Steps To Take To Quit Your Job
I think to some degree we all have that fantasy of quitting our jobs. Whether you enjoy your job the majority of the time and just want a change of pace, or your job leaves you feeling empty inside and all you want to do is storm into the office and say, with a firm tone, “I quit!”
Quitting your job, especially without a plan in place for what you’re going to do next can be intimidating. As great as it would feel in the moment to say those two little words, “I quit”, it probably will fade into pure anxiety and fear once you realize you’re out of a job with no backup plan.
Fortunately, tons of people have gone through this exact process, myself recently included, and there are steps you can take to make quitting your job a seamless transition.
Here are a few things I did when quitting my job to set myself up for success and a smooth transition into my next career.
Be Upfront With Your Current Employer
I was never one to withhold information from my employer when it came to how I felt about my position in the workplace. If something wasn’t working for me, I spoke up. Similarly, I let them know upon my being hired that I had goals of working in other fields of work.
They knew from the get-go that I wasn’t looking for long-term employment. If your current job is a stepping stone for you, let your current boss know that by saying something along the lines of,
“I’m excited to take on this job and provide excellent quality work while I’m in this position. However, you should know I ultimately want to end up doing X and will need to pursue that avenue when I feel ready and the right opportunity arises. I plan to stay here for X amount of time. Does that work for you?”
Fortunately, most employers nowadays are willing to be cooperative on short-term work because the work dynamic is shifting. Most businesses are craving employees and still trying to bounce back and bring up numbers since Covid hit. Chances are, your boss will understand you have higher aspirations and will most likely congratulate you when the time comes to move on to bigger and better things.
If you’ve been at your current job for a while and want to branch out into other positions or job opportunities, let your boss know that you’re moving in this direction. The more time you give someone to plan, the more accepting they’ll be of your leaving. A two-week notice is great! However, it doesn’t usually allow enough time to properly hire and train someone on your job.
Give your boss a courtesy heads up and let them know you’re thinking of starting the job search process and would like to give them adequate time to fill your position properly.
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Start Saving Up A Safety Net
If things go south with giving your boss a heads up and they tell you to just quit then, or you put in your notice, train someone else for your job and leave by your scheduled date but still don’t have a new gig, have a safety net in place.
By having at least two months of expenses set aside, you give yourself a little wiggle room and enough of a financial cushion that you won’t be stressing out right away! This is especially important for those going into freelance work.
As freelancing picks up speed and more people join the ranks of the freelancing community, it’s important to understand how that all works. Oftentimes, freelancers are paid on delay, or have people pay them late. In other words, your income isn’t always reliable.
That’s not to say you won’t end up with some great, regularly paying clients fresh out the gate, but you should plan to have to cover your own costs at first.
Regardless of your situation, having a safety net and a little money saved up can take some of the stress out of switching jobs. Especially if there’s some time off in between.
Put In Your Two Week Notice
Like I said before, a two weeks notice is great! If you can give more of a notice though, do it. Most employers will appreciate the extra heads up and time to find the right replacement for your job.
Something you can say to your boss to get the ball rolling is,
“I’m thinking of trying out some new opportunities in the future. Just so you’re aware of my timeline and can plan accordingly, I would like to start training someone on my position by X. I think this gives enough time to allow for a smooth transition.”
While quitting your job impulsively in the moment or “rage quitting” can be incredibly satisfying in the moment, it won’t set you up for success moving forward. Take time to put a plan in place and allow for a seamless transition from one job to the next. No stress or burnt bridges necessary.
Related:
Alternatives To Quitting Your Job In The Post-Pandemic Great Resignation
5 Tips To Elevating Your LinkedIn Profile Headline To Get Noticed Fast
Why LinkedIn Isn’t Working For You: 4 Mistakes You Might Be Making Right Now
Meet The Writer!
Allow me to introduce myself! My name’s Katy Duncan and I work as a freelance copywriter. I specialize in topics regarding health and wellness, fitness, and beauty, on my website, www.eudaimoniaeutopia.com. I offer an array of services including blog posts, blog management, social media management, product descriptions, press releases and editing expertise and I can be contacted through my website or on LinkedIn. When I’m not creating engaging, captivating content for my website or clients or contributing to communities of writers, I’m working on producing a fiction novel from the comforts of my quiet nook in the Pacific Northwest, where I reside with my feline friend, Merlin Magoo and many prospering house plants.
