In a dead-end job? Ask yourself these key questions.

Are you unhappy, unsatisfied, or unfulfilled in your current job? Do you feel like your career has hit a wall that you can’t break through to achieve your full potential? Have you asked yourself whether you’re at a dead-end job?

Answer the following yes-or-no questions about your current gig to find out if you should be starting the search for a new job:

1. Have you fallen into a boring routine that you can’t break out of?
2. Does it feel like your contributions to your team go unnoticed?
3. Do you feel underpaid for your experience and value?
4. Have you reached the peak of potential promotions and pay raises?
5. Are your colleagues leaving the company to find career growth?
6. Are colleagues being promoted around you while you're stuck in your current role?
7. Is your boss disinterested in your career goals and desires?
8. Are you finding it hard to get time to discuss projects and progress with your boss?
9. Are you working on projects that don’t tap into your full ability?
10. Have you stopped enjoying what you do?

If you answered yes to some or a majority of these questions, it may be time to start looking for a new job.

The best time to start searching is when you don’t need a job, so consider staying with your current employer while you start your search. A hasty decision to quit before you have a new job lined up can hurt your search – companies are more often than not looking for employed candidates who they see as more qualified, whether that’s fair or not. Losing your paycheck can lead to instability and desperation in your applications, so keep trucking while you begin exploring.

If you find that your best bet is to quit right away, remember to be professional and courteous – you never know how you can use your current contacts and bosses as networking opportunities for new jobs! Sometimes, you’ll want to quit midway through your search to have more time and focus, and this can be fine too -- as long as you feel comfortable living with no paycheck until you land that next gig.

And remember – when you start a job search, things can be hectic and disorganized. Start your search off the right way with JobHero. It’s a free dashboard to organize, optimize, and upgrade the hunt for your better career.