Career debt

One of my good friends recently asked me: “When did you know it's time to look for a new job”?

In reality, everything is more nuanced and subjective depending on where you are in your career timeline and your other life responsibilities. However, I’ve found that maintaining some level of learning is non-negotiable - it’s the foundation that determines your future. A period focused purely on learning should be short-term, but having no learning opportunities is a red flag for long-term career growth.

While earning well at a job that offers limited learning might feel good in the moment, it’s essentially taking a loan against your future potential. Every month you spend solely chasing a paycheck without developing new skills, you’re accumulating ‘career debt’ - making it increasingly difficult to pivot, advance, or compete for a better job or opportunity down the line.

Think of it like compound interest, but in reverse. The skills and knowledge you’re not gaining today don’t just represent a static loss - they compound over time as the industry evolves, new technologies emerge, and your peers continue to grow. A job that pays well today but keeps you stagnant can lead to a steeper climb when you eventually need or want to change.

Bills need to be paid. But it’s crucial to recognize when you’re sacrificing long-term growth for short-term gains and address the imbalance. You can do this through side projects, additional training, or make a change towards a role that offers learning and hopefully at least the same amount of earning.

While focusing on learning, I decide to leave $current_job when:

1. Toxic environment that I failed to change.

2. There's no more growth potential in the long term.

3. I am underpaid