When to Quit Your Job

When to Quit Your Job | Best Reasons & Tips | Resume.com

Quitting your job is a critical move that signals you’re ready to take a different direction with your career. Before you officially quit your job, you should consider the amount of you notice that you want to give your current employer to make it an easy transition for all parties involved. Learn about the most common external reasons to quit your job, the best personal reasons to quit your job and what you need to know about quitting your job.

Most common external reasons to quit a job

Here are some various external reasons that might be motivating factors when deciding to quit your job:

Relocation

Leaving your current job to relocate to another city requires a lot of logistical planning. You need to be introspective as to why you want to move to a different city, and if it’s worth leaving your current job now. Employers usually require you to provide two weeks’ notice as a gesture of good faith to the organization.

You may request to give more notice if you need more time to plan your relocation. Consider how far you’re moving away from your current residence and the types of resources you need to ensure a smooth transition. This way, you can allow yourself more time to delegate tasks to other members of your team and say formal goodbyes to your coworkers.

Going back to school

You may have decided to pursue higher education, including a bachelor’s or a master’s degree. If you plan on attending school as a full-time student, give the amount of notice you feel comfortable with. You should give more notice to the employer if you’re going to school in another state or country, but you can provide two weeks’ notice if you’re staying in the area and prepare for your first semester.

Some companies may offer you a professional development path to have you stay with the company. Therefore, you need to be committed to making this decision to clearly express your timeline for departure to your manager and human resources.

Personal emergency

A personal emergency is unexpected and can leave you out of work involuntarily. For example, you can be involved in an event that leads to you being in the hospital for some time. If you’re able, you should communicate with your employer in writing to detail the nature of the emergency and how long you’ll be out of work. You can also have your doctor write to your employer to render more legitimacy to your situation.

You should aim to purpose a solution on when you can catch up on missing work while you’re out. This way, it commences the dialogue between you and your manager, which allows them to generate feedback based on the solution you purposed.

Challenges with your manager or coworkers

You may encounter challenging circumstances when working with a manager or a coworker. If you believe that quitting your job is the best solution, then you’ll need to speak with human resources directly. You may be requested to end your employment immediately, but you should only agree to that decision if you believe it’s in your best interest.

Earned a new position

Give your employer two weeks’ notice if you’ve accepted an offer from another employer. From here, you can begin the transition and discuss your reasons for why you took this position. It’s not mandatory to say that you accepted a new position, so you should only tell your employer if you’re comfortable doing so.

Best personal reasons to quit a job

Here are some personal reasons to consider when you are deciding to quit your job:

Personal growth

Leaving a job for personal growth reasons can mean that you want to take a sabbatical or look for a more fulfilling opportunity. You should make travel plans in advance if you’re looking to leave the country for an extended period. You can give more notice to your employer and explain why you think the timing is right for you during your meeting with them.

Dissatisfied with your current employer

Dissatisfaction with your employer can happen for many reasons such as the manager they work for, unchallenged by your current job responsibilities and your contribution related to the company’s goals. It’s ideal if you make multiple attempts to address these reasons with your employer before you inform them about your decision to leave the company. You want to make sure you can leave on good terms in case a prospective employer wants to get their insight about your time with the company.

Dissatisfied with your career path

The trajectory of your career path can be aligned with the meaning of your current job. Make a concerted effort with your manager to match the execution of your goals and the deliverables you work on to make your position more meaningful. You’ll need to employ your decision-making skills to see when it’s time to quit and find the fulfilling role you’ve been searching for.

Taking care of a family member

If a family member has a medical emergency, then you’ll need to immediately communicate with your employer about your decision to leave the company. When you write your letter of resignation, give the details that you want to share and discuss the importance of attending to your family. Be sure to thank the employer for understanding your situation and allowing you to quit on short notice. If you have the time to make a transition, list the amount of notice you’re giving to your employer.

What you need to know about quitting your job

Here are some things you should know before you officially quit your current job:

It’s best to wait until you have a plan

Employers usually have an at-will clause in the employment contract that allows you to quit your job at any time. Before you proceed to quit your job, map out the next step of your career to see if you want to get back in the job hunt right away or take time off.

It can give you the freedom to expand your career options

If you’re job hunting right away, you may want to consider working in a different industry if it matches your skills and interests. Try to network with professionals in your area to see if they can give you direction about your career path. Ask professionals to sit down with you for an informational interview to expand your knowledge of their profession and their career path.

Prepare to answer questions during an exit interview

An employer may want to do an exit interview to get the viewpoint of your time at the company. Answer these questions honestly and professionally to give an accurate and positive description of your experience. The insight you provide can leave with a lasting positive impression with the employer.

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