quitting a job without another lined up
April 15, 2013 7:26 PM   Subscribe

I'm sure you've heard this a million times but am I crazy to quit my job without another one lined up?

i've been working in a high pressure, high stress, and utterly overwhelming position for just about a year now. my work life balance is terrible and now, a 10-12 hour day at the office seems normal to me. this is normal at my company and hence, there is high turnover...making it worse for those who are still there. i've been thinking about quitting for a few months but have never thought seriously about it until now. i don't have anything lined up but have started looking a couple weeks ago just to get my resume out there and have heard back from a few companies that are interested in me. financially, i'm stable and have up to year's worth of expenses saved up (not that I want to make a big dent in that) and a SO and parents who I can lean on, if worse comes to worse. i feel like i have pretty good experience, working at big, well known companies and even in this job market, I think i would be able to find something in the next 2-3 months. i have a vacation planned for next month and am seriously thinking about quitting and taking the whole month just to travel, relax and spend some quality time with family (this is probably my biggest regret this past year...not spending enough time with my family because i let my job take over my life). so what's holding me back? i'm scared of the unknown. this is huge leap of faith, maybe even irresponsible. am I crazy? too optimistic? i'm in my 20s and part of me feels like this is my chance to be free for once and spend some time on myself. but then again, i've never been unemployed and the idea of not knowing what will come next scares me. if anyone has ever been in a similar situation, would love to hear you experiences.

thanks in advance!
posted by cm1088 to Work & Money (40 answers total) 6 users marked this as a favorite
 
Yes, you are crazy (imho). Go read these stories if you don't believe me.

That said, I understand the work/life balance issue. But I think you might want to try to address that issue at the job you now have, rather than hope to find something better at a job you don't have.
posted by math at 7:37 PM on April 15, 2013 [1 favorite]


i feel like i have pretty good experience, working at big, well known companies and even in this job market, I think i would be able to find something in the next 2-3 months.

So hunt for another job when you're off work for the next 2-3 months and, since you think you'll get another job by then, you'll be fine.

Employers like to see continuity in jobs, and if you truly think getting another position is going to be no big deal to find alternate employment, you shouldn't have to quit to get it. If you want time off, take it between leaving one job and starting another, but have that other one lined up!!
posted by xingcat at 7:39 PM on April 15, 2013 [4 favorites]


If you think you could find something in the next 2-3 months, why not just do that while you're employed? You're not going to become more employable by quitting. You already had your "chance to be free for once and spend some time on myself", it's called being a child. Now you're an adult and you're responsible to take care of yourself. Just because you could lean on your SO and parents to fund your fun happy good times doesn't mean you should. Plus, unemployment is only fun for a little while- I enjoyed the first few months of mine and then spent the next few crying every night in my bed worried my life was over. Don't go there willingly.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 7:40 PM on April 15, 2013 [1 favorite]


Please don't quit your job until you have something else. Push yourself to find something new even if it's something that will pay the bills but will make you happer. Spend all your spare time finding a new job.

I know where you are coming from. If I could quit my current job I would do it right now, but it's just not responsible. I need to pay the bills and my current job is great experience and is a great resume boost, even though I'm not given enough resources to do my job.

I think i would be able to find something in the next 2-3 months.

The economy sucks. My husband quit a retail job on a whim (before we were married) and thought he could easily find something. It took him over a year to find a new job, and that new job made us move 2 states away. (Luckily it was a career job.)

