Quitting before you have a new job

[Anonymous]

My sibling did this so didn't have insurance. Ended up in the hospital with an issue that will probably keep them out of work for about a year.

I don't recommend it unless you can really, really afford it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you’ve quit a job before you had a new one can you tell me about it. What made you quit? Do you regret it? How long did it take you to find something new?

DH’s boss was making him miserable and it seemed likely he’d get fired soon. He was working so hard, he had no time to job hunt. I make enough to pay our living expenses, so I supported quitting without another one lined up. He got a job he loves 6 months later that pays quite a bit more, so no regrets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I generally don’t think it’s a good idea but my spouse did this with biglaw and found a new fed job within a few months

Was it any issue that they had quit? Did it come up in interviews or did they need to explain why they left the previous job?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I generally don’t think it’s a good idea but my spouse did this with biglaw and found a new fed job within a few months

Was it any issue that they had quit? Did it come up in interviews or did they need to explain why they left the previous job?

We just went through 20 booming years — the 2002-2008 housing bubble, and then 2013-2023 ZIRP bubble. In a world with real interest rates, I would be wary of assuming things still work the same. We have major layoffs for the first time since the financial crisis.

[Anonymous]

It's unfortunate that this is an issue. There's really no valid reason for it being easier to get a job if you have a job. There's such an unnecessary stigma about people with resume gaps.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I generally don’t think it’s a good idea but my spouse did this with biglaw and found a new fed job within a few months

Was it any issue that they had quit? Did it come up in interviews or did they need to explain why they left the previous job?

OP, of course! Are you in HS?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I generally don’t think it’s a good idea but my spouse did this with biglaw and found a new fed job within a few months

Was it any issue that they had quit? Did it come up in interviews or did they need to explain why they left the previous job?

We just went through 20 booming years — the 2002-2008 housing bubble, and then 2013-2023 ZIRP bubble. In a world with real interest rates, I would be wary of assuming things still work the same. We have major layoffs for the first time since the financial crisis.

There are actually a lot of layoffs going on now in several industries, stealth and overt.

OP, if you are so marketable you should be able to find a job with a quick hunt while working. If not, you risk it all w/o a job. Do you have insurance through your employer? Are you well under 40, age discrimination is real. You sound immature. People will assume you were possibly fired for cause so that will be an impediment you will have to work against.

What is your field?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I generally don’t think it’s a good idea but my spouse did this with biglaw and found a new fed job within a few months

Was it any issue that they had quit? Did it come up in interviews or did they need to explain why they left the previous job?

OP, of course! Are you in HS?

Was it your spouse that quit? If so please elaborate. If not, well obviously this is the stereotype, but we are asking about real world experiences. (-Not OP)

[Anonymous]

I did this with my first job out of college. Everyone said you've gotta tough it out for at least one year so your resume does not look wonky. I was so miserable my mental health was in the gutter. I quit after 6 months and went to work as a cashier at a health food store while trying to figure out my next move. The cashier's pay was barely enough to cover my expenses. This was in NYC btw; scary times. It was several months later that I landed on my next real job, which was a much better fit.

No, I do not regret it one bit. I literally breathed better after leaving that first job (and my evil boss).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's unfortunate that this is an issue. There's really no valid reason for it being easier to get a job if you have a job. There's such an unnecessary stigma about people with resume gaps.

I quit jobs in order to take a break twice. I'd been on the previous job for many years and worked so hard during the day that I had no time for any personal matters. I was long overdue for all the medical appointments, and our house required renovation. After taking care of all the personal matters, I was ready to look for a new job and had no problem explaining my situation to employers. Recruiters reach out to me on LinkedIn quite frequently, since my skills are in demand. After both of my breaks, I found a new job promptly.

[Anonymous]

I did this and was very very foolish but at the same time very very lucky to land something immediately.
It was a contract role which was going to become full-time and more. As a contractor, I could make my own hours but I wouldn't be able to see my kids if I became FT there.
I had been looking for another job casually for the previous 2 months and one of them came thru in my last two weeks. It was a PT role that paid more so I was extremely lucky that it all worked out.
I worked less, got paid more and could leave to pickup my kids. It was great.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I did this and was very very foolish but at the same time very very lucky to land something immediately.
It was a contract role which was going to become full-time and more. As a contractor, I could make my own hours but I wouldn't be able to see my kids if I became FT there.
I had been looking for another job casually for the previous 2 months and one of them came thru in my last two weeks. It was a PT role that paid more so I was extremely lucky that it all worked out.
I worked less, got paid more and could leave to pickup my kids. It was great.

But you applied for the job while you WERE employed right? Did they even know you had quit your current job until the interview? Or did you even mention it in the interview?

[Anonymous]

I quit once from a high level job and while I was very marketable it would have been with other big companies in my industry and I didn’t want that. I’ll skip all the craziness surrounding my move but it ultimately paid off far better than I could have hoped for. The key is to have a very supportive spouse and enough money to carry you through a possible lean time.

[Anonymous]

Why not ghost?

My prior company ghosting was number 2 train for attrition.