How to Get Out of a Job You Hate

Not being happy with your job is a common problem many people experience. If you are struggling with this, just know that approximately half of Americans are unhappy with their current place of employment, you can relax a little bit knowing that you’re not the only one feeling this way.

Choosing the right profession is difficult. You may need to try many different careers until you find out what suits you best. When you have a job you are not content with, it may seem as if you are not able to quit. You are not sure if you would get hired elsewhere, or end up staying because this current job gives you some financial stability. You want to quit but feel that it’s impossible to do so without potentially suffering from the financial burden from your current vantage point.

Don’t worry, here are some suggestions to help make things easier for you while you plan to get out of that job that you hate so much:

Hunt for a better job while continuing with the unpleasant one so you have enough money stashed away for your current expenses. Once you find a new and more satisfying job, quit your old one, or perhaps start your own business if you wish.

If you are unhappy with your job these are some of the questions that might be swirling about in your head:

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The short answer is – yes, you should. However, you may need to consider what motivates you to do it.

Before you quit your job, ask yourself the following question, “Am I quitting only because it is too difficult?” Think about whether it is the difficulties that makes you want to give up on your job. 

“Quitting because you don’t want to be uncomfortable will prevent you from growing.” 

–Amy Morin

What you need to be aware of is that there are challenges in every career path. The important thing is to decide what types of hardships you can put up with and whether your goals are more important to you than the obstacles that you may encounter. 

Think about your priorities. Are you looking for a less stressful job? Are you looking for a job that pays more? Are you looking for a job that you are passionate about? Do you just want a new job so that you can learn more about yourself?

For example, if it is more important to you that your job is one that you are passionate about more than financial stability, then, you need to accept that financial stability may or may not be promised with such a job. In an ideal situation, you would have the job that you are passionate about, love doing, with as little stress as possible, and with an attractive compensation package. But in many instances, it does not always seem to happen this way, which is the reason why you need to make a list of things that are most important to you when it comes to looking for work that will occupy a good chunk of your life here on earth.

If you are now sure that you wish to quit your job but it may seem impossible to throw in the gloves, you should think about what steps you need to take in order to make your grand exit. How do you escape a job you hate?

You need to make sure that you have enough financial security for escaping the job you hate. A great way to do it is by either starting a new part-time job or working a side gig until you are able to quit the undesirable job you wish to get rid of. 

However, if you start looking for a new job after quitting your current one, you may risk not finding a position early enough and not having any source of income while on the hunt for a better career so it is highly advisable that you do not quit your current career while looking for new work.

If you believe you cannot find another job or a better one because it has requirements that you cannot meet yet, try saving some money from your current career so you can invest in a course that aims to teach you new skills and get you certified in other areas of expertise. Investing in a new skill is always worth it and you may start getting jobs that you have not tried before that you may like more than the current one you have. This way you get more freedom of choice of work, so you can escape the job you dislike. You also get to know yourself better while obtaining new skills and knowledge.

When expressing your desire to leave, to your boss, try to be respectful and leave gracefully, even if the circumstances are difficult. Be positive and do not say anything negative about your boss or the company, even if you feel negative. This does not mean being dishonest, but simply being polite. 

But aren’t there other options than just starting another job? The answer is – yes.

One way to quit your job without another job is to have enough saved up. In this case, you may not need a new job and you can quit immediately. Just consider how long your savings will last before you need to get a new job.

If you do not wish to continue working your job any longer, you could also save enough money to start your own business. While this may sound like an ambitious idea, but you’ll have to do your own due diligence. Nowadays, even though creating a successful business is difficult and takes a lot of effort, it is easier and quicker than ever to start. This way you’ll learn to become a more independent and self-reliant individual regardless of what you’ll end up doing.

Wouldn’t it be nice if you had no financial worries so you could quit your undesirable job whenever you like? 

It is recommended that you have at least enough money for covering your living expenses until you find another job as soon as possible. How much money you need highly depends on where and how you live. It is difficult to answer this question because it depends on your circumstances.

If you manage to find a new job right after you quit your job, you may not need to save a lot of money, but you may still need to have saved in case of an emergency. But if you cannot last another day at your place of employment, the typical amount you should save for is about 3-6 months worth of living expenses (rent+utilities+food) plus emergency funds.

If you are sure that you just can’t manage to last any longer at your current job, you may ask… how long should you stay at a job that I hate?

This highly depends on your current financial circumstance, as previously said. If you cannot find another source of income, you may need to work at your unpleasant job for as long as it is needed until you are able to quit.

If you can, quit as soon as possible. You’ll do yourself a favor by leaving a workplace that does not help with your growth or makes you feel satisfied. If you keep yourself trapped at a job you dislike, it will do more harm than good. Harm such as chronic stress or depression due to the toxicity of your current work environment.

Conclusion

To sum this up, it is highly recommended that you do not stay in a place that hinders your personal growth and happiness. Sometimes it can be difficult to be where you wish to be in life due to a job that you hate. This is why it is very important to consider switching jobs or to do something else that could get you to a place of optimal experiences, or, at the least, help steer you in the direction that would contribute to your growth as a person and a spiritual being.

Just remember that to get out of a job that you hate, you must first ask yourself what you really want out of life and what the perfect career looks like to you. Take some time out to reassess your priorities and find out what’s most important to you. From there, make the necessary steps for change and keep on course with a pig-headed determination for what success looks like to you.

Tommy P.
Tommy P.

My very first thought when I became aware of my very own consciousness in this earthly world was... "whoa... why are we here? what's the meaning or purpose to life?" I was never able to shake these questions... So come join me on my podcast of rants on many different topics that will assist you in seeing things through a rose-colored lens and on living a life of well-being.

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