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Tell HN: I think I'm quitting my job today

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Re: Tell HN: I think I'm quitting my job today

#81

Post by michaelawill »

eru wrote: post #66
Tangurena wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Our company has a hiring freeze in place. If someone quits, then the office loses that job permanently. If the person is fired, then when the hiring freeze gets lifted, then we may replace them. Things might be different at your company. Ours is a Fortune 500 company.

I agree. Add in that his old job was not that enjoyable anyway.

My job is pretty depressing and very boring. They also have a hiring freeze in place. My job is very secure because I do things for the company that requires a skill that isn't easy to find.

Unfortunately however I have no college degree. I got lucky landing this job straight out of high school and even though I'm pushing 5 years of experience from this job I really doubt I could easily find another one outside of retail/fast food even if the market wasn't the way it was.

/sigh

Re: Tell HN: I think I'm quitting my job today

#82

Post by robotrout »

I quit my job with a baby on the way, 20 months ago. In that time, the economy has tanked, so even if I wanted to go back to work, I wouldn't be able to find one anywhere near my old salary.

Am I sorry? No. I'm still very, very happy I had the guts to take the plunge and do it. The fear of not having a steady paycheck is much worse than the reality. Now that I know that, even if I do get another job, it won't have the same psychological hold over me.

However...

I had worked a lot longer than you have, before I made that plunge. While I wish I had done it earlier, I think that 2.5 years is too early. At 2.5 years into your career, you're still an apprentice. You have a lot that corporate life can still teach you.

Here's what I did.

Every time I felt like you feel, I found another job. I found it before I quit my first job, the safe way. After about 2.5 years, almost like clockwork, I'd feel restless, and cranky with my current status, and go find another job. I learned a lot that way and made a lot of friends.

When you think the time is near for you to take the plunge, do what I did. Say to yourself, "this job that I'm starting today will be my last job. I will not allow myself to quit it to find another job. No matter how much I hate it, I will not trade it for a new job. I will only quit when I'm ready not to have a job at all."

That vow kept me in my last job for an extra year or longer. Time I would ordinarily have just hopped to a new job. Finally, I decided my time was now, and I gave my notice, without even having any concrete plans on what kind of business I was going to build. I just knew that I needed to be free.

To summarize, my advice is to job hop for a few years when you get unhappy, just like non-entrepreneurs to. There's a lot to learn that 2.5 years won't teach you.

Re: Tell HN: I think I'm quitting my job today

#84

Post by TakingTheLeap »

robotrout wrote: post #82

I quit my job with a baby on the way, 20 months ago. In that time, the economy has tanked, so even if I wanted to go back to work, I wouldn't be able to find one anywhere near my old salary. Am I sorry? No. I'm still very, very happy I had the guts to take the plunge and do it. The fear of not having a steady paycheck is much worse than the reality. Now that I know that, even if I do get another job, it won't have th…

I agree that there is certainly much more to learn. However, I feel that running my own few companies over the past 6 years (on the side) has taught me much more (and much more quickly) than employment has to teach. My recent elevator pitch contest wins and entrepreneur of the year award are also good motivation for me to go ahead and take the plunge. I think it's time for me to have as much confidence in myself as others seem to have.

Re: Tell HN: I think I'm quitting my job today

#85

Post by TakingTheLeap »

rmason wrote: post #10

Enjoy the short period of exhiliration. Then be prepared to ride the roller coaster of emotions. You will enjoy both highs and lows that top anything in your previous experience. Once you've done it you will learn there is no better job. Best of luck!

These are actually my 3rd and 4th companies. I know that roller coaster well, and I love every minute of it. Unlike the droll monotony of mid- to large-company employment.

Re: Tell HN: I think I'm quitting my job today

#86

Post by derwiki »

Derrek wrote: post #76

Dude, quit your job and move to Thailand (or some other cheap place) while you work on your web businesses. The cost of living there is super cheap so your daily expenses will be low and your savings will last longer. Plus, you'll get a chance to explore the world. It's not nearly as hard as people think. Good luck. Here's a good article that discusses this idea: http://www.expatsoftware.com/articles/2008/05/laid-off…

I've read the original post, and this is something I've given serious thought to. Is there a good health insurance solution though?

Re: Tell HN: I think I'm quitting my job today

#87

Post by dirtae »

It sounds to me like leaving this job could be a good move. That said, I am a little worried by the tone of your post. You say that you "think" you are quitting your job today and that you've been borderline depressed. I don't think it is wise to go in and quit your job on a day when you are uncertain and still haven't made a final decision. Posting on this forum was a good move, and you've gotten a lot of high quality encouragement from other commenters which could help you make a decision. If you decide to quit your job, then go ahead, make that decision, and then sit on it for a few days. I doubt that it makes a big difference whether you quit your job today or next week. Once you're sure that you're not making a rash decision in the heat of the moment, go ahead and quit. You can use the time between now and the time you quit to plan your exit. I recommend giving a couple of weeks notice that you're leaving and winding down your job in an orderly fashion without burning bridges.

Re: Tell HN: I think I'm quitting my job today

#88

Post by TakingTheLeap »

squidbot wrote: post #45

There are so many variables in a decision like this that you've not covered. Just to name a few: - Do you have a family that relies on your paycheck? - Do you have enough in savings and little enough in debt that you can survive given that the "extra work" could dry up? - Are you focused enough to be your own boss? - If you aren't successful and can't find a job, do you have a fall back when the money runs out, like…

Just to clarify, I have already done a personal risk analysis. I have discussed this decision with my family, my friends, my business partners, and my mentor over the past week and a half. I have a few month's savings already, and I am well-qualified for many positions that are open in the area should I need to take one.

As I stated in the first line of the post, I've already made up my mind, and I was just soliciting additional feedback from a group of peers, whom I trust. I'm sure everyone else here would agree that getting feedback from as many sources as possible, is on the contrary, a very good "strategem" for any decision (btw, the word you're looking for is "strategy," a "stratagem" is a type of strategy used to deceive someone).

And finally, I see that you are new to this group. From experience I can tell you that this group is far from being anonymous. We are a very tight-nit, common-interest-bound group of thoughtful and contributing individuals.

Re: Tell HN: I think I'm quitting my job today

#89

Post by wallflower »

time_management wrote: post #51
wallflower wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Another alternative is to ask for a unpaid leave of absence. That will give them time to reconsider and you time to think and do .

If he does this, there's a chance of him getting fired. It doesn't send a good signal.

He is taking a risk of getting fired already. Depending on whether the boss likes surprises and/or if you want to not blow up your bridges, asking for a leave of absence is a subtle way of giving notice before you give two weeks notice e.g. after they come back with - 'Sorry, we can't do it' - 'Thank you for taking the time. I've thought about this a long time. I'd like to tender my resignation'.

Re: Tell HN: I think I'm quitting my job today

#90

Post by TakingTheLeap »

dirtae wrote: post #87

It sounds to me like leaving this job could be a good move. That said, I am a little worried by the tone of your post. You say that you "think" you are quitting your job today and that you've been borderline depressed. I don't think it is wise to go in and quit your job on a day when you are uncertain and still haven't made a final decision. Posting on this forum was a good move, and you've gotten a lot of high quali…

Sorry, to clarify, the "think" part of the headline was actually due to the contingency that this friend send me the contract in time for me to read it, approve, and quit before the end of the day. It had nothing to do with uncertainty.
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