The Pros and Cons of Quitting Your Job

[Monirul Islam]

AuthorWill Zimmerman
Is your boss a pain? Is your job's work boring and repetitive? Do you want to live somewhere else? Do you not get along with your colleagues? Are you not making enough money?
It might be time to think about quitting your job.

Leaving a job isn't something you should take lightly. This is a potentially life-altering decision that can and probably will impact areas of your life outside of the office. Before making that decision, consider both the pros and cons.

Here are some of both to help you get started.

Pros

Reduce Stress

Even if your job is part-time, you spend a significant portion of your week there. If you don't enjoy, or even tolerate that time, its impact almost assuredly spills over into the other facets or your life off-the-clock.

Quitting and finding a job that is a better emotional fit can dramatically improve your day-to-day happiness.

In addition, reducing stress can actually improve your productivity and creativity levels. Thus, getting away from your stressful job could actually become a more productive and creative worker allowing you to advance more quickly.

More Opportunities to Advance

If you feel there aren't many opportunities to advance at your job, it may be time to move on.

Finding a new position can lead to more abundant opportunities, both in terms of career advancement and salary. In a job interview, you'll have more flexibility to negotiate starting salary -- and a higher starting salary typically translates to higher income once you receive performance and cost-of-living raises.

Likewise, the interview process affords you the opportunity to ask about career advancement. A new employer might offer educational opportunities or on-the-job apprenticeship to get into management.

Opportunity to Relocate

If you don't like where you live or want to live somewhere else, the only way to make the change may be to switch jobs.

Relocating can be difficult, but this is also a prime opportunity to research cities that are booming in your line of work. A city with abundant job openings in a particular field is more likely to offer better perks and higher wages.

Better Work

Every one of us has felt stuck in a rut at some point in our careers. Simply snapping out of it isn't always an option, however. Seeking new challenges and a different day-to-day routine might be the only way to liven things up.

Cons

Loss of Income

If you're thinking about quitting without another job already lined up that's okay. Just make sure that you have enough money saved up for a couple months in case getting another job takes longer than you expect.

You also need to remember that you might not be able to get a job that pays as well as your current job. Certainly money isn't the only factor to consider when evaluating your career, but you may need to budget accordingly and decide if you're ready to take a step down, should your job search come to that.

If you have a mortgage, student loans, credit card payments, a car payment and you're barely scraping by as it is, it may not a good idea to quit your job. Gut it out for now.

Uncertainty

If you're quitting your job there is no guarantee that the job you find will be better. You may face similar issues in your new role that forced you out of your previous position -- whether that's conflict with bosses, not getting along with co-workers, or getting stuck in a rut.

Although a little uncertainty can be worth it, make sure you consider it before you quit your job.

Conclusion

If you're already thinking about quitting your job, it's likely time to move on. But before you do, make sure you fully understand the weight of the decision. And, if you can, try to nail down your next job before you leave your current one.

If you do decide to quit, it's always a good idea to treat your previous employer with respect even if you hated the job. You never know who could become a great reference on your resume. Make sure you give them plenty of notice and send in a resignation letter, express gratitude for your opportunities, and view any negatives as invaluable learning experiences.

Source: https://www.careercast.com/career-news/quitting-your-job