

#14 "I'm Terrified to Quit My Job - I've Been Here 4 Years and They Rely On Me So Much"
This week, we take a reader question from Sara in Chicago:
Dear Mandy,
I've been at my current job for 4 years. I have wanted to leave for 3 years. Staying has always been the easier option, I have so much flexibility and creative control, but my workplace is toxic and every year I have less and less consistent staff to manage the workload. I currently do the job of 3 different roles in one position, and am not paid enough for the amount that I do. The quality of work that I am able to do decreases everyday, along with my motivation.
I am turning 30 and I have decided I cannot let myself delay any longer, but now I am TERRIFIED that I stayed too long. My peers have never stayed longer than 2 years at a position and people keep telling me that it looks bad on my resume to have stayed for 4 years. Now i feel even more pressure to leave before the year is up but I haven't found a new position.
All I see is people saying the job market is terrible and that getting a new job could take almost a year. Ineed an income to fall back on, but i am afraid the longer I stay at this job the less hirable I am becoming, which is creating a feedback loop of making me even more scared to quit. I also have an extreme sense of guilt about leaving my boss with no one to fill my role, as a lot of the company's function depends on me.
Am I putting too much pressure on myself to leave before the year ends? Or am I right in thinking that staying in this job is hindering my ability to move forward?
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I'm the author of two journals, which are available on my website, www.mandytang.co. These include the popular "Should I Quit?" journal, and the new "10-Day Plan" journal to help you get a new job. They are $28 and ship the next day. You can also now add a crystal to your order!
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