It’s the Great Resignation and the temptation to quit your job is probably high right now. In January, 2022, almost 4.3 million people quit their jobs. There were also more than 11 million job openings. Employers have raised their pay and the demand for workers in every industry remains high. You’ve read these numbers and know you’re unhappy in your current job. But is it the right time to quit? Ask yourself these questions before you turn in your notice.
How Do You Know it’s the Right Time to Quit?
With this job market to back you up, you’ve probably fantasized about quitting for months. We don’t blame you a bit; sometimes the work environment is so bad that your only option is to give up. But not so fast. Turning in your resignation now may be emotionally satisfying—we get it. However, we encourage a careful, less emotional, and more logical approach before considering a move. At the end of these seven questions, you may still want to leave, and that’s great, but until you have these answers in hand, you simply can’t be sure that you should quit.
Ask yourself these questions:
- Is it possible to be happy in my current job? What would it take for you to stay? We recommend writing this down. This is an exercise in what needs to happen in your current job to create a better work environment. But that’s not all. This question will give you insight into what will also make you happy in your next job.
- Are you running away from something at your old job? Is that the best approach? Instead consider running toward something in a new job. If you’re only motivation for leaving your job is that you want to escape, then you might be willing to settle for any job that’s out there just to get away from the old one. That might put you out of the frying pan and into the fire.
- What will your quitting solve? If you set some time to self-reflect about what is making you so unhappy, you may find that it’s not the job at all. It could be one person in the job. It could be a problem at home reflecting back on the job. Maybe it’s just that you need more money. Figuring out the problem you’re trying to solve by quitting is key to solving it.
- Can you logically defend your decision to leave to the people around you? Talk your decision through with your support system at home. Emotionalism aside, can you defend your position on why you’re quitting? Can you defend it even if someone disagrees with your choice?
- Can you afford to quit? You don’t want to make a knee jerk reaction to a bad situation and then end up in financial trouble. If you quit your job without a new one in place, how much lead time does that leave you before the money runs out. Again, we’re suggesting a logical approach to quitting your job that protects you and your family from financial hardship.
Ready for A New Job? We Can Help!
When you’re ready, People Plus is standing by to help you transition into a new career. We’ve helped thousands of people just like you find a better work environment. Call on us. We can help.
