Onward and upward…

I’m new to your site but I have to say, I wish I would have found it years ago! This post (and so many of the others) really hit home. So many people, myself included, stay in jobs they shouldn’t because of the economy, because we think quiting is “wrong,” because we’re trained to think things will get better someday, and on and on and on . . .

Long story short, your words are encouraging. I hope anyone who has ever had doubts about leaving a job gets a chance to read this post, and subsuquently uses it as a springboard to take that leap into the wild great unknown.

Cheers to you!

Thank you for this chart and the text. I belong to the group of people who have resigned- various times. Not always because the job was terrible, mostly because it was not the right job for me and my talents. In December, I left a prestigious job in Dubai and moved to Spain to take a break. And here I am, enjoying life, speaking Spanish all day (and better every day) and looking forward to my work: finishing by business plan in order to start my own business later this year.

I have realised that it is very hard to find the perfect job. You have the following options: accept that the job you are in is not perfect, make it as perfect as possible for yourself or create the “perfect” job yourself, outside of this company. Perfect is subbjective, btw.

One thing I know for sure: It is never worth it to keep a bad job just for the money.

Greetings from Valencia,

Gaby

Within the past year, I “reached my quitting point” and quit a job at a prestigious Wall Street bank amidst the financial crisis, multiple rounds of layoffs, and an increasingly loud public outcry against the entire industry. It just wasn’t working for me.

In quitting, I found a job that much better met my long-term goals and I am much happier there. I also found a confidence deep within me by actually switching jobs during such a tumultuous time. However, this year I found out about bonus levels at my old employer and learned about what I would’ve received had I stayed put. I can honestly say that had I known about the extent of the financial reward that was awaiting me in the near future, I would have stayed. That money would’ve meant more to me given my life situation.

I honestly believe that I made the best decision I could’ve made given the information present at the time. However, with my perfect vision in hindsight, I wish I would’ve waited a year.

People of think of someone who quits their job as being lazy, uncooperative, irresponsible, or just a “loose canon” in general. I think this stigma is used as a means of control and it has no healthy place in society.