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Four times when you'll regret saying, “Take this job and shove it!”
Most people spend 40 hours a week at work, and it's natural to want a job with a supportive boss, great colleagues, and fulfilling work that pays well. However, sometimes employees have unrealistic expectations for work and want to leave the organization for impractical reasons. These are four of the wrong reasons to quit your job.
You're receiving criticism from your boss
While no one likes to be criticized, those comments can help you become a better employee. It's human nature to think that we're doing everything right, but often, this is not the case. Newsflash: When someone is paying you to perform a job, they have the right to decide if you're meeting their expectations or not. Even if you don't agree, try to find a grain of truth in the criticism. If you get offended and quit every time your behavior or your work is criticized, you'll be changing jobs quite frequently.
Consider this: According to a Leadership IQ study, 46 percent of new hires will fail because they lack the ability to accept feedback. The study also found that 23 percent of new hires can't recognize and manage their negative emotions, while 15 percent have the wrong temperament. In other words, if you refuse to allow someone to point out what you're doing wrong or you won't commit to making those changes, then you're undermining your chances of ever achieving career success.
Even if you have a bad boss, think twice about quitting. It's important to learn how to deal with difficult people. If the situation becomes unbearable, consider taking your case to human resources or ask to transfer to another department. Of course, if your boss is a tyrant, you shouldn't accept abusive behavior, but make sure that you're not confusing oppression with an unwillingness to accept feedback.
You were passed over for promotions
Let's be honest: No one who's been passed over for a promotion ever thinks the person eventually selected was a better choice. Each one of us wants to believe that we are the best choice. However, there are a lot of factors that contribute to this type of decision. For example, some companies promote employees based on seniority, while others are concerned with looking for candidates who can not only motivate employees, but also hold them accountable. If you're the type of person who avoids confrontation at any cost, you might not be considered for a team lead or a management position.
On one occasion, an employee was passed over for a management position because this individual left work every day at exactly 5:00 p.m. — not 5:01 p.m. or 5:02 p.m. Regardless of what was going on or what deadline was looming, the employee refused to stay one minute past 5:00 p.m. However, the other managers at the organization rarely left work on time, and if they did, they would often continue working when they arrived at home.
It's in a company's best interest to promote the most qualified people, so being passed over for a promotion is rarely a case of someone who is “out to get you.” Before you throw in the towel, try to discover the common denominator among those employees who've received promotions to find out what they're doing that you are not. Also, consider what you would do if you moved to another company and did not get promoted there. Would you quit again?
Related: Building Your Case: 7 Steps to Asking for That Raise
You want more money
Obviously, everyone wants to earn more money. But, sometimes those dollar signs can cloud your vision. If you currently have a job that you love — or at least really like — you need to weigh the pros and cons of quitting.
For example, your current job may be quite flexible, while the new workplace might not be as accommodating. You may be accustomed to coming in late, leaving early, or even working from home when the kids have events at school or medical appointments. How would your lifestyle change if the new company had a more rigid schedule and required employees to request time off months in advance?
Also, when evaluating a compensation package, consider more than just your salary. An affordable health insurance plan should be a major consideration — especially if you're the primary provider for your family. You also need to factor in the amount of vacation and sick time the new job offers. If you plan on going back to school, don't forget to find out if your current employer — or a new one that you're considering — offers tuition reimbursement.
There are other “little” factors that, when taken as a whole, could eventually become a major plus or a major negative. For example, if you're going from free, close, and secure parking to a job with remote, paid parking, this not only means that you will now have to pay parking fees, but you'll also be standing around (in the heat, rain, or snow), waiting to be picked up and dropped off at your office. Also, because you're parking so far away, the chances of running errands on your lunch break are greatly diminished.
Another consideration: If you're quitting a job that is 15 minutes from your home for a job that is 45 minutes away, this will increase gas consumption, wear and tear on your vehicle, and stress levels, especially if you're spending more time in traffic.
In addition, if you're leaving a job with a low-cost cafeteria or the ability to store your lunch in the refrigerator for a place with no economical place to eat nearby and limited or no refrigerator space, you might end up spending significantly more on your meals.
These are just some of the factors you need to consider if you want to leave your job for one that pays better. Ask yourself, “Is it worth it?”
You want to start your own business
There's a big difference between quitting your job to start a new business, and leaving because your new business has been up and running for a while. According to Entrepreneur, while 75 percent of small business owners are supremely confident that their company will be profitable, 50 percent fail in the fifth year, and at the 10-year mark, 70 percent of small businesses have gone belly-up. The vast majority of these failures are a result of cash flow problems.
It should also be noted that only 20 percent of small businesses fail within the first two years. This fact is important because one or two good years can create a false sense of success. That's why it might be better to hold on to your day job until your business has been successful for several years.
While no job is perfect, it's important to approach employment from a realistic perspective. Always weigh the advantages of staying against the drawbacks of leaving before submitting your letter of resignation. You may find that your job is more beneficial than you think.
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