Updated September 2026: in 2021 I listed my reasons for wanting to leave my job: a micromanaging, unfocused manager who caused repeated rework, and marginal hikes, with a long wait before my next promotion. I have rewritten it into a framework for deciding whether to switch jobs.
After a long time, I felt the need to change jobs. The biggest driver was my manager: micromanagement, work assigned without thought, repeated rework because of his confusion, and reactions to the onsite team that made unnecessary work for us. The second was money: marginal hikes, a recent promotion increment below industry standards, and the prospect of a long wait for the next one.
Is a bad manager a good reason to leave?
It is one of the most common, and often a valid one. But managers change more often than companies do. Before leaving, check whether an internal move to another team is possible, and whether your manager is likely to move on. If neither is realistic, the manager becomes a real reason.
How do you judge whether your pay is fair?
Compare your salary with market data for your role, experience and city, from salary surveys, job listings and conversations with recruiters. Promotion increments inside a company are often smaller than the jump a new employer offers. If the gap is large, it will rarely close internally.
What else should you weigh?
- Growth: the work you will do and the skills you will build in the next two years.
- Stability: the new company's health and the security of the role.
- Benefits: insurance, leave, work arrangement and bonus structure.
- Timing: bonuses or vesting you would forfeit by leaving now.
How do you start looking without risk?
Update your CV and profile quietly, talk to former colleagues at other companies, and apply selectively. Do not resign until you have a written offer. Keep performing well in your current role; a strong final appraisal and good references matter.
Should you tell your manager why you are leaving?
In an exit conversation, keep it professional and brief. Focus on the opportunity you are moving to rather than the problems you are leaving. Honest feedback about management is more useful in a confidential exit survey than in a heated conversation.
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