Penelope Trunk at Brazen Careerist has an excellent column on the decision to quit a job.  Penelope warns that it’s important to know if the problem is your job or something else in your life. But when it is time to leave, she writes:

The days of stable jobs and corporate loyalty are over. Today, people change jobs constantly. So the best way to create stability in your career is to depend on your ability to get a new job when you need to.

That is so true. Unfortunately, while many people develop marketable skills in their jobs, they often don’t devote the necessary time to networking for their next job — which is just as important.

Why not? For a number of reasons.

Often, people get trapped in jobs that are unsatisfying — but that keep them too busy to actively search for a better opportunity. When they finally get fed up and quit, they have to start their job search from scratch.

When we’re in a job we like, the problem can even be worse. We’re so dedicated to what we’re doing from day to day, we don’t devote enough time to the future — and that next great career opportunity.

I know about these problems because I’ve encountered them myself.  It’s a big reason I started RiseSmart — to create an avenue for jobseekers to stay abreast of the very best career opportunities, even when they don’t have time to do the searching themselves.

Remember to keep at least one eye out for your future, and the idea of quitting a job you dislike isn’t nearly as scary.

Trackback URI | Comments RSS