Actions to take before you Leave a Job you Hate
Everyone has times when they hate their job, but generally, the feelings pass and they are able to continue quite happily. However, if you find that you hate your job to the extent that it is making you struggle to cope with life, then you may well be considering quitting. Before you do so, however, consider some alternatives to quitting your job.
Work out what is wrong
Before you go any further, work out exactly what it is that is wrong. An article onmyonlinecareerspace.comsuggests that you ask yourself why you want to quit, whether your reasons are valid and what action you should take. In some cases, you may realise that your reasons aren’t valid; perhaps you need to resolve an issue with a colleague or work out a way to improve your job. Then again, you may discover that your unhappiness is more deeply rooted than merely your job and that there is something in your personal life that needs to be resolved.
Try some counselling
It may sound far-fetched, but seeking help with some counselling could be a sensible move. The type of counselling you need will depend on what is wrong; if your doctor thinks that you are suffering from depression, cognitive behavioural therapy, or possibly even psychoanalysis may be in order, possibly alongside medication. If it really is the job that is the issue, then seeking alife coachorcareer counsellormay be useful. That way, you can discover exactly what you want from life and can work out if quitting your job is the way ahead.
Talk to your boss and colleagues
You may find that your job improves by simply making a few changes. Talk things through with your boss and your colleagues. They may have suggestions of directions that you could take without leaving the job; for example, moving to a new team, switching projects and taking on new responsibilities. Tying this in with a performance review is a good time; your boss is then likely to be attuned to making changes for you. However, if it isn’t time for a performance review, make it clear to your boss that you need some assistance because you are not currently happy.
Set yourself new objectives
As a result of conversations with your boss and other colleagues, you will hopefully be able to come up with a new action plan by setting yourself new objectives for the coming months. If you have decided that you want to move in a different direction, explore training possibilities and ask about mentoring services. You could also give yourself personal goals by aiming to have achieved promotion within a certain period of time. This will hopefully give you the motivation to forge ahead even if you aren’t entirely happy with your current circumstances.
Find a new outlet
It is easy to believe that that job is your entire life, especially when you are there every workday. However, it isn’t everything and it may be that if you take the focus off your job and onto another part of your life, you will feel less inclined to think about quitting your job. You could focus on setting up your own business in your spare time, using your current salary to fund it. In time, it could allow you to quit your job, but even if it doesn’t, it should bring in some extra money that will make you feel more secure.
Change your location
You may be unhappy about the location of your work, either because of the long commuting times, office environment or people with whom you work. Take a look at the possibility of working from home, perhaps a day a week to begin with, or moving to a different office location. Flexitime is also a possibility if it allows you to commute during quieter times and it can give you valuable time off work when you need it. Being creative and getting out of a rut at work can work wonders for your motivation levels.
In this financial climate, to quit your job before you have another one to go to is not a good idea. Before you do so, consider all the alternatives; you may well be able to come up with a far more viable suggestion.
