The One Thing You Need To Do Before You Quit

You’ve lost the will to carry on in your current job. Not a moment goes by without you thinking about the day you’ll quit — how you’ll compose your letter of resignation, what you’ll say, the sweet satisfaction you’ll have walking out the office door for the last time.

gratisography

But then, another emotion eclipses all of that benign confidence: fear.

You’re afraid quitting will result in months of unemployment, forcing you to take a temp job below your skill level. Most of all, you’re afraid of looking like a quitter and explaining to every hiring manager you interviewed with why you left.

Trust Your Gut

Scientists have found that our stomachs are superb at detecting threatening situations. New research, published in Science Daily in May 2014, shows the vagus nerve, which communicates information from our stomachs to our brains, heightens our awareness to stimuli such as light and sound. It triggers an instinctual response or “gut reaction.”

So the expression, “trust your gut,” isn’t too far off. What do your instincts tell you? Is leaving a bad employment situation worth a possible shaky career transition? Having the freedom to pursue a career in something you’re passionate about might be.

If you’ve thought it through and decided you want to quit, you can reduce the risk of realizing your worst fears if you have a concrete transition plan in place. Here are a few tips for developing a solid career transition plan, before you pull the trigger on your current job: 

1. End negative patterns

Look at some of the negative patterns repeating in your career. For example: bosses who don’t seem to care about you, feeling victimized and co-workers don’t seem to like talking to you. Now, realize some of the ways you’re perpetuating these patterns: Avoiding repetitively complaining directly to your boss, starting the day with a pessimistic mindset and speaking sarcastically to co-workers.

End these patterns now. Change your mindset: give positive affirmations, be open with your boss, do something nice for your co-workers. If you don’t change your actions, these patterns will likely follow you and manifest in your next job.

2. Don’t be afraid to dream big

In the middle of a career transition, job seekers can get stuck not knowing what they really want because they place limits on what they think they can actually achieve. But, you won’t get anywhere if you don’t identify what you really want. No matter how far-fetched your goal might seem, identifying it as the first step of several to landing a career that better aligns with your passions.

3. Talk to people who are where you want to be

In order to reach your end goal, you need to envision what your ideal career looks like. Keep an eye out for people who have the career and lifestyle you aspire to. Meet with them and ask them to tell you about their journey. Note key steps they took that make sense for you to implement in your career and do so.

4.Connect with professionals online and in-person

Use tools like social media, LinkedIn and CareerShift, to reach out to professionals who work at companies you’d like to join someday. Attend networking meetups and talk to professionals about what you’re doing now, goals you have and mention you’re open to opportunities. The more people you know in your field, the better your chances of being referred for a job opportunity before it’s posted.

5. Find an accountability partner

Navigating through a career transition can be filled with uncertainty, so it’s best not to do it alone. Find a person who has your best interest at heart, to help encourage you as you seek new opportunities. That person will hold you accountable, should you lose focus or motivation on your new job search.

It’s always easier to quit your job when you have another opportunity lined up, but that is not always the case. Before you quit, have a career transition plan in place to help shorten, if not completely eliminate, the gap between your current job and a new opportunity.

What are some obstacles holding you back from making a career transition?