quiting

Have you ever had a day when you couldn’t get out of work fast enough, and left work swearing that you were going to quit as soon as possible?  While most of us have had at least one of those days throughout our career, thankfully few of us have actually stormed into our boss’s office and quit on the spot.  Before you seriously start to consider leaving a job, there are steps that you should take to ensure that you are making the right decision.  Here are 4 steps that you should take whenever you are debating staying in your current role.

 

  1. Reflect: Take a deep breath and evaluate the reasons that you want to quit, and consider if they can be adjusted or changed to improve your outlook on your position.  Examples of areas that have the potential to change include: inadequate salary, issues with coworkers, difficulty juggling multiple responsibilities, lack of engagement and lack of challenging opportunities.  There are also a few reasons that may have led you to the brink of quitting that will not likely change including: lack of growth opportunities within the company, disinterest in the field, and the culture of the company not being a good fit for you.  It is important to categorize your reasons this way so that you can manage your expectations moving forward.  However, whether you see the potential for change or not, it is important to set a meeting with your manager or employer to discuss your concerns, how they should be addressed, and clarify if quitting is the best option.

 

 

  1. Discuss: After evaluating why you want to quit, schedule a time to meet with your employer to discuss your concerns.  I would advise that you actually schedule a time rather than randomly swinging by their office during your lunch break, so that they have time to give you their undivided attention.  Don’t let your emotions get the best of you during your meeting.  Throwing words like “quitting” or “leaving” around during the discussion will make your employer feel like you aren’t dedicated to finding a solution to your issue, and that you already have one foot out the door.  Instead, approach the conversation as an opportunity to voice your concerns, receive feedback on what you can do to improve within your position, form a plan to resolve issues, and clarify if you should move on in your career.  Keep in mind that you may not get the positive response that you are looking for during this discussion.  Instead of a plan or resolution to your issue, you may find out that this position in this company simply isn’t right for you.  Whether you come away from the meeting feeling positive or negative about your future with the company, you should come away knowing if you are going to continue to try to resolve issues at work or if you are going to start looking for other jobs.

 

  1. Implement: Once you leave the meeting with your employer, implement the suggestions they gave you.  From pointers on how to interact with a difficult coworker to advice on how to handle projects that have been piling up, put their suggestions into action and find out if their solutions leave you feeling less stressed, more productive, and able to enjoy work more.  If you left the meeting without being able to form a plan to resolve your issues, it may be time to make a plan to leave.  If that is the case, it is important to start finishing projects that you are working on and look for other positions that will be a better fit (during non-work hours of course).

 

 

  1. Decide: Set a realistic date to reevaluate your position and decide if you still think that quitting is the best option.  Since it will take time to implement your employer’s advice, and for your employer to make adjustments if needed, it is important that you don’t expect to see results overnight.  Rather than getting frustrated with gradual results, check in periodically with your employer to discuss how your concerns are being addressed and if they have any further insights.  However, you should stick to your reevaluation date and make a concrete decision once that time comes.

 

The next time that you think that you couldn’t possibly work for a company for another moment, follow these steps to ensure that you aren’t just making an emotionally charged decision that could change your career path.