement, the initial reaction is to want to quit, Bennett said. "If the job works content-wise and growth opportunities are available, take a deep breath and think twice," he suggests.

Remember, the grass really isn't always greener. "Most workers aren't able to accurately assess if quitting is the best move," said Susan Heathfield, president of Heathfield Management Consultants. "They think that by leaving their current company, everything will be perfect." Job-hopping to get away from certain problems, like office culture and salary, may not be wise, she said.

On the other hand, if you don't see any growth opportunities with your current employer, it may be time to look elsewhere. Too many workers knowing they can't advance will stick around simply because they're comfortable.

Complacency can have negative effects because higher-ups tend to form misconceptions about you and your talents. This is often reflected in areas such as pay, he said.

One red flag is if you find yourself repeatedly butting heads on the job. "If you're working with a bad manager and have made repeated attempts to switch departments and remove yourself from the situation to no avail, it is time to move on," explains Patricia Mathews, president of Workplace Solutions, a human resources consulting firm in St. Louis.

Bennett and Heathfield both advised that before you make a final decision, you should talk with someone you can trust outside of the company. Reviewing your concerns with someone who has an unbiased opinion can help pinpoint things that aren't obvious to you.