Q: I am completely fed up, I am going to quit. What is the best way to tell them?
A: Quit? OK, if you already have a job lined up. But based on the tone of your question—“fed up”—it sounds as if you are making an emotional decision, not a strategic one.
Take a lesson from the movie League of Their Own where the coach, played by Tom Hanks, admonishes his female baseball player, “There’s no crying in baseball,” and consider: There is no quitting in this economy. If you storm out of your office you may be unemployed for months and have to settle for job below your skill level.
Quitting is never the way to begin a job search. So, if your frustration is boiling over take a deep breath, walk around the block and put your emotions in check. Now take a fresh look at your situation.
Consider the following:
- Are you thinking about quitting to keep from getting fired? If yes, it is better to get fired and collect unemployment.
- What is the cause of your frustration? Have you been passed over for promotion? Do you lack clout? There are better ways to address these frustrations than walking off the field.
- What do you want to do next and do you have the reputation, experience and network to land the job you want?
- How competitive are you in the market? What are you worth?
- What will your former employer say about you in the reference checks? Note—let’s hope that you are not described as emotional or volatile.
A piece of advice: Every now and then you may have the thought, “I want to move on.” Quitting is not the same as moving on. Moving to a new role, company or profession requires clear thinking and a lot of planning. Make the most of your current situation by following the Yvonne Jackson’s C-Suite Advice in my book, Getting There & Staying There: “Bloom where you are planted “