When to quit your job

Gundampilotspaz

I've been unhappy at my current job for more than a year now. I'm a service tech, barely, at a medical device company. The pay is lousy, the job is boring, and it's almost impossible to advance at this point. It was tolerable when I was working part time and going to school but since graduating in December each day feels worse than the last. I've gotten a few interviews but so far they haven't gotten me anywhere.

I stumbled upon this article, http://finance.yahoo.com/news/16-Signs-Its-Time-to-Quit-usnews-30401889.html?x=0, and while I normally try not to take these lists seriously thirteen of the sixteen items apply to me! The article says THREE it too many!


So what would drive you to quit your current job without already having employment? Is that ever close to a good idea?

TheWhaleShark

Is that ever close to a good idea?

Not unless you have some kind of plan for gainful self-employment that you will enact.

Or unless you have enough money saved up that you can afford to do it.

KapitänTim

Never quit till you have another job and can give two weeks notice.

theknoxinator

Is that ever close to a good idea?

Not unless you have some kind of plan for gainful self-employment that you will enact.

Or unless you have enough money saved up that you can afford to do it.

Or unless you have parents who are willing to take you back in for free. This is sadly becoming normal among young adults these days.

Apreche

Never quit till you have another job and can give two weeks notice.

Many employers now are refusing to even talk to people who are unemployed. Do not quit until you have already accepted a new job.

Gundampilotspaz

Yeah, I figured that'd be everyones answer.

Or unless you have parents who are willing to take you back in for free. This is sadly becoming normal among young adults these days.

I couldn't afford to live on my own on what I make now anyway. Not in Connecticut.

KapitänTim

Never quit till you have another job and can give two weeks notice.

Many employers now are refusing to even talk to people who are unemployed. Do not quit until you have already accepted a new job.

I would imagine this is because they think that you may have gotten fired from your previous job. But hey man, McDonald's is always hiring. And I hear tell they have great advancement opportunities. Can you speak English well? If so you have a leg up on all drive through window operators.

Victor Frost

I'm applying to several places right now because I'm really starting to hate my work place. Not my job, my work place.

KapitänTim

Also the sex trade is always booming no matter what the economy is like.

gomidog

Many employers now are refusing to even talk to people who are unemployed.

Really? Why?

Lyddi

I would imagine this is because they think that you may have gotten fired from your previous job. But hey man, McDonald's is always hiring. And I hear tell they have great advancement opportunities. Can you speak English well? If so you have a leg up on all drive through window operators.

Sure, places like Mc Donald's are hiring. Unless you actually have skills and experience, then you're over-qualified.
Anyway, its true that companies are biased against the unemployed. Many even put it on the job listing. (aka, "we will not consider unemployed applicants.") It sucks, because being unemployed (especially these days) doesn't mean you got fired. It means you got laid off because of the economy, took a break to do something worthwhile, are in the middle of a big life change, or quit because bad things were happening at your current job, etc. I don't know why they are doing this though, other than they are just assholes ruining peoples chances for a good life. I read a good article about it recently, will post if I find it or someone else doesn't beat me to it.

I'm in the middle of changing jobs right now. In every single interview I've had (even multiple interviews for the same job) they ask me why I'm leaving my current job, with a sort of "you have a great job, why would you want to leave?" tone. I had to make up a nice sounding answer about how I want to "move up in the world to a bigger company" and "have more mentors in my field," when in actuality, its because I'm not being paid enough. My boss wants to pay me more and practically begged me to stay, but I know with his business practices that the company will never be able to make enough to afford me and others. Anyway, they seem to like my nicer answer.

Apreche

Many employers now are refusing to even talk to people who are unemployed.

Really? Why?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/04/disturbing-job-ads-the-un_n_600665.htmlUnemployment is so high that if you put up a job offer you get a zillion applicants. You can't spend a ton of time vetting every single one. You need some way to quickly and easily filter them down to a manageable number. Not all, but a very high percentage of currently unemployed applicants are lacking in skills. That is why they are currently unemployed. If you filter all of them out you can quickly make the number of resumes more manageable, and the odds are very high the best candidate's resume has not been discarded.

Gundampilotspaz

In every single interview I've had (even multiple interviews for the same job) they ask me why I'm leaving my current job, with a sort of "you have a great job, why would you want to leave?" tone. I had to make up a nice sounding answer about how I want to "move up in the world to a bigger company" and "have more mentors in my field," when in actuality, its because I'm not being paid enough.

Yeah, I say "there is limited room for advancement" instead of "I feel Ike they're taking advantage of me."

gomidog

I like my job. I get to work with my friends making video games. The only reason I would leave of my own volition is if the company went out of business or if I was starting a personal venture myself.

KapitänTim

Im going to be a video game when I grow up.

Axel

I like my job. I get to work with my friends making video games. The only reason I would leave of my own volition is if the company went out of business or if I was starting a personal venture myself.

I hope this is my future. Even if it's not with friends...

CaptainBooshi

But hey man, McDonald's is always hiring. And I hear tell they have great advancement opportunities. Can you speak English well? If so you have a leg up on all drive through window operators.

Did you somehow miss the news last McDonald's hiring day? They hired 60,000 people, and turned down 940,000 people. For every person they hire, they apparently turn away 16.

ayameiris

Looks like the obvious consensus here is to not quit your job until you've secured a new one. A big mistake I made last year. Thankfully back to work though not in the way I expected. But I'll use this position to get the most out of it and keep an eye out for better opportunities and network with people I know. I definitely won't be doing this for very long.

jlawson70

Also, while waiting and looking, use resources at your present job that would help in finding another. This is one reason I jumped at the chance to become department training officer, it gives me access to online courses for security stuff. If my boss asked why I watched a course on nuclear theft, I can say that since we have a nuclear medicine department, it's worth watching.

KapitänTim

But hey man, McDonald's is always hiring. And I hear tell they have great advancement opportunities. Can you speak English well? If so you have a leg up on all drive through window operators.

Did you somehow miss the news last McDonald's hiring day? They hired 60,000 people, and turned down 940,000 people. For every person they hire, they apparently turn away 16.

It was kind of a joke brah. No need to bring in stats to prove me wrong. However, congratulations on winning internets. Your check is in the mail.