Quitting Your Job

Picture this—you’ve performed so well at your current job that you feel there’s nothing else for you to do there. You think you should quit and find a better, more challenging job, but you’re not sure where to start. Sound familiar? Maybe you’ve had a bad experience with the last job you had, and even though you’re not growing as an employee, you’re afraid if you quit you won’t find a better job. If these scenarios describe you, or if you’ve ever seriously considered quitting, there are a few tips on ducking out the door gracefully.

While you may be in a rush to get out of your job as quickly as possible, make sure you’ve done your homework. Do you have another job lined up? You should be confident that the next job you’re going to have will be better than the last, so you might want to hang around your current job until you’re certain. Unless your rich uncle has promised to take care of you financially, don’t do anything as foolish as just picking up and leaving. Search for jobs online; pay attention to radio, television, and print ads; and see if any of your contacts can help you find a better job.

Many jobs require a two-week notice before quitting. This is standard in the business world, and even if your employer doesn’t ask for any notice, you should at least give him a week or two to tie up loose ends and find someone to replace you. If yours is a job that no one else at the company knows how to do, you may be asked to train your successor, and unless it is impossible, you should do so. Remember, you may be in need of a recommendation from your current boss in order to get your next job, so do everything you can to make the transition as smooth as possible.

Speaking to your boss face to face might be the most difficult part of the process. Make sure your boss knows that your reason for leaving is that you’ve outgrown your position and are looking for more challenging employment. Don’t blame your boss or your co-workers for anything—if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything. Again, keep the potential recommendation in mind—you don’t want to burn your bridges if you might have to use them again.

Drop your boss an email every now and then to let him or her know how your new job is going. If possible, ask for advice on your career moves—while you may be opposed to such groveling, you never know when you might need his or her help in the future. If you scratch your boss’s back, your boss will scratch yours the next time you need a good recommendation.

Finally, be certain that you’re making the wise career move. If your job is boring but will likely get more and more challenging in the coming months, you probably should stick it out in expectation of the coming rewards. If your job has brought you to a complete dead-end, however, don’t languish there. Despite what the media may be pounding into your brain, there are good jobs out there for those who are well qualified (and we’ll assume you are). Even if you accept a pay cut to move to a more challenging job, your career will benefit from the added experience and you will likely be rewarded in the future for your diligence and savvy.