Can you do irresponsible things in your 20s? Sure, but know it may take you wayy longer to find a new job. How will you pay the bills? Why will you say you quit your last job in an interview?
posted by Crystalinne at 7:43 PM on April 15, 2013 [3 favorites]


If you do this, you better come up with a really, really good way to answer "why did you leave your previous job?" because "I wanted to chill out for a little bit" is not going to do you any favors.
posted by griphus at 7:45 PM on April 15, 2013 [5 favorites]


I would say it depends on your field. Last year I did the fund a job while you have a job thing; it was stressful and I took a weeks vacation to get it going. The job I left for ended up being a terrible match. So I left with nothing lined up, spent two months being the busiest unemployed person ever, then found a position I like a lot. I was lucky I had an SO to rely on and I worked really hard, but it was a lot easier to job hunt without having a job. But my field is in demand where I live and I found my first job fast, so it wasn't the worst risk ever.
posted by dame at 7:47 PM on April 15, 2013


Oh and:
and a SO and parents who I can lean on, if worse comes to worse.

DO NOT DO THIS! When my husband (boyfriend/fiance at the time, but we were living together) quit I had to basically pay for everything and it caused huge stresses. Keep your saved money for something useful.

Also, in my opinion it kind of seems selfish to say "well if I run out of money I can use someone else's" just because you don't like your job.

Sure I may be jaded on this point, but really, grownup life means sticking with crappy jobs and finding something better.
posted by Crystalinne at 7:47 PM on April 15, 2013 [5 favorites]


For me, I left a job a year later than I should have due to waiting to line up another (I struggled to apply to enough good jobs, partly due to the economy then), and I really regret wasting all that time. I left a research job that wasn't working out and found another job within about a month (I moved to an area with lots of jobs, and I had desirable experience, but it still took what felt like a long time and ~80 applications for jobs I was fully qualified for). So, it worked for me. But, it's risky and so I don't recommend you do it. Instead, use your accrued vacation time, and look for a job now as if you were already unemployed. If you really want to quit your job and have solid references from another job, push back on the unpaid overtime and use your sick time for job interviews until they fire you, so at least you can collect unemployment after you leave.
posted by sninctown at 7:49 PM on April 15, 2013 [2 favorites]


Look, it depends. If you have decent savings, and you think you can handle a few months (or several months, or a year) without an income, then it's an option. But, really, it's not one you should exercise unless you have no other choice.

If you can stick it out at your current job, you would be better off keeping your income (and preserving your savings) while you look for something better. It's easier to get a job when you already have one - it creates a better impression for prospective employers.

Don't rely on leaning on your SO - blowing out your savings and then hers would be selfish.

Update your resume, send out your feelers, get another job. Take a week or two off before you move into your new role. You'll be fine.

It's OK to quit your job because you hate it. But be smart about it and get your new job lined up first. Then you can use the savings that you didn't blow on more important things, or even a shiny 'yay I got a new job' gift for yourself.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 7:58 PM on April 15, 2013 [1 favorite]


Response by poster: i know it sounds really bad what i said about leaning on others. just to be clear- i would never willingly quit my job and rely on someone else, especially my parents, if i didn't have the money. relying on my parents is more of a worse comes to worse situation. the only reason i mention it is because my parents (as most parents do) worry about my well being and tried to convince me to leave by offering their financial support (which i don't need). but of course, i can't predict what will happen.

thanks for the advice everyone, keep it coming!
posted by cm1088 at 7:59 PM on April 15, 2013 [1 favorite]


I guess I'd also ask what your SO thinks. Mine basically told me to quit and paid for food; I had enough savings for everything else. And it was still stressful. So maybe ignore me except to say that it isn't DEFINITE DOOM.
posted by dame at 8:00 PM on April 15, 2013 [1 favorite]


Response by poster: my SO has encouraged me to leave my job because he thinks its "sucking up my soul". he makes enough to support us both and has offered to provide any financial support if i need it, which I don't expect to (but again I can't predict the future).

everyone's advice has been really helpful. i needed to hear this other side, as basically all my friends and family have been encouraging me to quit, but i need to get realistic and hear some unbiased opinions as well.
posted by cm1088 at 8:08 PM on April 15, 2013


All three of the people I know who have done this successfully have done it in order to have a career change. They took the time to work on their side projects (iphone apps, touring with their band) and networked like crazy in the industry they actually wanted to get into. They also caught up on sleep and spent lots of time with the people they cared about. They're all a bit poorer, but they have benefited from the time off.

