“Don’t quit a job until you’ve found another one”.
You’ve heard it a million times, right? I’m not going to preach that you should live by this rule. There are valid reasons for taking time off. Heck, most of us could use it. Compared to some of our international friends and colleagues we don’t take nearly enough time for ourselves.
What I do want to do is help you make a more informed decision. I’m going beyond theory and opinion. This is real-life information and feedback we receive. We’ve seen a record number of people quit jobs in the last year. Most have been surprised at the resistance to their candidacy and the length of time it’s taken to find their next job. Perfect topic for Platinum Unplugged, right? Bringing helpful information to the people!
Here are the 4 most common responses:
- Your decision-making is questioned.
- Will you do this to them?
- Will you quit when the going gets tough?
- Is there more to the story?
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Plenty of you, right at this moment, are thinking “who cares what they think, I have good reasons. I can afford it”. Maybe true. But that’s not all that matters. I’ll toss in another cliché:
“Perception is Reality”
Think beyond what your own opinion is on this topic. You need to consider the perception and understand the risks.
Notice a trend in these 4 responses? The feedback is all about question and doubt. It’s not definitive. That’s all it takes for a company to select one good candidate over another. They don’t have to know you would quit on them. Uncertainty can be enough to miss on an opportunity.
This is not about a company saying they prefer to hire someone that’s currently employed. The feedback and reaction we get is about the decision to quit and how it would impact their company, the hiring manager and the team if you quit on them.
Some of you are now thinking “if that’s their stance, I wouldn’t want to work for that company anyway”. No company has this as policy. It’s purely case by case and depends on who is reviewing the resume. What company would you love to work for? Odds are there are hiring managers at that company that will have concerns about a candidate that has quit a job before finding their next position.
Think you’re in the clear because you landed an interview? Not so much. Most people we present to clients, even if they’ve quit their job, will get an interview. That’s just the first hurdle. When a company has a few good people to choose from, everything is scrutinized. One has an MBA, the other doesn’t. One has Big 4 public accounting, the other has regional firm experience. One quit a job, the other didn’t. Maybe it sways the decision, maybe it doesn’t. But it will absolutely be discussed.
Lastly, will you be able to get “a” job if you quit? Of course. Will it be as soon as you want? It often isn’t, based on our experience. Will it be “the” job you want? The one that keeps or gets you on the career path you’re most interested in? Possibly. Possibly not.
It’s up to you. I hope this helps you make an informed decision should you be thinking about resigning without another job. Step back from the ledge, at least for a moment, and consider the 4 most common responses we get.
What is your opinion?