Taking The Plunge

**sweeps** · 02-16-2009, 06:54 AM

Maybe I misunderstood... Did you resign before you had another job lined up?

**zakity** · 02-16-2009, 08:00 AM

Never quit one job without having another already in hand.

**DebbieL** · 02-16-2009, 08:27 AM

I would NOT recommend handing in your notice until you have a firm job offer. Usually the interviews I've felt best about after leaving - I never got the job. I know that sounds weird, but that's how it has worked for me. When I think I did badly, or really couldn't get a "read" from the interviewer - those are often the ones that make an offer. Weird.

**Cylenchar** · 02-16-2009, 08:49 AM

Normally I would agree with 'Don't leave until you have an offer in hand' BUT: When you are miserable, and dread going into work every day, and are not sleeping because you lie in bed dreading going to work the next day, that is no longer an option. My health is more important to me than the job.

**mommyof4** · 02-16-2009, 09:22 AM

Originally posted by Cylenchar View Post

As many of you know from reading some of my posts, my employers have cut hours, cut bonuses, and we still have layoffs looming at the end of the quarter.

This job has been slowly draining me, I have nightmares about work and have fallen asleep more than once in the past couple weeks having conversations with borrowers in my head.

I have had a couple interviews, and have another Wednesday, and have put in for three different positions, and have a strong chance of getting offered a job on at least one.

So I have decided to take the plunge, I am putting my notice in today, Friday will be my last day......

of course I pick the day when my managers are all in training all day..........

How'd it work out?

**Cylenchar** · 02-20-2009, 06:54 AM

Status Update: So I put in my notice on Monday (2/16). Today(2/20) would be my last day as I had previously taken next week off and working one week, off one week, work one week, gone would be awkward. On Wednesday I had an interview at 3:00 pm, they were interviewing 80-90 people for 40-45 positions. My interview took about thirty minutes, and I got a call yesterday(2/19) at 1:30(less than 24 hours later!!) letting me know I got the job. I think I would have gotten it anyways, but the lady I interviewed with had also interviewed a friend and former coworker(who has over twenty years of experience in the industry) of mine for a job at a different office with them(that office they decided to not open yet, so my friend took a job as a supervisor down town with the same company). I was able to give the interviewer her cell # and the assurance she would give me a good review and recomend hiring me, (let her know my friend had also referred me to the people doing the hiring for the downtown branch but they were already full).

From talking with the recruiter, some people were crossed off the potential list because they knew people in the office, and those people told the hiring managers that they would not be a good fit.

Start date got pushed back from first week to middle of March because the office they are going to use doesn't have furniture and computers yert, so I get a couple weeks off to relax and unwind (which is good, because the first couple weeks I will be working 50-60 hrs).

Hourly, the pay is less, but because I will be working 10-15 hrs more per week, and getting overtime pay (current job allows no OT what so ever, not even .1 hrs) I will actually make more per year. Plus it shortens my commute from 20 miles one way (about an hour forty five minutes round trip) to seven miles one way.

**creditcardfree** · 02-20-2009, 07:00 AM

Congrats on the job!

**mommyof4** · 02-20-2009, 07:05 AM

Congrats and good luck!

**Cylenchar** · 02-20-2009, 08:36 AM

Thank you. This is a 6 month contract position with the potential of longer. This will give me a good idea of if I want to continue in the industry or if I should jump industries entirely.

**disneysteve** · 02-20-2009, 08:56 AM

Originally posted by zakity View Post

Never quit one job without having another already in hand.

Originally posted by DebbieL View Post

I would NOT recommend handing in your notice until you have a firm job offer.

Originally posted by Cylenchar View Post

Normally I would agree with 'Don't leave until you have an offer in hand' BUT: When you are miserable, and dread going into work every day, and are not sleeping because you lie in bed dreading going to work the next day, that is no longer an option. My health is more important to me than the job.

Having done the very same thing myself, I have to aree with OP. I quit my job in February 2000 because I was miserable and was being treated badly. I wasn't going to continue to subject myself to that treatment just to get a paycheck. Life's too short. I had nothing lined up. I wasn't even looking for something else.

I ended up being out of work for almost 3 months and loved every single minute of it. I got to sleep late, spend time with my family, take a couple of trips, do a lot of work around the house, sell a ton of stuff on ebay, etc. It was like a mini-retirement for me. Eventually, a job found me (I never went looking) and I've been there ever since, much happier than I was at the old place.

**DebbieL** · 02-20-2009, 01:14 PM

Congratulations on the job offer. I'm glad it worked out for you.

Disneysteve, I do get what you're saying, but you are a doctor, and knew that you would be able to find a good job whenever you want. For most people I wouldn't recommend this route (especially given the current economy).

**disneysteve** · 02-20-2009, 02:36 PM

Originally posted by DebbieL View Post

Disneysteve, I do get what you're saying, but you are a doctor, and knew that you would be able to find a good job whenever you want. For most people I wouldn't recommend this route (especially given the current economy).

I still wouldn't stay at a job where I was that unhappy. I'd flip burgers or pump gas or find some other way to feed my family.

**Goldy1** · 02-21-2009, 12:45 PM

I have had a few dif. jobs over the past 8 years. It used to take me on average 6 months to find a job if I quit first. I had a really great reason to quit my job before my last, but I stayed on while sending out resumes. I had 2 offers in a couple weeks. (in my case being employed made me desirable and the employer I Was leaving also tried to get me to stay)

I

**MiikeB** · 02-22-2009, 05:41 AM

Originally posted by disneysteve View Post

Having done the very same thing myself, I have to aree with OP. I quit my job in February 2000 because I was miserable and was being treated badly. I wasn't going to continue to subject myself to that treatment just to get a paycheck. Life's too short. I had nothing lined up. I wasn't even looking for something else.

I ended up being out of work for almost 3 months and loved every single minute of it. I got to sleep late, spend time with my family, take a couple of trips, do a lot of work around the house, sell a ton of stuff on ebay, etc. It was like a mini-retirement for me. Eventually, a job found me (I never went looking) and I've been there ever since, much happier than I was at the old place.

I think it is awesome that you had the freedom to be able to do that. I remember you mentioning before how you were unemployed by choice for a few months. That is one the main things that drive my savings. I previously spent a year and a half at a job that I was completely miserable at, however I had to wait to find a new job before I could leave it because I could not afford to not have a job. Everything worked out and I found the new job with a large raise, but it would have been nice to know I could just leave and float unemployed for ~6 months (the longest I could see myself completely unemployed).

Taking The Plunge