Do you want to change careers, or do you just want a job in the same industry with a better schedule and a month of vacation? If that's all you want, be patient for a few months and negotiate a month's break into your starting date for your next job. If it's a career change you want, wait until you have a better idea of how you want to tackle that question before quitting.
posted by rhythm and booze at 8:12 PM on April 15, 2013 [1 favorite]


i have a vacation planned for next month and am seriously thinking about quitting and taking the whole month just to travel, relax and spend some quality time with family (this is probably my biggest regret this past year...not spending enough time with my family because i let my job take over my life). so what's holding me back? i'm scared of the unknown. this is huge leap of faith, maybe even irresponsible. am I crazy? too optimistic? i'm in my 20s and part of me feels like this is my chance to be free for once and spend some time on myself. but then again, i've never been unemployed and the idea of not knowing what will come next scares me. if anyone has ever been in a similar situation, would love to hear you experiences.

I quit my job working as a network engineer last summer. I put all my stuff in storage, bought a one way ticket to Guatemala and spent 3 months travelling around Central America. When I got back, I spent another 2 months living with my parents while I looked for a job, and eventually found a job working for a Big Tech Company making more money than the job I quit.

The only thing that recruiters or job interviewers ever said to me about it was "I'm so jealous, I wish I could do that."

A couple of things, though. I have desirable job skills in a part of the country with a lot of tech jobs available. I didn't have any debt. My car was paid for, I was renting my apartment. I had money saved up. I don't have kids or dependents. I had a place to stay for free for a while until I had a new job. And I still ended up having to borrow money towards the end of it.

If all of those things apply to you, then yes. You can do this. Just make sure that you are quitting to Do Something, so when people ask you about the gap on your resume you can say something like "I've always wanted to travel, so I did X, Y and Z". Do something exciting and interesting, don't just sit around the house playing xbox for 2 months.
posted by empath at 8:25 PM on April 15, 2013 [5 favorites]


Also, here is another example: A friend of mine had a high paying job working as a programmer for a big consulting firm, while he had been making music on the side for years (he had a couple of singles released on small labels, but nothing major). His GF told him she would support him for 1 year if he wanted to quit and make music full time. They moved to LA and 18 months later he has 5 singles coming out this year, was signed to a talent agency and is touring europe this fall.

Again, his GF is a doctor, so he had special circumstances.
posted by empath at 8:27 PM on April 15, 2013 [1 favorite]


It worked out for me a couple times in the last few years. I'd be afraid to do it again, but it can work out. It sounds like you are in a good position for it to turn out fine. Being in an awful job sucks, but being unemployed and not knowing when you'll be able to land a job again also sucks a lot, even when you have people you can turn to as a last resort. It's just a different kind of suck.

But, since you do have a good amount of savings as well as people you can turn to as a last resort, I would approve of this decision. If a future potential employer asks why you left your last job, it's fair enough to explain that you were working 60 hours per week and are looking for a more standard 40-hour work week (if that's what you have in mind). I had a similar reason for leaving one of my jobs, and I was honest about that. It was just a terrible schedule, and not only could I no longer stand to work those hours, I couldn't bear the thought of job hunting in the middle of all that. So unless this potential employer was also hoping to stick you with 50-60 hour weeks, it doesn't strike me as a negative.

But yeah, it'll help if you're able to list things you did in the meantime.
posted by wondermouse at 8:28 PM on April 15, 2013


my SO has encouraged me to leave my job because he thinks its "sucking up my soul". he makes enough to support us both and has offered to provide any financial support if i need it, which I don't expect to (but again I can't predict the future).

I'm sure he thinks it won't be a problem. It will be a problem. Don't do it. As all above say, use your vacation to search for a new job. There is a chance you'll find a better job instantly or that your relationship will deepen and purify as you navigate this time together. There's a much bigger chance that you'll be unemployed for months and break up in the middle of that time. Money is the number one reason for divorce in the U.S., and a huge reason for pre-marriage breakups.
posted by Etrigan at 8:30 PM on April 15, 2013 [2 favorites]


I did this two years ago, with about half of what you have in savings and S.O. support.

