To Leave my Job? Or not to Leave my Job?

[MyMustachioedMann]

Howdy all fellow mustachians.  Need and would appreciate your advice.

I have a pretty decent job right now with a very solid company.  Been with my company for about 5 years and am making a little less than $55K per year pre-tax. I recently finished my MBA but haven't used it yet (it could probably allow me to get a $40K bump, depending on the job). 

Basically, despite doing all other things in a mustachian way, I am not realizing my earning potential and due to the way my organization is structured, will have limited career growth (which is important to me). However, this current job will help me accomplish my long and short term financial goals. 

Should I just suck it up, or, should I rock the boat and risk leaving a great company for potentially earning more and being regarded more highly somewhere else (which would in turn allow me to accomplish my personal and financial goals sooner) but possibly be less happy with the work/environment?

Other relevant info: I am considering getting pregnant in the next few years and want to take a longer maternity leave, but still return to the workforce. My current company allows for up to one year (unpaid), which not a lot of other companies do. Should I stay, at least until after having babies?

Net: I love my job, but the organizational structure is getting in my way of my long-term growth and keeping my earning potential down.  Some days are great and other days it is just more apparent that I am not going to get the career fulfillment I need, which is slightly soul-crushing.  I think I should leave.... But, should I do it now? 

Thanks in advance!

[Reepekg]

Now? Sounds like you should have left about 2 years ago.

If you're serious about career advancement, making moves every few years is the fastest way to do it. If your current company is not capitalizing on your MBA, you're being undervalued. Get your resume out to recruiters, and I suspect you might be surprised at what you can command on the open market. No need to rock the boat and tell everyone, just quietly look for opportunity.

[FiveSigmas]

Get your resume out to recruiters, and I suspect you might be surprised at what you can command on the open market. No need to rock the boat and tell everyone, just quietly look for opportunity.

+1. Given that you feel under-compensated, I think it's worth checking out what other options are available to you and interviewing around. The worst that can happen is that you don't find anything -- there's nothing forcing you to change jobs if you don't get an offer you think is worth switching for. And if you do get a great offer, you always have the option of bringing it to your boss and giving him/her one last chance to match before you take off for greener pastures.

Whatever you do, though, don't quit and then look for another job (not only do you risk being unemployed, you also place yourself at a disadvantage when negotiating salaries).

[footenote]

+1. The technical term for your salary condition is "wage compressed." Reepekg and FiveSigmas are correct: start looking quietly.

Ensure your social media presence is professional and active. Start a professionally-oriented Twitter account if you don't already have one. Tune up your LinkedIn profile. Today recruiters immediately check out your digital presence. In some industries it's just to ensure you don't have an inappropriate presence. In other industries (ex: digital marketing) it's a requirement that you are very professionally active, have lots of Twitter followers and professional engagement, blog actively, etc. Good luck!

[nktokyo]

Time to leave.