Should I quit my job without another one lined up

Scorpio33

Walcott wrote: »

I am an ACA and I trained in small practice. I always intended to go to industry but being from small practice makes that hard. That is what happened in my first industry role where it ended up being very junior and there were other issues as well so i quit. I then went back into practice but this time to a consultancy firm that is very large with 100+ offices around the world. That made it very easy for me to then go back into industry after 2.5 years and I got a much more senior position. So for me it helped me out a lot. I personally don't like transactional stuff or going into the detail so stuff like looking at invoices or doing recs of prepayments is boring. I like technical stuff more and the role at the large consultancy meant I could work with large clients and do consolidations etc meaning I went to industry in a Group role so I only work on Group areas and avoid the day to day issues, which I really hate.

To be quite frank, I really feel for you. If you are from the Big 4 then hands on isn't for you. I'm surprised they employed you given that where you trained would jump straight out. Sounds like they are very dis-organised with people that are not very bright and you seem to be the balancing figure in all of this having to be pulled in every direction to make up the difference.

You should take stock and remember all the positive aspects of your situation. You are qualified, have money in the bank to see you out a few months and you have actually been in this role a while. You seem low on confidence but that is not really your fault. That is just a symptom of the environment you are in.

Just my opinion, but if I was in your shoes I would resign now and finish up before Christmas, have a nice break through Jan and begin looking. I would be very surprised if you struggled to get work as an immediately available practice trained accountant with industry experience.

That is very helpful advice - and you are correct in that m confidence is low.


I spoke to someone last night who said to me that I already know what I want to do, I just am looking for approval - which I don't need.


I guess the issue is that by nature I am not a risk taker, so can't bring myself to take the risk of not having another job lined up.

enginesuck

I quit my job a few years ago,


Over time it became very hard to get motivated with all the time off. by month 3 by brain wasn't as sharp as I hadn't been using it for work, it came good in the end but it was a close run thing ! I ended up with a job offer after 5 months and started in Month 7, month 8 before I was paid a monthly pay packet. 8 months without earning is pretty hard going emotionally and financially, I was fortunate to have about 30 months salary saved, although obviously that took a big hit.


If it is making you that fed up, could you get temporary work just to get you out the house for a few hours ? You can devote 3 hours a day to job searching and still have time for some part time work and loads of family time. Just an idea.

Scorpio33

If I ignore the financial aspect, I would be quitting. The job is making me unhappy - why stay in a job that makes me unhappy.


Unfortunately we all have bills to pay, so then it is merely a question of can I survive without a job until I find another one. The big question there is how long will it take to find another job. That is the unknown and that is what I need to weigh up.


On balance, I am not a risk taker, so most likely won't quit. But then I need to think about how much this is costing me in terms of mental health and effect on my family against how much the job gives me financially.

missbiggles1

Scorpio33 wrote: »

If I ignore the financial aspect, I would be quitting. The job is making me unhappy - why stay in a job that makes me unhappy.


Unfortunately we all have bills to pay, so then it is merely a question of can I survive without a job until I find another one. The big question there is how long will it take to find another job. That is the unknown and that is what I need to weigh up.


On balance, I am not a risk taker, so most likely won't quit. But then I need to think about how much this is costing me in terms of mental health and effect on my family against how much the job gives me financially.

You seem to be missing a couple of connections there, like what effect will unemployment have on your family rather than just on you.

Malthusian

I guess my thinking is that if I resign, I have a strict deadline to work to. That may give me more impetus in looking for a new role.

If the job is that bad you should have all the impetus you need already, without needing to cut off your income.

If you are actually fully committed to finding a new job ASAP then this should take a lot of the stress out of the existing one. Some of your colleagues are nasty? Who cares, you'll be shot of them soon. You're not able to do the work they ask you? Who cares, the worst that can happen is that they fire you and you wanted to leave anyway. Turn up, do the job asked of you as best you can, take the money. If you're mentally committed to leaving, then nothing else matters.

System

Scorpio33 wrote: »

That is very helpful advice - and you are correct in that m confidence is low.


I spoke to someone last night who said to me that I already know what I want to do, I just am looking for approval - which I don't need.


I guess the issue is that by nature I am not a risk taker, so can't bring myself to take the risk of not having another job lined up.

That is also fine. If you want to leave but need to find another role first then forget about everything else and focus on finding another role and what you need to do to make that happen.

By the sound of it you are not applying for the right roles as some have come back and said you are overqualified?