When asked, I simply explained that I had burned out. I have a reputation in the industry as a hard-charger, so this was consistent with the reasons I was giving. It was hard, but I never bad-mouthed the management for creating the high-pressure environment and I think that helped me in interviews.

I forced myself to take four months... I was itching to go back to work after six weeks.

I say do it.
posted by Kakkerlak at 9:06 PM on April 15, 2013


Response by poster: You already had your "chance to be free for once and spend some time on myself", it's called being a child. Now you're an adult and you're responsible to take care of yourself.

True, but I've always been responsible - which is why I have the support of my parents if I choose to do this. I've worked since I was legally able to and put myself through college, by my own choice. I landed a job right after graduation and have worked ever since. Of course, this is not really relevant to my question but just wanted to throw it out there :)

A couple of things, though. I have desirable job skills in a part of the country with a lot of tech jobs available. I didn't have any debt. My car was paid for, I was renting my apartment. I had money saved up. I don't have kids or dependents. I had a place to stay for free for a while until I had a new job. And I still ended up having to borrow money towards the end of it.

I would say all this applies to me as well. I have desirable skills for for the job market where I live, I have money saved up and will be able to pay rent, and I don't have any debt, car payments or kids. The risk seems fairly low but definitely very real at the same time. I'm prepared for the financial repercussions but not necessarily the ones that affect my career.

Sounds like I need to come up with a solid plan before I make any rash decisions.
posted by cm1088 at 9:08 PM on April 15, 2013 [1 favorite]


Then absolutely, man, go for it. And no, you don't really need a detailed plan. You just need A Project and A Budget. If you're going to travel, by a plane ticket next week to set a stake in the ground, then figure out the details.
posted by empath at 9:22 PM on April 15, 2013 [4 favorites]


An extended travel period with new experiences can be an eye opening thing.

But make no mistake, if this continues past a few a months it will put a strain on your relationships if you do not have a solid plan for getting from point A to point B. Do some soul-searching on your vacation about what you want from a job/career and make a set of commitments to get yourself there.

Leaving this job without another one lined up is not a good idea, but in your situation I think you could get away with it. Just don't jump ship without a plan, and set your expectations low for your job search. You don't lose anything by anticipating and preparing for a year-long job search.
posted by bombastic at 9:53 PM on April 15, 2013


I say jump ship. A little time off the grid might do you good.

And in terms of explaining your hiatus to future employers? Use the tried-and-true "I was working as a consultant".

You can always make more money.

Go travel, spend time with family, recharge.

Leap!
posted by nacho fries at 9:59 PM on April 15, 2013 [1 favorite]


Don't jump ship yet. HRs everywhere WILL look for gaps in your resume, and this will result in two things: either they will not call you for interviews (most of the time, unless you have a REALLY good excuse), or if they do call you and you are selected, they will low-ball you in their offer. I was involved with the hiring process at a *very* large tech company recently (as a technical consultant), and this was one of the main topics of consideration when HR had to navigate that thick stack of resumes to find the good people.

They always say it takes money to make money; in this economy, it takes being employed to be employable.
posted by dcrocha at 10:05 PM on April 15, 2013


It is a risk but it is a reasonable, calculated risk. I would say, take a chance and invest in yourself by having an experience (and one that will be much harder to have in your 30s or 40s.) Not taking a chance has its own risks - they are just harder to see. (After all, you could laid off tomorrow and be job hunting anyway.) More importantly, there is a big difference in the internal quality of life between people who are willing to take thoughtful risks and those who are afraid of find out what happens when you get off the more straight-and-narrow paths to success. I'm not saying everyone should blindly quit their jobs tomorrow but you are one of the people who should not be discouraged from finding out what might happen.
posted by metahawk at 10:21 PM on April 15, 2013 [1 favorite]


You have a year's worth of savings, a partner who can and is willing to support you, and parents who want to do the same. Listen to them, not random internet strangers who don't know anything about you, or your job, or the toll it's taking on you.

