Quitting - go quietly or be honest?

bluenoseam

I think the thing that's most overlooked in current market, everyone says "you're nuts" when you walk out a job with nothing else lined up - but for all i'm still unemployed almost a year later, i can hand on heart say it's the best decision i've ever made in life, wreckless to the extreme but ultimately i'm happier now than i was & healthier, which is worth more than the X an hour i was taking home in said job. OP is clearly unhappy with current situation, if i'm reading his sig right he has a significant amount of savings & can likely do better - by all means it's sound advice to say listen to what the MD has to say about the situation, but if it's going to end up as more of the same then the fact is sometimes in life risks need to be taken.

I know that i'm not the typical person - every sensible bone in my body told me i was making a mistake, but when your life is so burdened with a rotten job that you can't enjoy your time, well, even the most sensible have to understand that the job is not worth it.

bodmil

hello2007 - seemingly I am on good terms with them!

bluenoseam - I think you're right, it's a very involved job, 12 hours a day, 7 days a week away from home, and it's destroying me. It's one thing to hate a job but this one stops me enjoying life too. It also means I can't attend interviews, or even phone places if I'm working the night shift. As I say, I've worked hard to have savings to enable me to get away from this industry, but I accept I don't want gaps on my CV so I hope by applying myself full time to it that I can get back on the horse quickly.
Sorry to hear about your own unemployment, I hope something comes around, perhaps with the summer things might improve!


Thanks all for the sensible advice, I've back off from giving them the full wrath of my experience as an employee. Afterall, I know I want to quit so it won't benefit me and I don't want to be a martyr for others if it means the possibility of a rubbish reference!


MSE to the rescue again!

MikeR71

Whatever you do, don't burn any bridges. Be civil and explain your situation and I am sure the MD will appreciate your stance.
You will need a reference from these people one day.

Googlewhacker

bodmil wrote: »

Hmm, I'll ignore the 'madness to quit without a new job' thing, as in my signature, I'm well into my MSE ways, I've worked very hard to make this break. It's a job that makes it literally impossible to attend interviews for other companies so I feel this is my best opportunity to do something I enjoy. I'm already terrified by the feeling of unemployment and have quite a few options lined up.

bluenoseam you have a good way with words, I was planning to say something like the financial incentive to suffer a job I don't enjoy is not forthcoming despite my loyalty, but perhaps now isn't the time for bravado!

SandC you have a good point, I didn't really think of it that way before. I think unfortunately my points of contact within the company are pretty nasty so I've not seen everything there is to offer.

I suspect they'll offer me project management which is close to what I want to do elsewhere so it would be great experience, but would mean relocating across the country, so massive upheaval for something that is only a stepping stone.


Gosh, how can quitting be such hard work!

Fair play to you, I didn't see your signature, 60k should last you a fair while and maybe a break is ideal for you. Are you looking at running your own business or something?

bodmil

Goodness no hehe, I need to de-stress a bit! It's just a deposit for a house one day, I knew I would quit this job sooner or later so I lived on a tiny salary and saved the rest so it wouldn't be such a shock when I get another job.

bluenoseam

The other thing which may help is if you find a project locally which is looking for volunteer work - that way you get to expand your horizons a bit, gain a little bit of perspective on something new & still be able to relax a bit & search for a new job, no gap on the CV & if anything something which you can put and say "hey, i did this". Secondary to that, you mentioned you're a graduate - i know some of them are ropey as it gets, but have you considered looking into the possibility of using your education to work abroad for a bit? I know one of my former colleagues did this (her degree was in some form of music - either management or technology i never really questioned) who has been to Korea & taught English to kids out there and apparently had the time of her life in doing so - again no gap on the CV and if anything another string to the bow.

KiwiEssexGirl

Sounds like you've made up your mind. I have applied for a voluntary severance scheme in my workplace and just waiting to see if I have been approved. Like you I think I can find something else. I am a project manager currently. As an interviewer for posts I usually ask why there's been a gap in employment but you have a valid argument for that. In any case, I've found that telling employers you found yourself in a role that wasn't fulfilling but you know what you want now and can articulate it, they shouldn't be worried about your choice to leave with nothing to go to.

That said, I agree with SandC who said the company can't be all bad if the MD wants to talk with you about what's wrong with a view to keeping you. Go and see what he says... If work/life balance is an issue, tell him. Go with a wish list of what you want your job to be and see if they will make it happen. You migth end up with the job you really want and it would be a shame to throw that chance away. That said, if, after talking to him, you're still sure you want to go then walk away but do be careful what you say as you will need references and if you've acted in an honourable way they won't have any option but to give you a good one.

bodmil

Thanks ever so much for all your advice bluenoseam, thankfully, and partly explains my timing, my industry is booming (offshore wind farms). I've hardly spent anytime at all on land lately so I'm looking to get settled at home for once! I already had leave booked to do a ski teaching course and I have to volunteer to do lots of hours to pass that. So hopefully I've timed things well and planned ahead. Unemployed yes, but I hope the MSE diligence has stood me in good stead of preparing well for it. It's so wonderful to have the support or like minded people here!

suicidebob

bodmil wrote: »

Thanks ever so much for all your advice bluenoseam, thankfully, and partly explains my timing, my industry is booming (offshore wind farms). I've hardly spent anytime at all on land lately so I'm looking to get settled at home for once! I already had leave booked to do a ski teaching course and I have to volunteer to do lots of hours to pass that. So hopefully I've timed things well and planned ahead. Unemployed yes, but I hope the MSE diligence has stood me in good stead of preparing well for it. It's so wonderful to have the support or like minded people here!

There is jobs out there, it's just disheartening to see so many people struggling to find work on these boards. If you've got confidence in yourself, and have a decent CV (and references), I don't think you should worry about quitting.

I quit my last job after 3 months because I hated everything about it. I knew I had 2 excellent references in the bag from my previous positions which would put me ahead of many other applicants. The Finance Director at my previous company had a couple of similar 'blips' on his CV, and that obviously didn't stop him progressing.

The first few weeks of unemployment are disheartening, but if you stick at it and keep confidence, there's no reason why you can't get something else quickly.

Good luck

mose_2

That 3 years will soon turn into 10 then 20 then 30 and you will always be wondering why you didn't do something else all them years ago. Go for it now!

I just hope I can get the courage to follow my own advise!