Before You Resign, Consider This

Everyday we catch up with loads of people who are considering their next role.

While most have valid reasons for the move and the majority are leaving to further their own careers, some people potentially make a silly decision by leaving their current job.  

Part of being a good recruiter is to help shed light on perhaps reasons why you wouldn’t actually leave your current job.  

Here are some of them:

YOUR CURRENT BOSS MIGHT MOVE/RETIRE IN THE NEAR FUTURE

It’s uncanny how often someone resigns because they need career progression and within a few months of being in the new job, their previous boss moves on.

Don’t be this person!  

It’s like waiting all night long at a New Years party, only to head home at 11.45.

If you are going to leave because your boss seems entrenched and you can’t see career opportunity – then have a quiet chat with your boss before you think about resigning.  You just never know!

YOU LIKE THE COMPANY BUT FEEL UNDERVALUED

Typically high achievers in any organisation are proactive and seek opportunity.

They are always valued highly.  If you are leaving because you think you’re not valued enough – perhaps it’s time to turn the mirror around and consider what you can do to help the business succeed.  

Often, we find that people who feel undervalued are in fact not fully contributing in their current role and often, their manager has disengaged with them.

It’s a tough call – but sit back and consider whether you are excellent, good, average or an underachiever in your current role and whether that is influencing your feelings of being undervalued.  

If you reckon you’re performance is less than awesome, perhaps give yourself a 6 month remedy plan so you can improve how people value you before you just give up.  Better still – have a conversation with your boss to try to get things back on track.

YOU LIKE THE COMPANY BUT NEED A CHALLENGE OR A CHANGE IN SCENE

We are creatures of habit, but we also need a break now and then.  Consider how you could create a challenge or a change in your current company.  Is a secondment somewhere an option? Perhaps there is a new part of the business that needs your finance skills?  Perhaps there is a new system going in that you could be a part of?  Most successful businesses are always changing which means there is always opportunity.  

Stick your hand up if you want to be considered – even if you don’t get on a project team – at least your boss knows you are keen.  

YOU’VE GOT LIFE STUFF GOING ON.

Moving jobs and companies is exciting but it can also be stressful.  A new role means a new location, a new routine, new workmates and (importantly) working out where the best coffee can be found.  

If you have a young family, someone sick you are caring for, you’re studying or you are training for the olympics – then you really should think carefully before leaving your current gig.  If the money is okay, the role is okay, the people are okay and it fits okay with your current life – then maybe right now isn’t the time to smash out a new role.

Our work and our workmates become a big part of our lives – it’s where we spend a lot of our time and energy.  No one should work for a rubbish company or for an idiot boss.  But don’t walk away from what might be a fantastic job because you haven’t explored all the options.

At Consult, we believe in forming good strong relationships for the long term, so that we can help you whether you are looking for a job or not. We only work with top talent in the accounting & finance community, so we can spend more time getting to know these people better and delivering on our promises.