Anyone who can save a year's worth of expenses up is clearly not some kind of gad-about take-no-action johnny-come-lately. You seem responsible and clear-headed. Do what you need to do.
posted by smoke at 11:07 PM on April 15, 2013 [6 favorites]


All of the super-cautious advice in this thread makes me sad. Yeah, it could suck if your choice turns out badly, but it sucks more to live a life you're not happy with because you're afraid. It sounds to me like you're in a great position to take a risk and go for something that you would really value in life.

My main worry is that you get a good enough payoff from your risk - is there something bigger and grander (and that would make a better story for future job interviews) that you'd love to run off and spend time on? As it is, you're looking at trading a month of vacation for a few months of job hunting ... which I assume is going to be pretty miserable. Can you change the narrative from "running from a soul-sucking job" to something along the lines of "quit to pursue awesome opportunity"?
posted by Metasyntactic at 11:17 PM on April 15, 2013 [8 favorites]


I'm about to do this myself in about two months. For me, it's not a choice; I cannot continue in my current position ("burnout" is too mild a term). I also can live for at least a year unemployed, and I have no job lined up. So that's the perspective I'm seeing this question from. Perhaps I'm biased.

Some of the comments advising against quitting seem like they're overly conservative. You have to live your life, and live it for yourself. You are not a slave to a hypothetical HR manager. And I don't believe that being an adult means accepting unhappiness and not taking any risks ever. I think being an adult means being responsible for your choices. If you make a risky jump, it's your choice. If that brings you hardship, you will respond to it in the way that you choose. When I face these same anxieties myself, I accept that I'm taking a leap of faith. All sorts of things can go wrong. But I also know that I can deal with hardship; I have before. Just like you are coping with hardship by continuing in your current job. There are things in life to be afraid of, to be sure. But not landing a position because you have a gap in your résumé? You will live through that.

Do what you want to do. Good luck.
posted by univac at 11:24 PM on April 15, 2013 [2 favorites]


I think taking time out in your twenties is totally the thing to do. People's opinion on this will come from either fear or experience. You can discount the fear stuff (unless it coming from people who actively planned to do this then changed their mind), but the experience stuff comes from people are telling you how it worked out for them and that's what you need to sift through to work out your own risk assessment strategy.

I did this at 27 - I saved for a year and took six months off. I had a solo travel project and various activities planned, most of which I pulled off and it was amazing. I had about two months of anxiety afterwards when I was looking for a job, and that was no fun, but it worked out. I got a couple of part-time jobs and then transitioned into a proper grown-up career fairly quickly afterwards.

Now, the main differences between my circumstances and yours are:

- I wasn't living with an SO at the time, so there was no resentment about me gadding about whilst s/he had to go to work and pay the rent,
- being from the UK I didn't have to worry about health insurance whilst being unemployed (this is possibly the deal breaker for many USians).
- this wasn't taking place in the middle of the current economic crisis

However, I also had less going for me in that:

- I didn't have the support of an SO if things had gone seriously awry
- I didn't have the amount of savings you have
- I didn't have a resume (at that time) of working for big, well-known companies to present to new employers once job hunting commenced

But it worked out for me and has informed pretty much everything I've done since.

There were however long-term consequences. For me that was:

- The amount I'd saved could have been used for a down payment on a house. In the intervening years prices in my areas rocketed and, had I bought then, I'd be in a great position to upgrade now (although this doesn't bother at all, it may be an issue for you, especially if you want kids)
- I have tasted freedom! Honestly, it's pretty narcotic to get extended time off and that has left me vaguely dissatisfied with any full-time job since then - although conversely I've been a better employee because I feel less trapped - I know what the options are.

