ALT-11 Bad Reasons for Quitting your Job
Unless you have a good fall-back position after you quit your job, another job in the wings, or a strong sense that, with your skill set, you will have no problem finding a job, most reasons for quitting your job are bad ones. In today's job market, having any job is a plus. Job layoffs are going to continue and even increase. As more and more people are unable to pay their increasing mortgages, people will have to sell their house or let it be foreclosed. Many couples are just barely making it on two salaries. If one quits their job without another job waiting, they could be in big trouble.
In the U.S., we have a negative savings rate. We are saving less than nothing. Most wage earners are losing money every year, even if they get raises, because the dollar is dropping in value and because inflation is higher than their raises. (In fact, this government is lying about inflation and using smoke and mirrors to claim it is lower than it is.)
A lot of people want to quit their job because of problems with their boss or their coworker. There are no interpersonal relationship problems that can't be worked out. To a large extent, your own behavior will determine your relationships with your coworkers or your boss. Pretend that they are doing the best that they can, or at least they are trying. If you have a very negative image of someone at work (or more than one someone), try to change that image. This may seem like a meaningless exercise, but if you are actually able to begin to perceive someone who bugs you, in a more positive light and begin to treat them in that new light, you will be surprised at how they might change.
Is money your reason for wanting to quit? Are you not getting paid enough? Unless you have a much more lucrative job waiting for you, it would be wise to start being more frugal and try to cut down on your spending. If you are like most Americans, you are spending more money than you make. On average, Americans spend more than a dollar for every dollar they earn. You can create the illusion of making more money by spending less. You could even start saving some money.
Do you simply hate your job? If your job is so stressful that it is causing physical symptoms and you cannot see any way to improve the situation, you may have a good reason to quit. Your health is not worth risking for a job. And believe me, you can get quite sick from a stressful job or a stressful relationship. If you can't reduce the stress from the job, you need to leave the job. Even life-threatening illnesses can be brought on by severe stress.
