5 things to consider before handing in your notice
29 June 2015
Read by 3501 persons
Do you sometimes hate your job so much that your mind boils over and becomes uncontrollable? In such a situation, you might want to jump off the train, spontaneously shout 'stop', pack your bags and go on holiday. However, be reasonable and consider these points before handing in your notice.
Even if you feel like having a tantrum, showing your indignation or boredom, or even destroying everything around you and running away, think twice. Such impulsiveness may relieve you at the moment, but it's not very professional.
"You may be convinced that a radical departure is justified, but you also create the illusion that you are someone unable to control their emotions," warns Brie Reynolds, head of Online Content at FlexJobs. "Potential employers will see you as someone who can't control their behavior or attitude. They probably won't believe you can remain professional at all times."
In other words, you are jeopardizing your reputation, which can influence your chances in future interviews. Here are 5 things to consider before letting your emotions take over and decide for you.
1. Identify your motivation
Do you want to leave your company because you are frustrated? This is probably not the first time such a situation has happened to you. Analyze it and try to pinpoint the things that irritate you or push you to such emotional reactions. If you can get rid of these points of frustration in time, or if you already learn to recognize them, you will be better able to anticipate or simply change something.
2. Take all your leave
Sometimes we just need a little distance. Wanting to hand in your notice abruptly is often the result of a well-known phenomenon: 'the straw that broke the camel's back.' Give yourself time to empty it. A week's holiday may be enough to get back to work on the right foot. It also gives you time to update your CV and look for new opportunities on the market.
3. Are you financially secure enough?
Handing in your notice may feel good for a few days, but if you later realize that you can no longer pay your rent or your bills, you'll quickly have a bitter taste in your mouth.
Ben Peterson, co-founder of BambooHR, says that considering the financial aspect is the best way to avoid hasty decisions. "You don't sell a car without first thinking about which one you would buy to replace it. So don't leave your employer without a plan B." Peterson advises setting a mandatory reflection period. Give yourself 72 hours to step back before making important career decisions.
4. Talk to a mentor or ally
Are you upset with a colleague or employer? Try to calm down by talking to a mentor or friend. This way, you'll have some perspective and someone who can look at the situation calmly and from an outside point of view, because our emotions tend to cloud our own view.
Kathy Harris, CEO of the recruitment agency Harris Allied, emphasizes that the person we open up to must be trustworthy. If your trusted person is likely to repeat all your frustrations elsewhere, it will only make things worse.
5. Take a time-out
Children benefit from a time-out when they display inappropriate behavior: they are put 'in the corner' to calm down and think. Adults who want to make drastic decisions (like leaving a company) can also use such a moment of reflection. The results may not be the same if you put adults in a corner or on a chair facing the wall, but the intention is to reflect with a clear head.
Brie Reynolds advises adults to take several deep breaths when they feel a fit of anger coming on or the urge to make irrational decisions. Leaving the place where you are, walking around the neighborhood or going to the toilet, all this can really make a difference. "You need to free yourself from the situation," concludes Reynolds.
(EH) (SC) Source: Glassdoor.com
Jobat.be
Posted online June 29, 2015.
Even if you feel like having a tantrum, showing your indignation or boredom, or even destroying everything around you and running away, think twice. Such impulsiveness may relieve you at the moment, but it's not very professional.
"You may be convinced that a radical departure is justified, but you also create the illusion that you are someone unable to control their emotions," warns Brie Reynolds, head of Online Content at FlexJobs. "Potential employers will see you as someone who can't control their behavior or attitude. They probably won't believe you can remain professional at all times."
In other words, you are jeopardizing your reputation, which can influence your chances in future interviews. Here are 5 things to consider before letting your emotions take over and decide for you.
1. Identify your motivation
Do you want to leave your company because you are frustrated? This is probably not the first time such a situation has happened to you. Analyze it and try to pinpoint the things that irritate you or push you to such emotional reactions. If you can get rid of these points of frustration in time, or if you already learn to recognize them, you will be better able to anticipate or simply change something.
2. Take all your leave
Sometimes we just need a little distance. Wanting to hand in your notice abruptly is often the result of a well-known phenomenon: 'the straw that broke the camel's back.' Give yourself time to empty it. A week's holiday may be enough to get back to work on the right foot. It also gives you time to update your CV and look for new opportunities on the market.
3. Are you financially secure enough?
Handing in your notice may feel good for a few days, but if you later realize that you can no longer pay your rent or your bills, you'll quickly have a bitter taste in your mouth.
Ben Peterson, co-founder of BambooHR, says that considering the financial aspect is the best way to avoid hasty decisions. "You don't sell a car without first thinking about which one you would buy to replace it. So don't leave your employer without a plan B." Peterson advises setting a mandatory reflection period. Give yourself 72 hours to step back before making important career decisions.
4. Talk to a mentor or ally
Are you upset with a colleague or employer? Try to calm down by talking to a mentor or friend. This way, you'll have some perspective and someone who can look at the situation calmly and from an outside point of view, because our emotions tend to cloud our own view.
Kathy Harris, CEO of the recruitment agency Harris Allied, emphasizes that the person we open up to must be trustworthy. If your trusted person is likely to repeat all your frustrations elsewhere, it will only make things worse.
5. Take a time-out
Children benefit from a time-out when they display inappropriate behavior: they are put 'in the corner' to calm down and think. Adults who want to make drastic decisions (like leaving a company) can also use such a moment of reflection. The results may not be the same if you put adults in a corner or on a chair facing the wall, but the intention is to reflect with a clear head.
Brie Reynolds advises adults to take several deep breaths when they feel a fit of anger coming on or the urge to make irrational decisions. Leaving the place where you are, walking around the neighborhood or going to the toilet, all this can really make a difference. "You need to free yourself from the situation," concludes Reynolds.
(EH) (SC) Source: Glassdoor.com
Jobat.be
Posted online June 29, 2015.
