To say that people quit their jobs for all of the same reasons would be pointless. For every person there’s a different reason why they were led to quit their job. Some people quit to start a business, while others quit because they need more money and the job they’re in doesn’t allow advancement or pay increases for whatever reason. Sometimes you just can’t effect too much change in the place where you work, so it might be time to move on.
When do you know it’s safe to quit your job? Well, in truth you have to realize that it’s never going to be safe. However, life is all about risk management, and that means making sure that you have everything you need to really ensure that you don’t have too many worries when you do quit.
First and foremost, if you’re not going to leave and start a business, you will naturally need to make sure that you already have work lined up. If you can’t do that, then you will need to have a plan on how the bills will get paid while you look for work. Unless you live at home with your parents, you’re going to have bills. This is even more important if you’re not single and you have a family that’s counting on you. It’s very important to ensure that your family’s life isn’t affected by a snap decision. Quitting a place can take a lot of emotional energy, but if you really feel that you can move on to bigger and better things, then you definitely want to do that.
Networking with people that can tell you about word of mouth opportunities is definitely good — but don’t wait till you’re fed up to do it! Far too often people get into a job and stay there for a few years, only to find that they really didn’t want to be there in the first place! So they wait for the right moment to jump ship, which never really comes. Why? They didn’t take the time from the beginning to build themselves a network that they can fall back on.
Ensure that when you do leave your job, that you leave on good terms. You never know what life will bring to your door, and that means that you might have to be eligible for re-hire. It can be difficult to go back to the place where you used to work, but it can be done. It just depends on how you left. If you don’t give two weeks notice, then you won’t be eligible for re-hire. In addition, if you badmouth everyone on your way out, then you’re not going to be welcome back at the company — even if you are technically eligible to work at the company again.
Overall, these tips should serve you well in your search — why not get started today?