In reflection, and being a bit of a rolling stone, it was more than worth it for me personally. I gained a lot of confidence that's translated across to my working life. I pitched the gap to employers as a travel project and nobody thought I was insane for having done so. I'm now plotting a similar break next year, although this time (and being eight years older) it will be much more focussed around a career change - and that's what I've learned from free-styling it the first time.

Basically, you need to be given the opportunity to make your own mistakes. If, having assessed the risks properly, you still want to to do this, why the hell not?

If you do want to go ahead my advice would be that you take a structured approach the time. Earmark say, a fortnight to just sleep and hang out, then go on your (possibly extended) vacation, then expect to spend at least a month focussing heavily on career options, exploring possible avenues and maybe volunteering.

It could take much longer to actually find a new job, so be prepared for that, maybe by signing up for a part-time or online course in a subject specific to your field (or new field), counting the cost as part of your 'break tax' that's not so heavy you can't drop it or continue if a job comes up sooner than expected. It's a good idea to get this kind of thing set up before you quit so there is something in the calendar for when you're back. It also helps fill any 'gap' time on the resume and demonstrates the ability to plan and mange resources.

Anyway, apologies for the essay, good luck whichever way you go.
posted by freya_lamb at 3:00 AM on April 16, 2013 [3 favorites]


You know, if you start enforcing better work/life balance boundaries at your current job, the worst that could happen is they let you go and you (maybe) get a severance package. If you're planning on escaping anyway, that might be a win/win.
posted by Lieber Frau at 5:59 AM on April 16, 2013 [1 favorite]


You know what, I've done it a bunch of times, in a good economy and in a bad economy. And I never had a safety net of someone to support me. I was also willing to take shitty jobs until I could do better.

I'd play it a bit differently though. I'd prioritize looking for a new position. I'd start papering the world with my resume. I'd stop doing more than 8 hours of work at your current job. There will always be more work, so just pick up and leave at five. What can they do? Clearly they need you.

When you negotiate an offer at your new gig, give yourself a few weeks before your start date. Then, quit with no notice and take that month and rest and relax.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 6:06 AM on April 16, 2013


Look, a lot of people will tell you not to do this, because they are afraid. I won't tell you not to do it. I think life is short, and being unhappy is a huge price to pay for "security". Money is not the only thing that can be lost.

It might be different if you had no savings and were living hand-to-mouth, but you're not. You're miserable, and you have savings. You need that break, and you know it. And I believe you are in a financial position to risk it, too.
posted by bearette at 6:08 AM on April 16, 2013 [3 favorites]


For now, if you can handle continuing to show up for work, I would do that and look for a new job. Then, when you get an offer, try to negotiate a start date that gives you time to spend three weeks in Guatemala.

Really, I don't hate your plan to jump ship, chill, and then figure things out. But it's risky, and especially in this economy, no matter how qualified you are a gap in employment could come back to bite you in the ass in a big way.
posted by J. Wilson at 6:48 AM on April 16, 2013


financially, i'm stable and have up to year's worth of expenses saved up (not that I want to make a big dent in that) and a SO and parents who I can lean on, if worse comes to worse.

Just as a data point, taking your significant other's financial resources for granted is an excellent way to have your relationship end. I eventually broke up with my second girlfriend because she did exactly this - she quit her job without having another one lined up, and then I wound up paying her rent for a while. It made me lose a lot of respect for her, and eventually I wound up thinking about the situation in economic terms. "If I'm paying somebody else's rent, then basically what I've got here is the girlfriend equivalent of a trophy wife... and if I'm going to go in that direction, I might as well trade up for somebody smarter and prettier." I wouldn't have minded if her job loss had been a layoff that was out of her control, but the fact that it was a conscious decision on her part made me feel somewhat taken advantage of.
posted by wolfdreams01 at 7:43 AM on April 16, 2013


Depends on your field and geography, but the average worker should not. Companies won't even look at the resumes of the long-term unemployed
posted by jewzilla at 8:00 AM on April 16, 2013


This is a life decision.
Only you can make life decisions for yourself.
Be responsible.
Enjoy your life.


