It can sometimes be difficult to know when you should leave a job. Often it's external factors that force to you make a change -- like moving out of the city, or the need for a better income or less working hours. And sometimes it’s what happens during the normal nine-to-five that pushes you to start looking elsewhere. Considering a change? Here are a few warning signs that it might be time to start a job search.

1. Your job was supposed to be temporary

Let’s face it, the job market can be tough and we all have bills to pay. When we first enter the workforce, our goals are usually to find a job, gain some experience, and then move on. Even when we've got more years behind us, it's all too easy to get comfortable. But if you're not in your dream job, it's time to decide if it's time to look elsewhere.

2. Your hours are inconsistent

If your hours or your duties are being scaled back, that is a serious sign to take a look at your employment situation. It could be a warning that you aren’t performing to the standard required of you, or it might be a reflection of how well the business is doing financially.

The same can be said if you are constantly being scheduled for more hours than you can handle, or if your place of employment has a culture of working long hours. Many studies have shown that working too much can lead to depression and burnout. Still, many companies try to push as much as they can out of their employees without hurting their profit margin -- and many employees accept these longer hours instead of looking elsewhere for new opportunities.

3. You’re restless
While there’s no rule that says you have to love your work, going to a job every day that doesn’t engage or stimulate you can be depressing. When you are restless and bored at your job, there’s a good chance your work will reflect your attitude -- which isn’t good for your career, or your employer.

Be proactive. Ask your boss for more opportunities to grow with the company. Consider attending conferences, taking night classes or reading books to keep learning as an employee and growing your skill set. And if that doesn't sound appealing, start working your network and combing the job listings.

4. You've become a "specialist"
Becoming a specialist can work for, or against you -- depending on how you plan on shaping your career. If there is a high demand for your particular skill set, specializing will work to your advantage, as long as you think the demand will continue throughout your career. However, if you are looking to develop new skills, or you aren’t interested in pursuing a career with a specialty, it can be a huge detriment to your career.

5. Lack of trust at the office

If something has happened at your workplace that has caused you to mistrust the company’s business practices, your boss or your fellow coworkers, you need to seriously consider why you are still working there. Whether it's a micromanaging boss, verbal promises that never get fulfilled, raises that never come to fruition, paycheques that have bounced or even excessive workplace gossip, feeling uncomfortable at work is a good indication it's time to leave.

It’s always a good idea to keep your resume up to date with your recent, relevant experience. Even if you are happy and your job seems secure, you always need to protect yourself. In the unfortunate event that you do find yourself looking for work, you can be confident in your updated resume -- leaving you more time to concentrate on finding that perfect new job.

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Krystal Yee is a marketing professional living in Vancouver. She writes about personal finance at Give Me Back My Five Bucks, and the Toronto Star’s Moneyville.ca. You can reach her on Twitter (@krystalatwork).