You Can Quit That Job
You know it when it happens to you. It’s Sunday night and you have angst about having to go to work on Monday. You dread the weekly team meeting. You are not challenged or using your skills, and working in a role that does not allow you to make a contribution. You’ve become a product of the institution, a number on an annual performance review, and you don’t know who you are anymore. It’s affecting your personal life, health, and you don’t know what to do. Did you know that you can quit that job and reinvent yourself?
Workers are quitting at the fastest rate since 2001. A recent Wall Street Journal article (May 2018) reported that 1 in 7 or 6.1 million Americans left a previous position to look for another, work for themselves, or find their passion!
According to Labor Department data, this is the highest share of voluntary unemployment in 17 years. The ability to job hop with confidence is indicative of today’s good economy and worker confidence in a low unemployment rate (3.9% nationally). No longer are the days of scared workers staying in a role that is not a good fit. They are looking to align their passions with work and not afraid to leave to get it.
Fear is a motivator. I know what you’re saying, I just need 5 years until I retire. Why would you leave the comfort and security of a traditional job with benefits and paid vacation for a life of uncertainty? It’s only 2 years, I can stick it out, it’s not that bad.
If I’ve described you and you have thought of leaving a job and finding a more fulfilling career path, I encourage you to explore that option! Taking that leap of faith can be one of the most enlightening career experiences you’ve ever had.
Take the first steps:
Listen to yourself, you know the thoughts and feelings that you keep pushing aside because, “what will people think?” Your opinion counts! Don’t look for permission from others to make this decision. You know when the time is right!
The unknown can be scary and exhilarating. Quitting to reinvent yourself provides you time to hone your passions and develop/refine your plans. You are finally CEO of you and that can be an amazingly exciting place to be!
You are not your job title! Who knows what a senior associate II is anyhow? It does not define you, people want to know your skills and how you can help them solve problems. Your current role is a chapter in your story, a step in the journey. You can take the next step and reinvent yourself to be more fulfilled, you can quit that job! Don’t be the only thing standing in your own way.
Adapted from “In this Economy, Quitters are Winning” Wall Street Journal, 7/4/2018 David Harrison and Eric Morath