It’s hard to make changes in any aspect of life, but making a change in your career path can be especially stressful because your livelihood depends on that steady paycheck. Leaving any decent job for another opportunity is always a little risky, but sometimes gambles pay off big. Say you’ve got a pretty good job that you like well enough, pays your bills, and seems to be fairly steady, but you’re not sure if the company is the right place for you in the future. Should you stay and see what happens, or start looking elsewhere? Here are four signs that indicate your company, or your position there, might not have a bright future.

Weak leadership

Take a long hard look at who’s running the show and ask yourself a few questions. Are their actions positive? Do they share information and communicate well, or are they secretive and unapproachable? Do they make promises they don’t keep? Even if your direct supervisor is great and you love working for him or her, chances are that’s not the person calling the shots. Look at the overall leadership, right up to the very top. If your general feeling is that they’re not particularly competent or that they don’t value their individual employees, then that might not bode well for your future there. 

There’s nowhere to go

Some jobs simply plateau, but even in a position that maxes out on growth potential, a good company will continue to acknowledge good work by offering some kind or monetary compensation or other perks. If your pay never increases even slightly, your vacation time remains minimal, and your title never changes, then you might want to move on to greener pastures. If you’re at a company where people get promoted all the time, but just not you, then you also might want to make some changes. Do they hire from outside rather than promote from within? How much of a role does personal favoritism play? Assuming that your work is good and you’ve expressed to your bosses that you want to take on more responsibility, continually being passed over is a sure sign that you’re going nowhere.

Some jobs simply plateau, but even in a position that maxes out on growth potential, a good company will continue to acknowledge good work by offering some kind or monetary compensation or other perks. If your pay never increases even slightly, your vacation time remains minimal, and your title never changes, then you might want to move on to greener pastures. If you’re at a company where people get promoted all the time, but just not you, then you also might want to make some changes. Do they hire from outside rather than promote from within? How much of a role does personal favoritism play? Assuming that your work is good and you’ve expressed to your bosses that you want to take on more responsibility, continually being passed over is a sure sign that you’re going nowhere.

The climate is cold

Sometimes there are little intangible things that give you that feeling like you’re under a dark cloud, but you can’t quite put your finger on what it is. Maybe the company culture is just cut-throat or hostile, or the threat of layoffs, restructuring, and outsourcing creates and undercurrent of negativity and suspicion. Whether it’s a result of difficult personalities, corporate greed, or questionable business ethics, some work environments are just toxic. If you get a sense that your company is slowly going down the drain, chances are it’s a good time to get out.

You’re unhappy

Well this one seems obvious, yet countless people mindlessly accept unhappiness as a by-product of having a job. That’s not necessarily how it has to be. In fact many people love their jobs, or at least like them. Everyone has good days and bad days, but if you wake up every Monday with a sense of dread then it might be time to reconsider your professional future. Even if the job pays well and seems pretty secure, the trade off might be too high. Don’t let any job wear you down mentally or physically to the point where it damages your overall health and happiness. 

To flee or not to flee? That is the question. If any of the above points ring true for you, then fleeing might be your best answer. Change is hard sometimes, but it’s better to take charge of your own future rather than letting someone else dictate the limits of your success. Tune in next week for “Should I Stay or Should I Go? Part Two,” where we’ll look at some key indicators that you’re working in a pretty good place and you might want to stick around for a while.