Regardless of your reasoning, quitting your job is an anxiety-inducing and daunting experience. Often times you may feel that you’re on an island and the only person experiencing these feelings. If you’ve ever felt this way, just know that you’re not the first person to ever quit a job and certainly won’t be the last. In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics nearly 3.5 million people (2.3 percent of the total workforce) quit their jobs in February 2019 alone. For many people, knowing when to quit is a difficult realization to come to grips with.
According to best-selling author, CEO and Forbes contributor Grant Cardone, the top three warning signs that you should quit are:
- Lack of leadership – without leadership or with bad leadership, a company is doomed from the start.
- Poor company culture – if your coworkers are miserable, chances are their misery and negative feelings will start creeping into your mind as well.
- Zero opportunity for growth – if your career development is being stunted, and you’ve tried to take on new responsibilities or get a promotion to no avail, things likely won’t change in the future.
Are you seeing any of these warning signs in your current role? It might be time to pursue opportunities. Once you recognize the signs that it is time to quit, the worst thing you can do is stick around and hope things change. Many people do this because the fear of confrontation and not wanting to have that conversation with a boss. However, as Cardone states, “Make an exit plan immediately.”
Navigating how to quit your job the right way can be challenging (make sure not to make these mistakes!). If you’ve decided it is time to make a change, Cardone has three tips to creating your own exit plan.
Commit to Your Decision
Deciding to quit your job is not a time to second guess yourself. You need to make the decision and stick to it, because after all the chances of rescinding on your resignation are slim to none. Sometimes when you put in your two weeks’ notice, your employer might make a counteroffer. However, once you’ve made your decision, stick to it. There’s no looking back.
Actively Look for Jobs
When quitting jobs, the common train of thought is to “never leave a job without having another lined up.” Sometimes, however, you just need to get out of a bad situation. If this is the case, you must ramp up your job search for the next opportunity. If you leave a job and don’t have another one to start shortly thereafter, your job search should become your full-time job.
Don’t Treat the Job Interview Like a Job Interview
According to Cardone, “When you start landing those job interviews, you’ll want to do more than just talk about your past experiences and accomplishments. Make it a point to emphasize what you can do for the company, and not what it can do for you. Bring bold ideas that will wow them.”
This is an opportunity to show why you’re the best candidate for the job. It is your time to shine. Take advantage of it.
Wrap Up
Quitting your job isn’t exactly a fun experience that people look forward to, but the majority of us will likely have to face this unfortunate circumstance at one point or another during our career. Once you realize that it is time to quit for the right reasons, these steps will make creating your “exit plan” easier and more attainable.
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