Last week, I received a message from Klout that said so-and-so needed my advice. Now, honestly, I usually glance over these sorts of emails and don’t pay them any mind. However, this particular day, I opened it and logged into my account. The question that was posed to me was this:

How long should I stay at a job if I know it’s not a good fit? That, my friend, is a very good question, indeed.

HOW LONG SHOULD YOU STAY AT YOUR JOB?

This was my response: My grandfather always advised me to give anything that I tried at least a year. However, I would say it also depends on the circumstances. Ultimately, my advice would be to line up another gig before your leave your job … if that’s at all possible. Good Luck!

Let’s break this down a little bit more …

My grandfather (actually, here in southeastern PA, we say “pop-pop”) taught biology at a Philadelphia area public school for 30 years. He lived in the same house for 50 years and served as a PFC in the USMC in WW2. He embodied everything good about the Greatest Generation. He worked hard, was loyal and humble, and gave a damn. I vividly recall him telling me to stick something out for at least a year before making a decision.

This is solid advice, unless, of course, the circumstances clearly prevent you from staying at your job. If, for example, your job or job-related stress is negatively affecting your health or causing issues in your marriage … sticking it out for a year may be way too long. When deciding how long to stay at your job, consider having a heart-to-heart with yourself and honestly answer the question, “Is this worth it?”

If a job is merely “not a good fit,” should you just up and quit? What makes it not a good fit? There are so many questions that one could ask. If you are in a similar situation, what would you do? If it were me, I would first start with looking back at why I initially accepted the offer.