Ever find yourself thinking or saying any of these?

“I think I’ll wait it out until the end of the year, then start searching for new jobs.”

“I can’t take another winter of hour-long commutes in the snow.”

“Maybe my new year’s resolution will be a new job . . .”

It’s no surprise that we see the most unexpected resignations right now: around November and December of 4th quarter. The weather turns. The year renews. The employee doesn’t align with their team’s next-year plan. The timing can simply seem, ‘appropriate.’ Here’s some food-for-thought before making that big jump:

First, are you really sure you want to leave, and have you thought about exploring all options to alleviate your pain while still remaining at your company? Have you proactively spoken with your manager about how you could better be utilized on the team; about whether folks on your team could do one day remote; or about that promotion you’ve been working toward that seems to now be stagnant? Regardless of whether or not you feel valued at the present time, the reality is that no company wants to lose high-contribution people and deal with backfilling. In the end, they do care about their employer reputation and they do want their employees to stay and be happy there. The conversation might be an intimidating one, but you might just create a win-win and who knows . . . carve-out that perfect ‘hybrid’ job you’ve always wanted, or get that promotion by demonstrating initiative and action.

Second, a mentor of mine recently reminded me of ‘the pillow test,’ which I’ll suggest here. Can you go to sleep each night at least satisfied with your present career situation, and sleep soundly? If so, perhaps you’re not ready to make a move, as it’s a big deal. Life could certainly be worse. However, if you’re truly up all night in frustration, then your pillow test has indeed spoken.

Third, think about your resume, and remember that recruiters and employers pay close attention to your job transitions and length of tenures. If you have a history with struggling to get interviews – or have been given feedback about your shorter tenures here and there – perhaps waiting things out and seeing if they turn is the better idea.  Think of your job transition and tenure history like your credit: keep building it up while balancing strategic moves (‘investments’) here and there.

If you’ve contemplated to your wit’s end – perhaps even bought a new fully pillow but still failed the test – then it’s time to look elsewhere.

Q4 Blog #2 (FOR MANAGERS) coming soon…