Leaving your job can be daunting can’t it! You have the colleagues you love and the ones you can’t wait to see the back of but really when it comes to thinking about leaving there is always doubt. What happens if you have made a massive mistake? What if this job was the best you were ever going to get. What happens if you hate the new job/new business/new location/new people/branching out on your own?
What if…..(insert fear here)!
The thing with the ‘what if’ game is – you never know until you do it! So here are a few things to think about before you jack it all in and quit your job:
- Remember the grass is always greener … where you water it: Just because you leave your old job for whatever reason doesn’t mean the new place is going to be magical and the land of milk and honey. There will still be irritations and it is always hard to learn a new role. This is the same whether you move to another ‘job’, move industries or start your own business. Do not think that leaving your job will be the answer to all your prayers – be realistic and think about the reason why you are leaving your current situation. Make sure that isn’t repeated where you are going and remember the reason for the change.
- Don’t be rash: Once you have thought about your reasons for getting out of there, think about talking to your manager first. I have known people to speak to their manager before leaving to negotiate less hours, better pay and even been open about having a side hustle and wanting to put more time into it. I would suggest having these conversations in an open way – ask if there would be any possibility to discuss your current position and see what the response is. Don’t give your employer an ultimatum and there is no need to discuss leaving but having an open “just wanted to discuss the possibility of…” conversation will give you a really good idea of your options. If it’s not the response you want then you need to be ready for that.
- Leave on a good note: If you have made the choice that, it’s time to move on. Then no matter how you feel about the job always try to leave on a good note if you can. Why? Because you never know when your paths will cross again or even when your name will come up in conversation. I was contracting with a global beauty company years ago and I came across a CV from a girl I went to school with. We weren’t friends but I always remembered her being a nice person and mentioned it to the hiring manager. Subsequently after meeting with her they offered her the job. You never know what’s going to happen in the future or who you will bump into again, so always be nice.
We have one month left of 2019. Where are you in your career? Is it time to make a career change in 2020?
If so, maybe it is time to join me on Facebook at Future You – Life + Career Goals and join a supportive community of like-minded ambitious professionals looking to transform their future.