13 Tips If You Are Thinking of Quitting Your Job

13 Tips If You Are Thinking of Quitting Your Job 13 Tips If You Are Thinking of Quitting Your Job 2 What NOT to do when quitting your job: Vent your anger online in public forums Yell at your boss in a final dramatic recount of all your frustration Break an employment contract Take things from the company to make up for the way they treated you Leave suddenly without preparing the person taking over your job Have no money to live on while you look for another position Its easy to talk yourself into thinking the above are good ideas though, because your emotions get in the way when working conditions become intolerable. Any irrational move you make has future consequences and thinking about those consequences is a good idea. Future employers will look at your past jobs and contact past employers about your behavior. They will also look at what you say online and use social media to learn more about you. Consider these tips if you are thinking of quitting your job: Save money. Start saving now so you have at least a month or more of financial cushion. A little each week will leave you feeling safe and make the worry of leaving without a job in place easier to swallow. Get ready. Look at your current job with an eye on making it easier for your replacement (organize, write job descriptions, etc.). Update your resume. Dust off your resume with your current responsibilities and accomplishments. Carefully think about everything you’ve done and make sure to add it. Know your contract. Get out your employment contract and see what rules or non-competes might be in place. These terms must be followed exactly. This information is typically easy to find. If you did not retain a copy of your employment agreement yourself and do not wish to tip off your employer that you may be leaving, you are entitled to a review of your employment file and can easily locate the information. Give lots of leave time. Unfortunately, in some cases, you might have to leave the job less than the typical two-week notice, say, for the new job. While you have the ability to leave your current job immediately, unless otherwise prohibited, it isn’t suggested. When determining how quickly you can leave your current position, always remember the old adage- don’t burn your bridges. In the employment world, specific industries are very small and it is easy to get a bad reputation- especially if you leave a position with little or no warning to your employers. Be prepared to leave ASAP. In some cases, the employer may ask you to leave immediately. This happened to me. Twice. In both cases, the reasons had to do with the competition and clients (even though I wasnt going to a competitor either time). When that happens, you have no choice but to leave. I didnt mind. That meant some much needed time off before the next job. Be professional. Remember to maintain a professional attitude on the job, as well as off. Handle your exit with grace and remain an employee with integrity. From letters of resignation to the goodbye lunch, behaving in a professional way will make you stand out. Like many facets of employment, how you handle your departure from a current position says a lot about you as a person. Leaving your job in a professional and prepared manner solidifies your reputation and clears the path for your next role. Readers, if you are thinking of quitting your job and looking for a more flexible one, check out newest flexible job listings! Erin Kennedy, MCD, CMRW, CPRW, BS/HR,  is a certified professional resume writer/career consultant, and  the president of  Professional Resume Services. She is a  nationally  published  writer and contributor of 14 best-selling  career books. She has achieved international recognition following yearly nominations of the prestigious  T.O.R.I. (Toast of the Resume Industry) Award. members receive a  special discount on Professional Resume Services!