Going4TheDream

Scorpio33 wrote: »

Background on me: mid-30s, married with 2 young kids, earning around £50k.


I work in Finance and have been in my current job for 2.5years. I have been unhappy in my current job for the last 1.5years. The reason why I am unhappy is that I feel that a lot of what is expected of me is above my current level of knowledge (without sufficient training), there is no one supporting me or checking my work, the environment I work in is toxic (some very nasty individuals) and the work leaves me feeling stressed, anxious and depressed. I have tried making it work, talked to my boss about my concerns, but he is just as unhappy about my performance than I am in the job. He expects me to do what he wants due to me being a manager. I can't make it work and now the only way forward I can see is leaving.


Every weekend I get the Sunday night blues, every day I dread going into work and at night I can't stop thinking about work. I then get stressed out and take it out on my kids and hate myself for doing it. At work I panic every time the phone goes or I get an email, through fear of what may await me on the other end.


I have been looking for a new role for about a year now, but nothing good has come up. Moreover, I think that as the job is having such an effect on me mentally, my confidence is shot and I can't think straight, making it impossible for me to (a) find a job and (b) sell myself to recruiters.

So now I am thinking of quitting without another job lined up.


I have 4 months salary saved up and I have to give 3 months notice, which gives me 7 months to find a job. Once I am out of this role I think that my mental health would pick up an enable me to find something else.


The issue I have is that all my instincts are telling me to quit, but my head is telling me that is a bad idea. Employers like someone who is employed and moreover, if I don't find much I like, I could be tempted to take anything in order to get money coming in.


Then saying that, I fear it is only a matter of time before I get sacked. Surely it is better to resign than be sacked?




Is it ever a good idea to resign without a job to go to?

I very recently did , the environment was toxic and colleagues more so, even though I was paid a good salary, I decided I could no longer do it. After 6 weeks off to recover, and after speaking to a few contacts I applied for a couple of jobs, slightly different industry than my previous one and for a slightly lower salary but better benefits and was offered a position with one of them, also a lot closer to home..

Set yourself a leave date as a goal to aim for, update and revamp your CV and tailor it to each role you apply for so it doesn't become stale, Speak to relevant consultation agencies and get someone working on your next role for you, call them regularly to see what may be coming up. Network, I was offered an opening that had not been advertised yet due to networking, Do something everyday to make the job change happen and you will find something that fits your needs.

Only you know what you can realistically do due to commitments but honestly I can assure you that once I had left my anxiety levels dropped. I slept properly for the 1st time in months, my mood improved, I started to enjoy life again rather than just existing in it. I hope it all works out for you

TheEffect

Not sure if this helps...

5 months ago, I quit my job with no back-up-plan. In the past 5 months, I've spent 2 of those travelling, 1 visiting family I haven't spent much time with over the years, and the past 2 months job searching.

Being unemployed and job searching can quickly eat away at your confidence. It can be difficult to find the motivation to keep hitting that 'Apply now' button, and you may want to hide under a table when people ask you what you're currently doing in life.

My situation is very different to yours however - I'm 25, the job I quit was my first job after graduating in 2014, no kids/partner/house or major responsibilities. I'm very much at the bottom of the 'life' ladder, so there wasn't too much to lose.

I'm glad I did it, but I'm not sure I'd do the same if I had responsibilities and others that were relying on me. Job hunting is mentally draining, add the pressure of a X month time-frame, and needing to provide for your kids, it could be worse than the situation you're currently in.

hcb42

Personally I would do it. In fact I have done it. I am late 40s now and earning a salary in late £50s so similar level of responsibility I imagine (although I like that fact)

I don't think career breaks are always viewed as negative at all. You can resign, go for interviews and not even have to admit it to anyone for 3 months. Equally, if you are available and a company is stuck - then it might help with availability. I am in that situation now trying to recruit for an interim management role. I need a suitably qualified candidate and quick!

Go with your heart. No job is worth being ill over, and this might go the wrong way if you get more stressed. Better to leave with good grace and look after yourself

cadon

If you're qualified, Big 4 trained, you've been miserable for over a year and would happily take any other job with a comparable salary, it sounds like there's something massively wrong with your job-hunting process.

By any chance, are you applying for jobs directly? In finance, most recruitment is done through agencies.

If you have been trying to bag a job for over a year through one agency, get rid of them and start speaking to another. There are a few crap agencies out there, but there are also quite a few good ones.