A wide range of emotions often present themselves the minute you realize your current job isn’t the right fit. You may feel nervous, empowered, or disappointed. Perhaps the job responsibilities at your current job don’t allow you to reach your full potential, or the organizational culture doesn’t align with your needs. Regardless of the reasons you need to leave your current job, there are a few important things you need to consider before taking the leap into a new job search.
The last thing anyone should do when deciding to leave a job is to hastily act out of pure emotion. It’s incredibly important to secure a good long-term role before leaving your current job. Finding a placeholding, “good for now” job to carry you from your current role to your ideal role becomes a resume red flag to employers you truly want to work for. Instead of acting on impulse and allowing emotional reactions to take priority over your career goals, try pausing to collect your thoughts and develop strategies to ensure you exit your current job with everything you need to succeed in the future.
Growth Potential
It’s important to recognize a job isn’t always about the money. Sometimes financial support is our primary career goal, but we also select our jobs based on other important facets of life, like growth and personal development. Before jumping ship from your current role, stack potential job roles against your personal growth goals. What’s the best way to gauge a potential job’s growth potential? Start by:
- Connecting with current employees of the organization you wish to target on LinkedIn and asking them about their experience and growth opportunities
- Checking the company’s website for growth plans
- Evaluating the company’s local, regional, and global impact
- Investigating the financial wellness of the organization you wish to join
- Determining the type of growth you need in your career
Personal Investment
Don’t leave your current job without thoroughly evaluating the “why” behind the change. It’s easy to confuse a few bad days with an overall negative work environment or a one-time work project mistake with total career failure, but making huge changes to your career requires a bit more perspective. Dissect your reasoning behind wanting to leave and develop tangible objectives so you can hone in on more aligned job opportunities. Consider things like:
- Organizational Culture – What type of business culture are you most attracted to?
- Education Opportunities – Like internal growth potential, employer-paid continuing education can make a huge difference in your long-term job satisfaction
- Work Environment – Identify your ideal work environment and research whether the organization is known for high employee satisfaction
Logistics
Once you’ve identified the growth potential and personal needs of your ideal job, it’s time to think strategically about logistics. Switching careers or moving to a new role may seem great on paper, but how will your day-to-day look? A perfectly-paid job position with optimal growth potential and a fantastic organizational culture likely won’t get you closer to happiness if the job requires a 2-hour commute. When examining the logistics of switching to a new job, think about:
- Distance – Unless you like to travel and/or commute, potential job location is a top priority
- Remote and Hybrid Options – Verify whether remote and/or hybrid work is an option for potential job roles, keeping in mind that hybrid options still require some commuting
- Benefits – Look beyond yearly salary to ensure a potential job’s benefits align with your needs
- Leadership – Avoid working for someone you don’t want to follow by examining the organizational hierarchy and individual leaders within potential job roles
Pre-Flight Checklist
The last thing to do after you’ve fully fleshed out your reasons, priorities, and job needs, is prepare to leave your current role. It’s critical you leave your current job on a professional note and with long-term career goals in mind; nothing is worse than inadvertently burning a bridge you need to unexpectedly cross again years down the road. Take time to professionally articulate your resignation to your leadership team and grab these items before you notify:
- Contact information for coworkers and leaders you wish to continue networking with
- Copies of performance reviews
- Coworker testimonials, especially for your LinkedIn profile
- Examples of your work (be careful not to take any protected or confidential client information)
- Copies of important emails, awards, and accomplishments
Leaving your job can be both empowering and intimidating. Make sure your new career search starts off on the right foot by implementing specific techniques designed to maximize your hard work and position you for success. Are you ready to land an interview for the job of your dreams? Connect with Zoetic Resume and Writing Services for an in-depth look at your resume, cover letter, and professional networking needs. Together we will walk through your pre-resignation task list to ensure you have everything you need for this next stage in your career journey.