ALT-2 Bad Reasons for Quitting your Job
10 Reasons Not To Quit
On any given day more than half of employed Americans are unsatisfied with their jobs. Here are 10 reasons to keep your pay packet.
1. UNDERPAIDSo the pay stinks but seriously, bad pay is better than no pay. If you're unsatisfied with what you earn discuss your options with your employer; if they are unwilling to negotiate then it's time to evaluate how much your time is truly worth. Are you doing the work that is worthy of more pay? If so you should look for alternative employment possibilities. You can always quit your current job once you have the next lined up but it's never a good idea to toss the old one down the drain if you have no prospects lined up. Unemployment can last weeks, months, and even years. If you're unhappy with the financial aspect of your job odds are you can't afford to earn nothing.
2. NOT ENOUGH HOURSThis goes in hand with being underpaid. If you're working but you feel like you're not being given enough hours to meet your needs discuss it with your employer. Many are more than happy to find a way to give a good worker more work. If they simply can't afford to hire you for more hours, or do not need extra staff, consider finding a second job. There are many that have flexible hours. While you're hunting for the second job you might find an opportunity for a full-time position with the hours you want. When you've got THAT job you can quit the other.
3. TOO MANY HOURSExhausted? Not getting enough down-time? Missing out on your favorite sports games? Forgetting the faces of your loved ones? While working too many hours is a serious imbalance in your lifestyle it is not a good idea to give up your income. You'll be blessed with more free hours then you could ever be comfortable with. Instead, talk to your supervisor. Most employers are understanding and will, if your reasons are legitimate, consider your request. Don't forget you can offer ideas on how to solve your problem. Perhaps suggest job-sharing. Make what you want clear and if they aren't willing to negotiate pull out those employment pages. When you get a job with the hours you want then you can let your boss know that you're headed to greener pastures.
4. CO-WORKER INCOMPATIBILITYIs he always dumping his box of donuts on your latest brief? Drinks the last cup of coffee from the pot without refilling? Are they leaving snide remarks on the bathroom walls or whisper about you during their smoke breaks? While it can be particularly stressful, and uncomfortable to work in an environment like this people will always be people. These sorts of issues need to be dealt with as they come to the surface. If you can't resolve it between yourselves, talk to your superior, they are frequently trained in the kind of management techniques to resolve dispute and by making them aware of a problem they can take the steps needed to correct it. If you're a solid worker and not the cause of the problem you job should be safe, theirs' might not be.
5. DISCRIMINATION, VICTIMIZATION OR MORAL/LEGAL COMPROMISATIONThis is a serious matter. If your employer or a work colleague is doing anything that makes you feel uncomfortable you must address the matter immediately. Quitting your job solves your dilemma but it does not put you into a secure footing. If you cannot report the matter to a superior the issue may be something that should be attended to by the Police or the Department of Labor. File a report and follow it through. Definitely browse those want ads because you could end up jobless anyway, but you also have the chance to protect others suffering the same fate and if you're lucky, new conditions will be implemented in your workplace that makes you much happier there.
6. PREGNANCYGot a precious bun in the oven? Unsure if you can handle being a career-mom? Want to continue working but don't know if you'll be allowed to? It's a common concern for women in the work force and pregnancy is a difficult enough time without the added concerns of our jobs security after giving birth or if we'll even still want it. The truth is there are laws in place to protect your right to decide later. Be upfront with your boss. Tell them your situation and that you are happy to work up to whichever month you (or they) are comfortable with. Reassure them that you can train your temporary replacement before you go and ask for the amount of maternity leave you will need. If they cannot accommodate you, or fire you, then contact the authorities. Discrimination is NOT acceptable.
7. DEATH IN THE FAMILYGrief is a very difficult emotion and it can sometimes be overwhelming to try to balance your job with the turmoil and loss of a loved one. It's often tempting to make life-altering decisions at this time but while deep in the grieving process it is always wisest to move in small steps. Allow yourself to focus on your grief and keep everything else in your life as stable as possible, especially your employment options. If you need time to recover, talk to your employer; most can be compassionate and will understand. When the grief begins to fade you can take the time to decide what it really is you want.
8. PEER PRESSURESo you have a hot new boyfriend but he thinks a woman's place is in the kitchen? Your girlfriend would rather you worked for her Daddy's company? Your best mates think you should have more time to spend with them at the pub? Well, while it's great to have a social life you should be very careful making decisions based on what your peers want. If your values differ, you'll find yourself unhappy with your choice. Evaluate what it is that would make you happiest, weigh up all the pros and cons and then discuss it with others. If they can't understand your choice then their lack of consideration for your needs is a good reason to show them the door.
9. LACK OF CHALLENGE OR BOREDOMLift, sign, stamp, lift, sign, stamp, lift, sign, stamp. So you signed up for this job but low and behold you are suffering from a repetitive strain injury because the work is so monotonous and utterly brain destroying. When you started, you enjoyed the challenge of learning the ropes but these days it's all just the same work, day in and out, there's no excitement left and you're utterly bored. It's so tempting to throw the job in and go after something new but odds are that job will eventually reach this same point.
Without constantly introducing newness into every day you'll suffer the frustration of being holed up by what you do. If your work is too easy or you feel bored try to find ways to make it fun and interesting again. Ask your co-workers for their input on what would make them feel more interested in being at work. Start a new project that involves your workplace and get suggestions from your employer. Make it fun for you and odds are you'll be making it fun for everyone. Just be careful to avoid instigating something that abuses the rights of your colleagues or invokes the disapproval of your boss.
10. TURNING A CORNERSo you've been a doctor for twenty years, struggled through medical school and your years of internship but you've become jaded with the idea of saving lives or can no longer withstand that always gnawing sense of guilt or helplessness that descends when a patient dies on your table. It feels like it's time for a complete change. Maybe you'll become a professional golfer. This sort of work-related mid-life crisis can happen at any time and while sometimes it really is just time to let go of that old career, most of the time you have reached the point where you should evaluate what it is you want and why.
More often than not, if you give yourself the chance to think about it, and remember all the reasons you started down this path to begin with, you will discover that you love what you do. If you really don't want your current career any more because you dream of something else instead, spend your time working toward that goal, after work hours. Get the education you'll need and ease yourself into the new career. Have a chance to wet your feet first, long before taking the plunge. Be prepared, and act when you are ready and when you feel certain you will not regret the choice you made.
There are many times we are tempted to give up on the job we currently have and sometimes the reasons are completely legitimate. Sometimes the choice you make will be to take a different job which is perfectly acceptable. Just make sure you don't step out of one bad situation right into something just as bad (or worse).
The most important thing is to take the time to decide what it is making you unhappy, what it is you truly want, and what options you have to get it. These sorts of decisions should always be made with a clear head not an emotional heart. When you know what it is that will make you happy, go for it!
