First, before you quit your job, determine whether or not it is TRULY necessary to quit your job. Quitting my job is frequently your first answer to problems at work. Running away from your current job due to your inability to deal with underlying issues that you must learn to cope with will not result in your being happy in a new job.
If you know that you’ve got to change jobs due to stress, money problems, boredom at work, or whatever other reason you may have then move forward in your job hunting goals with a commitment and plan of action that will serve your purposes.
1. Begin applying for new jobs BEFORE you quit your current job, if at all possible. Do not discuss your plans of quitting with your co-workers and management. This will create more issues in your current work place and is not in your best interest. Your plans to leave is not their business until you have secured a new employment offer; keep your intentions private. Fight the urge to share confidential information with others at work. Most people can’t keep your confidence and it’s not really fair to put them in the position of being responsible to keep your secrets.
2. Build a top quality resume and cover letter. This document is the first thing a prospective employer will know about you. This is THE first, most important, determining factor in your job hunting process. Take the time to build a professional, well thought out, perfectly presented resume. If you don’t have the necessary skills to craft your own resume, pay to have it done. A good resume is key to finding a new job.
3. Search for potential jobs every day once you’ve got your resume completed. This will be one of the most time-consuming parts of the job hunting process. The internet has provided a new, efficient way to find available jobs by enabling you to find job openings, and applying for them, online.
Many new job seekers have a tendency to apply for one job at a time and waiting to hear back about it before applying for another. Don’t make this mistake. This wastes weeks and months of your time. Each and every day, apply for every job that you are willing to consider. Don’t wait to apply for more until you hear back from the ones you have applied to…keep applying to every possible opening that you can find.
4. When sending your resume to the jobs openings that you have interest in be sure to add a cover letter. Write each cover letter targetted to that specific job opening and company. Do the research necessary to be familiar with the specific company you are applying to. Send your resume, with an individualized cover letter, via e-mail, postal service or hand-deliver if there is no other option listed on the job listing.
5. For the job openings that interest you the most, follow up the submission of your resume with a phone call after a week or so.
6. Once you begin receiving return calls to set up interviews, do NOT discuss with your current employer that you are going on an interview. Simply request a few hours off for personal reasons. If pressed for info, tell them you have an appointment, let them believe it’s a medical appointment if necessary. If worse comes to worse, call in sick that day.
8. Upon receiving an offer of a new job, give your current employer 2 weeks notice by submitting a letter of resignation. Many employers will choose to let you go immediately. If not, continue to do your job and do it well for the full 2 weeks. Stress during this period can be escalated depending on how your employer chooses to treat you during this time. Just do your best work and count the days.
Anxiety When Quitting Your Job
It’s natural for you to be anxious when changing jobs. It happens for everybody. Learning how to leave a job is a stressful experience for all of us. Once you begin gaining more experience in the job hunting process and the interview process this will be much less stressful for you. If you’ve been working in a job that you hate and you can’t wait to quit, the process of seeking new employment will help you to be less stressed at your current job. You know that you’re on your way out of there and this truly helps give you a different perspective on your day.
Finding a new job can take a while. Don’t let yourself become discouraged if you don’t find a new job right away. Keep sending out those resumes and continue watching for new job openings. When the time is right, you will find the job you are looking for. This is why it’s important to begin looking for a new job while you still have your current job.
Expect to go on interviews that result in your not getting the job. The interview process can be an intimidating experience for many people and it takes some time to polish your interview skills. Experience is the best teacher in this process. As you become more comfortable in the position of being interviewed, you will naturally begin having better interviews.
Don’t let the possibility that you fail at getting the first job keep you from trying for the second, third or fourth one. Learn to sharpen your interview skills and, each time, you will become better at the process and you will be less nervous. Consider each interview as a stepping stone to the next one. This is an important learning period for you. Think of it as training and know that you will soon have great interview skills.
There’s a common stigma when you tell people “I quit my job” or “I’m thinking about quitting my job”. This very possibly stems from a generational change in how we work. Back in the day, people (your parents) worked the same job for 50 years whether they liked it or not. Even if they though “I need to quit my job” every day of their lives, they never made that choice because the general trend in the past was to stay with the same job your entire life.
The current generation of workers has a more open thought process to changing jobs. Don’t let another individuals perception of changing jobs dictate how you feel about changing your own job. Do what feels right for YOU. When to quit a job and knowing when it’s time to quit is a question you have to answer for yourself. You’re the one that’s going to be living your life, not someone else (and their opinions).