Making the decision to quit a job can be tough. The process of searching for a job, being qualified to even get an interview, the entire interview process and accepting a job offer can be enough hassle to feel tempted to stay in an unsatisfying job.
Then you finally get the job, learn all the processes, get good at your job and things feel comfortable and usually stable. You worked so hard to get this job and invested years into being good at your job, that making the decision to leave shouldn’t be taken lightly. Yet, you know in your heart that it is time to move forward and see what lies ahead for you.
These decisions can happen even after accepting a job. You might have decided to make a change but the job role or company was not quite what you were expecting. The job doesn’t feel right or maybe you are trying to find ways to make the job a proper fit, but nothing seems to be working.
Recently, I had decided to finally quit my job. Now that I had permanent residency and with all the changes at the company I was working for, I found myself unhappy with the position and where I was at. Every part of my body was telling me that it’s time to make a change and leave. I felt like there was no way to progress my career further but the decision to leave was still tough. I enjoyed my colleagues and a stable pay check can sometimes be hard to walk away from, especially when you are jumping into unknown territory. My job overall sounded great on paper, had a decent salary, was in a fantastic location and had stability so it wasn’t an easy decision.
I had spent close to six years at this company, and it took my partner’s encouragement to start the process of looking for roles and see what happens. Fortunately, everything fell into place much quicker than I expected and I was offered an exciting role at an amazing tech startup company.
If you are worried about making a change and need encouragement, then follow these tips below to help you find the courage to make a change.
You can change things now so that you don’t have regrets. Finding the courage to quit your job, allows you to face your regrets and make the choice to take a chance and see how things turn out for the better in your life.
You might worry about regretting not quitting your job, but it’s better to take chance on a new job, business idea or something else that gives you excitement than to never pursue that dream or career opportunity when you have the chance.
This is also a good opportunity to reflect on your current job role. Do you regret ever taking it? Was this a career move you made because you struggled to find a job in what you majored in or what you truly enjoyed? Do you wish you made more money at your job and know that you are getting paid less than what you should for your experience and the industry you are in? Was this supposed to be an in-between job that lasted months or years longer than it should have? Is the work environment stressful and causing physical and mental health implications?
Changing a job may make you worried about regret, but there is usually the possibility that you will have regret by staying in a job that isn’t satisfying.
There are opportunities for learning and growth at other jobs. Staying at a job just for the money and stability can get comfortable, too comfortable. You might have gotten used to the idea that a job is just there to pay the bills, and doesn’t have to be exciting, challenging or help you grow professionally and in your personal life. You might have accepted the idea that it’s okay to be unhappy and unchallenged because at least you can pay your bills.
Think about your current role. Have you learned anything new? Is the work routine, easy and something you can do with little thought or do you find yourself challenged, excited and taking on new and interesting projects and responsibilities? Over the past year have you developed or learned any new skills? Does your company support your professional growth?
These are all questions you must consider when finding the courage to change jobs. You might have many years left in your career, and it’s important that you keep moving forward and progressing in your job.
You don’t want to invest years at a job where you aren’t given new opportunities for learning and growth. A company should encourage your growth and provide you opportunities for career advancement. If you can’t advance in your current role, then there will be other opportunities to move forward in a different role or company.
Changing jobs provides you with an awesome opportunity to challenge yourself and see how far you can grow professional. Your work takes up a significant portion of your life, so it’s important that you don’t stay in a job where you feel unchallenged, uncreative and basically doing routine and easy tasks.
Commit to take control in your life. You can actively create a life that reflects your values and wants. How you manage your career decisions, allows you to shape your professional life. There will be times where you stay in a job to save money, learn a new skill or get the experience you need for a new role. Decide where you are at right now, how your current job has helped you get to where you are today and how it’s time to move forward.
Just because this is your job right now, doesn’t mean this job should shape the rest of your life. Sometimes a job helps you understand what you don’t like or value anymore. Maybe you realized you want to go to school, pursue a different career or start a business venture. Other times a job gave you the experience you needed to become an expert in your field, and now it’s time to find a job that gives you better responsibilities to match that expertise. And there will be times where you needed the job to pay the bills, free yourself from debt and support your family, but now it’s time to look for a job that adds to your happiness.
Don’t view a job as something that you must stay in. Remember that your decision to be at a job is a two-way street. You don’t have to stay at a job just because you have one. Appreciate the benefits your job gave you whether that’s money, experience or the wisdom to know that this isn’t what you want anymore, and take the step to move forward.
Worst-case scenario isn’t that bad. When you imagine taking a risk and quitting your job, you might be wondering what if you are making a huge mistake. What if you hate the job, your new manager, the company, the working environment or something unexpected happens and you find yourself without a job. What if you need a job to survive because you are primarily supporting your family. There is always a risk when changing jobs, but the risk is worth the benefit of being more satisfied in a new job role.
Even if the worse-case scenario does happen, so what? You can find another job. Maybe you can set aside money for a larger emergency fund so that you can afford to look for another job while unemployed. There might even be opportunities to ask for your old job back. If you don’t burn bridges, you might be surprised that a company will happily welcome you back even if you decide to quit to pursue better opportunities for yourself.
