Almost every working adult comes to a point in their career where quitting seems like a good idea. Surely, there must be another position available with far fewer conflicts, demands, and stresses. Before you hand in your two-week notice or run screaming out the back door, there are a few things you should think about before quitting your job. Quitting an unsatisfying job may give you a rush for a while, but, like the proverbial Geographical Cure, you’ll end up back where you started.
The majority of employment experts agree that you should never consider quitting a job before finding a new one. This isn’t always a priority when you’re in the middle of a heated argument with a boss or you’ve worked the ninth ten-hour day in a row, but quitting a job voluntarily should almost never be a spur-of-the-moment decision. Before quitting a primary job, make every effort to generate several job leads or interviews.
Personal finances are an important consideration before quitting any job. Do you have enough money saved to get through a two-month jobless period? Have you set up automatic bill payments that are dependent on a consistent paycheck deposit? Would a new job’s entry-level salary be enough to cover your current expenses? These are crucial factors to consider, particularly if you have a spouse or other dependents.
In some cases, being fired or laid off from a job may be preferable to quitting voluntarily. The circumstances surrounding your last day on the job are frequently used to support unemployment claims. You may be ineligible for certain benefits if you quit your job.
Another thing to think about is the state of the local economy right now. Quitting any job in an economically depressed area with 10% unemployment can be a very risky move. Finding a new job may not be nearly as difficult when local economies are booming and the labor pool is limited.
You should also think about the demand for your skills in your area. If you work as a journalist for a small city’s only newspaper, you may want to look for a new job before quitting. Other jobs in a technical or creative field may be difficult to come by.
Before quitting any job, you should make sure you’ve exhausted all other options. In the grand scheme of things, the cause of a sudden walk-out or voluntary quit is frequently minor. You might have been irritated by a coworker’s procrastination on a crucial project, or your boss might have been less than diplomatic about a blunder. These occurrences, as inconvenient as they may be, are not always worth the ultimate cost of quitting.
After you’ve recovered from the initial stress, consider all of your options before deciding to quit. Is it possible for you to take a few days off for yourself to gain some perspective? Would a pay raise or a transfer to a different department make the job less demanding? To deal with your current job frustrations or anger management issues, you may be eligible for company-sponsored counseling. When an experienced employee considers leaving a key position, many employers will go to any length to address his or her concerns. Before quitting a job, make sure you’re ready to walk away from it permanently.