Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Quit

By Jessica Wise

So you wanna quit your job, huh? Everyone has their days where they just want to throw their work phone in a fountain and never look back, like Andy Sachs in The Devil Wear Prada.

But, like Andy’s Sidekick, the days of doing that are over. Maybe it didn’t matter when you were 16 and working at the mall, but we’re all grown up. And walking away from a job on the spot has consequences.

I get it. I’ve had my share of toxic workplaces. In fact, 90% of the people I’ve worked for deserved a cinematic level of “F**k this. I quit!” from me. But this isn’t a movie, and I’m not as rich as Anne Hathaway...yet.

Here are a few questions to ask yourself before you fly off the handle and quit:

Is this a bad place, or a bad moment?

No job is perfect. The people you work with have real life happening outside of work, just like you. Everyone isn’t going to be pleasant 40 hours a week, and there’s bound to be some collisions.

Are you regularly offended by your coworkers and supervisors? Or did they just offend you today? If you typically enjoy your time at work, this is probably just a one-off thing. But if you find yourself upset on a daily basis, chances are it’s time to go.

Are you actually trying?

Before you start blaming your supervisor, your coworkers, and the broken coffee machine, you need to be honest with yourself. Are you meeting your deadlines? Are you showing up with a positive attitude? Have you been professional and kind to everyone?

Being difficult to work with makes the environment miserable for you too, not just everybody else. Do some serious self-reflection and make sure you’re truly giving this job some fair effort.

Are they trying?

Again, no job is perfect. Just like you’re evolving as a professional, your company should always be evolving for the better. Has your company been open to feedback? Are they showing concrete efforts to implement it?

The same applies on the department level. People don’t leave because of bad companies. They leave because of bad management. If your higher ups are putting forth genuine efforts to make a better work environment, maybe think twice before writing your resignation letter. If they refuse to take constructive criticism and listen to their employees, run as fast as you can.

Do you have an exit plan?

Quitting on the fly looks cool in the movies, but this is real life. You’re going to need a new job before your money runs out. The average millennial worker has a hard time building significant savings due to low wages and increasing costs of living. It’s not impossible, but probably not something you’ve thought about if quitting only recently became an idea. If your savings are not going to cover you for at least three to six months, quitting before you find another job is not a good idea.
If you’re truly ready to look for new work, check out my article on how to make a proper exit plan.

Have you learned all you can here?

Sometimes getting the know-how and the connections is worth staying a little. If you can run the company or the department with your eyes closed and they still refuse to promote you, it’s time to go. But if you still have more measurable milestones to meet, consider trying to see it through.