The best thing to do, to ensure you aren’t setting yourself up for the worst-case scenario, is to take preventative measures now. Save more money just in case things don’t work out and you need to look for another job again. Ask a loved one for support whether that’s your family, partner or close friends. Always keep your resume up to date so you can feel comfortable reaching out to apply for other jobs if things don’t work out.
Remember, worst-case scenario is unlikely to happen. You might be afraid to take the plunge and make a change, but your worst-case scenario is still worst-case. The best thing you can do is take preventative measures and know that even in the unlikely change that things don’t work out as planned, you will still be okay.
Stay focused on the present. One of the things that can hinder you from making a change, is being worried about the future and regretting how you ended up on this job. It’s okay if you feel upset about the decisions you made or worry about the future, but spending too much time thinking about the past and future only prevents you from moving forward.
Being at my old company for six years made me worried about putting myself out there again and looking for jobs. I was afraid that I might not get any opportunities and that it would take me many months to find a new job. I also felt unhappy that I was in the situation I had been.
When I finally set aside those negative feelings and focused on what I could do today, the process of changing jobs became significantly easier. I focused instead on improving my resume, looking at job postings and seeing what was a good fit. I also focused on taking care of myself and strengthening my own personal development. When I was ready, I dedicated time each day to browsing job listings and applying to new roles. When I felt overwhelmed with work, I made time each day to exercise, relax and take care of my well-being.
Remember that you are in control. Don’t allow worries about the future and regrets about past decisions hold you back from making a change right now. There is always something you can do to improve your circumstances.
It’s worth the short-term risk for the longer gains. Changing your job is a risk but you risk more by staying in a job that you know you don’t like. It’s highly unlikely that you will suddenly start liking a job that you have disliked for years. It’s unlikely that a company that hasn’t supported you for years will suddenly provide you with the opportunities for growth and advancement.
Be honest with yourself about the risk you take by choosing to stay in a job that you know isn’t working for you. Taking a risk right now may be scary and you may need to make sacrifices and compromises to get to where you need to be, but it’s worth taking a risk now so that you can have a more satisfying career in the future.
Be open and authentic with your connections. A great way to find the courage to leave your job is to be open about your interest in changing careers with your loved ones or professional contacts. Not only is this an excellent way to get advice and strengthen your network but you might also find a new job by letting others know that you are looking for a change. I know many people who got a fulfilling job by reaching out to their network and getting recommended for a role.
When you let others know you are wanting to make a change, people might share with you their own personal successes. When telling my friends about how I was looking to change jobs, I got an amazing amount of support, encouragement and advice. My support network helped me build the confidence to know that this was the right decision for me.
Most of your network has likely gone through the process of changing jobs and can provide valuable wisdom, knowledge and support to help you along the way. Be open with others and let them know you are looking for a change, and if possible, to keep you in the loop about any job openings.
Learn and strengthen your skills. Chances are you are probably in a job that isn’t challenging and hasn’t helped you grow. As a result, you may need to brush up on your skills before changing jobs. If you are in a situation where you are changing careers completely or pursuing a business idea, then you will need to develop an action plan.
How do you want your life to look moving forward? What types of roles are you most interested in and what are the skills and experiences you need to be successful in those roles? Do some research and see how you can move forward.
Learning should be a lifelong endeavour and if you have been stuck in a tedious job, then this is the perfect time to learn new skills. In some cases, you might need to go to school and pursue a degree. Or you might be able to learn new skills by taking free or inexpensive online courses. There might even be opportunities at your job where you can get the skills you need for your next job.
Focus on the skills you need to make that career move. You will notice that as you learn new skills, you will develop the confidence you need to make that career change.
Don’t wait for the timing to be right. The timing will never be right. You might feel bad about quitting because maybe it’s too busy at your job or you believe the company will flounder without your skill set. Your job will need to get used to you gone once you leave, so don’t use these excuses as a reason to stay.
You might also be learning new skills or feel you are ready for greater responsibilities but worried that you might not be ready. I felt a similar way when looking for jobs. I wanted to change careers but was worried I didn’t have the experience, knowledge or skill set for the jobs that I was searching for. However, when I actively looked for jobs I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of interview requests I received and how well the interview process went. Even though I was worried I didn’t have the experience, I was experienced for the roles I found most interesting.
Don’t make the job process harder for yourself by believing you need more experience or can’t learn new skills to get the job you want. Take a chance and put yourself out there right now. The timing will never feel right, but you may be surprised at the opportunities out there when you push yourself to start looking.
Your job doesn’t have to be a source of unhappiness or a poor lifestyle. Don’t stay comfortable at a job that is causing you insane amount of stress, isn’t paying you enough to live comfortably or is boring or even something you hate.
You don’t need to hate going to work every day. You also don’t need to believe that this is as good as it is ever going to get for you. Taking a risk and making a change is never easy but it’s worth the courage to break out of that comfort zone and pursue something meaningful in your life.
Be patient and take it easy on yourself. Changing jobs isn’t easy but it’s important to remember to prioritize your own health and happiness. If you know in your gut that this job isn’t right for you anymore, then it’s time to take steps to move forward and commit to a career path that works for you