Just a couple of things. Americans tend to work more than people in other countries. I know when I was traveling, everyone was always "You're an american??? There's so few of them travelling!"

That said, people above are correct. A huge gap in your resume gives you a paper (resume) problem. IMHO 2 months is not a long enough gap to worry about (depending on your industry!). If your industry is hiring like crazy, then go for it (but I am an agitator for everyone taking more time off, so insert salt grains here).


On a personal note, I quit a job I hated in my late 20's and took time off and traveled. I disagree that this was an irresponsible adult life decision, as people above have said. I had the money saved up, I was single, I'd been wanting to do it more and more, and I hated my job. I wanted a vacation, and I took it. Setting up a new job from my job would not have allowed me to do so, certainly not in such a relaxed manner. It was a great experience, and I do not regret it at all.


Fast forwarding, and it was fine finding a new job (IT industry btw). Everyone was still hiring. But the job after that, when the market was tighter, EVERY recruiter asked me about my gap. Every. Single. One. I ended up changing my resume from just having a blank to "Circumnavigated the Earth", because I did, and I'm proud of it. They still ask every time, but they ask more like "you just up and travelled", and I'm like "yup, it was pretty great, here's 10 seconds of highlights" and then we move on. Of course, I have no idea how many jobs just didn't call me back, and my earning potential certainly wasn't maximized by taking time off.

In short, I agree with freya_lamb. Save up for cobra, if you are in the USofA.
posted by Phredward at 8:52 AM on April 16, 2013 [5 favorites]


Dude:
  1. This job is making you so crazy that your SO and your parents are urging you to get out and everyone has your back.
  2. You have one year's living expenses.
  3. You're in a good field.
  4. You have a CV good enough that putting out feelers gets quite a few nibbles.
I won't say there's not a risk, because there's always a risk, but I know where you're coming from. I had to leave my previous job for similar burnout reasons related more to a really poorly done reorganization (my hours weren't so crazy but the stress was). I had a fallback in that I ramped up hours at a part-time (no benefits) second job I had.

Technically it took me a year to find a job, but I wasn't really applying for jobs for most of that time - once I started applying, I had two offers in a month. And my field isn't really that good.
posted by clerestory at 3:57 PM on April 16, 2013


I've done what you're talking about doing three times and was better for it. Don't get sucked into thinking you have to be working, constantly, forever. If you've saved up the money, that money is yours to use. However, make sure that what you said here is true:
i feel like i have pretty good experience, working at big, well known companies and even in this job market, I think i would be able to find something in the next 2-3 months
If you haven't proven this in the past, at least get yourself an in-person interview for a job that is comparable to the kind of job you want. You don't have to take it. You just have to prove you could probably get it.
posted by ignignokt at 4:47 PM on April 16, 2013


Well, make sure that you have some bread stored up to take care of the things you know are going to come up once you don't have a gig anymore. I just did this a few months ago, and I still don't have a gig. Even more awesome, I'm in Canada with my wife having left my job for pretty much the same reasons.

As far as the job goes? Fuck it. You'll be happier once you've taken a little time to decompress and get over what was stressing you out. Good luck, and hang in there.
posted by Jim On Light at 10:23 PM on April 16, 2013


Response by poster: thanks everyone for the advice and stories from personal experience. definitely interesting to hear other views.

it's been a couple weeks and i ended up not quitting immediately. i wanted to think it through some more and make some solid plans first. well, in that time frame, i actually ended up receiving an offer at another company, for a better job with a better salary. i'm currently negotiating some things but needless to say, i will be leaving my current job. and i have a vacation planned before i start my new position. so everything turned out ok in the end :)
posted by cm1088 at 1:40 PM on May 1, 2013 [3 favorites]


Hooray! Congrats!
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 5:16 PM on May 1, 2013


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