Knowing When to Quit Your Soul-Sucking Job

As I was researching for my second book, I came across this article by Caroline Beaton on CreativeLive about what not to do when you hate your job.

In a nutshell, her three rules are:

1. Don’t quit.
2. Don’t actively look for jobs.
3. Don’t be a freelancer.

Let’s go point-by-point so I can explain why, in my opinion, her advice might not be right for you.  I know it wasn’t right for me.

1. Don’t quit.

For right now, let’s forget the reason why you hate your job.  Maybe you’re not being challenged, maybe you’re not doing what you were hired to do, or maybe your boss is a bit too touchy-feely for your taste.  Whatever the issue, if you wake up each morning and dread going to work, so much so that you’re sick to your stomach, that’s not good for your health or your loved ones around you.

I remember working with someone who once told me, “I was thinking about crashing my car into the highway divider so that I didn’t have to come to work this morning.”  She definitely did not like her job.  Think about it.  She’d rather destroy her car, then go to work.  That’s scary!

No matter your age, if you can relate, your job may be ruining your life, and you need to start the search for another one pronto.

2. Don’t actively look for jobs.

If you don’t take initiative, your life and your dreams may pass you by.  While I agree that you should learn as much as you can from your current job and co-workers, I don’t agree that you should be passive when it comes to taking the next step in your career, especially if you’re in your twenties.

By passive the author means for you to “try on” other careers through classes, podcasts, networking with others, etc.  You can take all the classes you want, but when it comes down to it, you never know if you’re going to like a certain job, career, or company until you’re in the grind everyday working through the good and the bad.  There’s no such thing as trying on a job or a career.

Plus, in today’s working environment, where every company is pinching pennies and trying to squeeze everything they can out of their employees without increasing their compensation, you’ll probably need to switch jobs in order to earn more money, stay competitive, and take on greater responsibilities.  Being passive is just another way of not taking initiative and ensuring that you never advance in your career.  If you remain passive, observe other career options from the sidelines, and stay in the same job that you hate, your skill set may become stagnant and so will your salary and earning potential in the future.  They may even decline and that’s not good.

3. Don’t be a freelancer.

While I agree in theory that being a freelancer is “dabbling” and entrepreneurship is more of your long term vision, how do you know if you want to go full speed ahead with something if you don’t dabble first?

These are the principles that have guided me through my life and career.  Everyone is different and different approaches work for different people.  I’m really curious about your thoughts on this topic.  What do you think?

If you found this article helpful and are in need of additional guidance, grab a copy of my book, “How To Be Happy At Work: Speak Up, Stay Positive, and Change Your Life.”