If, When, and How to Leave Your Job
Sayeed Alam, alam.sayeed@gmail.com

Insanity
 The definition of insanity is doing the same thing
again and again and expecting a different result.
—Albert Einstein
 There comes a time in every career when you question
whether it makes sense to continue or not.

Never a Good Time to Quit
 There is never really a good time to quit your job in a
huff, even though some workplace nonsense can make
you crazy enough to do just that.
 With a focus on preparation rather than
paranoia, what are the clues or signals that it is time
for you to move on?

You may be ready to move on if :
 You dislike your boss or your boss dislikes you, and you
cannot resolve this.
 You have a conflict with a peer, subordinate, or
customer (internal or external), and you have been
unable to work it out.
 You do not enjoy the work you do, and no amount of
vacationing will fix it.
 You are in full-blown burnout and suffering the
physical symptoms of stress, including
headaches, sleeplessness, anxiety, or depression.

You may be ready to move on if :
 Key individuals in your organization lack integrity, and
you cannot justify their actions any longer.
 Your work environment is chaotic, verbally
abusive, hostile, disrespectful, or demeaning.
 You no longer feel that your contribution is
appreciated—something is wrong, and you cannot put
your finger on it.
 Your work is constantly criticized—or ignored.

You may be ready to move on if :
 You are known in your organization as difficult and
aggressive.
 You have made a workplace or political blunder, and
your rebound plan has not worked.
 You have applied for a promotion, and the reasons for
your being rejected are flimsy at best.
 You have been “layered”—that is, your boss has hired
someone to manage you (you report to the new
guy, and the new guy reports to your boss).

You may be ready to move on if :
 You have attempted to develop a mentor relationship with
members of management, but you have been avoided or
turned down.
 You have not improved your career skills within the last 90
days.
 You have been overlooked for important meetings, task
forces, and initiatives.
 Your last performance evaluation recommended skill or
behavior enhancements for you to master, and you have
neglected to do so.
 Your company is in merger talks with another company or
your company is in financial trouble.

You may be ready to move on other if :
 Your boss has been fired (or has left to pursue
opportunities), and you are guilty by association.
 Your company has hired a new CEO, and he has begun
to hire his own leadership team.
 You are elated on Friday afternoons and depressed on
Sunday nights.
If you agreed with seven or more of these statements, you
will want to either take some steps to stabilize your
current position or plan your exit.

Planning for When and How
Ask yourself the following questions:
 How did I get here?
 Have I experienced this before?
 What part of this relationship can I own and shift?
 What are my options?
 How do I want this to turn out?

You could ask yourself the
following questions:
 What is most satisfying in being an what I am?
 What is most dissatisfying?
 How do those things fit (or contrast) with my values?
 What needs are fulfilled by following my father’s
expectations, and how are those actions serving me
now? What values and needs do I have now?
 How can I take my skills and my values, and create a
balanced life that I love?

Way to exit
 Put It in Writing Many people must negotiate an exit
package in uncomfortable circumstances.
 However, even in the worst-case scenarios, it is never
wise to articulate your anger and frustration in your
letter of resignation.
 An unheated discussion with your boss, followed by a
simple letter of resignation and the outline of an exit
plan, is the way to go.

Your exit plan
 Depending on your position and the length of the
notice you give (knowing that most employers will
escort you to the door the minute you give your
notice), your exit plan will serve as your compass
during your transition. Consider the following:
 Are you entitled to accrued vacation or severance?
 Will your title and salary remain constant during the
transition and severance period?
 Will you receive a lump-sum severance payment on
the day you leave, or will you receive salary
continuation?

Before you exit..think
 If you will receive salary continuation, will payment
cease upon your acceptance of new employment?
 Will you be free to take time off for personal business
during the transitional period?
 Will your benefits continue during both the
transitional and the severance period?
 Are you entitled to any bonuses (profit
sharing, incentives, or other bonuses paid at target
achievement level) during the severance period as
though you were a full-time employee?

N more to think…
 How will existing stock options be handled?
 What type of written or verbal reference statement will
be delivered to your prospective employers regarding
the circumstances of your departure? Develop a
mutually agreed-upon letter of reference or statement
to be used.

Final Thoughts on Leaving Your Job
 Sometimes we know that it is time to go, but we deny it.
 Sometimes we know that it is time to go, but we fight it.
 Sometimes we do not know that it is time to go, and we are
caught unawares .
 The best cases are those in which you know, plan, and take
action to control your own career.
 Leaving a job takes as much work as finding a job. Deciding
if, when, and how to leave is much easier when you are in
touch with both what is going on inside of your
organization and what is going on inside of you.
 This awareness gives you more options, earlier—and a
sense of control that cannot get any other way.

Concepts to Remember
 Be aware of the clues and signals that it is time to move on.
 Make a plan for your departure, with integrity.
 Prepare, then take action.
 Take the time you need to grieve for your job loss, then
move on.
 Deal with the financial aspects of your job loss.
 Practice career activism: Take direct and vigorous action.
 Manage your time.
 Balance your life:
relationships, health, finances, environment, and spirit.