#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? ___ 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! ___ ❤️  Leave a message in the "I Have a Burning Question" form:   https://forms.gle/NmKx99XXBhDWjGyC7 🎵 TikTok:   https://www.tiktok.com/@careercoachmandy 📔 Substack: https://careercoachmandy.substack.com YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@careercoachmandy