Leaving your job with nothing lined up?

[openyourize]

What do we think of this?

I think that the entire concept of not leaving a job until you have another lined up is a corporate trap that began way back in the day. It is very difficult to find a new job while you are still at your current one, because your current one occupies your time and concentration. Where do you find the time to do interviews or make phone calls? Most companies don't offer those things after business hours.

On the other hand, it is highly frowned upon to be unemployed while searching for jobs. But, if we want to go from slave to taking charge of our purpose, then what do we care what they think? We are not applying to be slaves again.

[ns123]

Finding a new job while you still have one is possible, it's just a bit tricky.

When I did this, I would phone screen potential employers first - usually a lunch, evening, or a morning phone interview. Then I would set up an early or a late in person interview (like 7am or 5pm). If the employer is interested, they will accommodate. In my experience, most companies accommodate, since good employees with the right skillset are hard to find.

I've changed jobs often in my career, and have found it possible to land a new position while still being employed.

If you think having a job equates to being a slave, maybe you should look into a line of work that doesn't result in you feeling that way.

[smartile]

Hi openyourize,

I resigned from my job in June of this year and my last day is October 31, 2008. I’ve made arrangements to work 2 days a week as a consultant at my current place of work.

You can read the rest of my story here

I just recently wrote a post on the topic of career advancement. You can check it out: How to Advance Your Career.

[jeff3]

Originally Posted by smartile

Hi openyourize,

I resigned from my job in June of this year and my last day is October 31, 2008. I’ve made arrangements to work 2 days a week as a consultant at my current place of work.

You can read the rest of my story here

I just recently wrote a post on the topic of career advancement. You can check it out: How to Advance Your Career.

I have a friend who is an accountant that did something similar for a city he was finance director of and within 1 month a situation came up that made him so mad he quit. Ultimately he wanted to get completely out anyway and the "incident" was just a final push to get him out the door.

[jeff3]

Originally Posted by openyourize

What do we think of this?

I think that the entire concept of not leaving a job until you have another lined up is a corporate trap that began way back in the day. It is very difficult to find a new job while you are still at your current one, because your current one occupies your time and concentration. Where do you find the time to do interviews or make phone calls? Most companies don't offer those things after business hours.

On the other hand, it is highly frowned upon to be unemployed while searching for jobs. But, if we want to go from slave to taking charge of our purpose, then what do we care what they think? We are not applying to be slaves again.

Well, If your just trading jobs, like your post sounds like it's about, what have you really accomplished anyway ? And I don't consider it a corporate trap, it's a self imposed trap where you become lulled into a sense of security by a steady check, a name plaque, and maybe even a parking space. When you have all this and stack a pile of personal debt on top of it that requires the steady check just to keep the lights turned on.... you created the trap, not some corporation.

Of course if your aim is just to go from one trap to another I guess you could use up some of that precious vacation time to do interviews and employ some IM techniques to help with the details.

[Conan Stevens]

Stupid, stupid, stupid. Leaving without anything lined up.

But upon reading further you talk about another job, is this the only solution you can see? Another job isn't the only thing you can do - there is a whole world of opportunity, grab an atlas and take a good look.

You can line something up, doesn't have to be a job.

Why not move to another country and make a completely fresh start? It's the best thing I ever did, and no I don't have a job

Quite a while back I wrote an article 10 reasons to not quit your day job which covers some other points.

[openyourize]

I already quit my job with nothing lined up. now i am doing a multitude of things to make money. not making too much right now, but making some. and it will soon increase. i just know a lot of people that get stuck in this cycle. makes me sad for them.

[sbdiane]

I quit my job with nothing lined up. I had enough savings to last a very long time. The reason I give for quitting is that I wanted to take some time and travel.

I'm done traveling (for now) and now I can see my free time as a kind of blessing. I'm using this time to explore my options, to try some things out. I'm volunteering, learning how to do new things, freelancing a little. I'm not employed but I'm not unemployed, either.

The thing is, there is enough time when you are employed to look for another job. But there really isn't a lot of time to explore other career paths, to try out new things, to volunteer, to meet new people and be more connected with your community, to take classes or self-teach new skills.

So how will Corporate America view this time I've given myself? If it is viewed as a huge negative, then I have to ask myself, what on Earth are we working so hard for when we work for them?

[Blair]

Sometimes just quitting a job right there and then with no other prospects is the best thing you can do for yourself. I have quit jobs before where I have said... I would rather be self employed than do this to myself.... I have always been able to find something to do for money even if not enough for savings etc... Do the work you love to do... quit if it is not your passion. Something will take its place.

[Angela]

I quit my unloved job in April with no new job lined up, and am now living a life of more power, joy, love, and abundance than ever before.

I was so scared to leave! It makes me laugh now. How fearful I was to let go of my misery.

[Sindre]

I quit my job in December last year, just after moving out from home and in with my girlfriend to another city! I had absolutely no idea what to do next, except for a strong feeling and wish for something on the internet. So yeah, all the "security" of having a job just vanished in front of my girlfriend's eyes. I felt really bad for her, because she really believed that there was no other possible way to make an income without a job. I'm happy to say that I've proved her wrong several times since then. All thanks to discovering Steve's blog in August last year. The articles and ideas aligned so well with me, and eventually I just "got it". There was no way in hell that I would be suffering through an unfulfilling jobsituation ever again. (And I'm young, 23 years old, and only had 4 jobs in my life).

So (maybe a bit too) inspired by Steve, with no technical bakground or education, I started my blog in Norwegian at February 1st this year. And it has become one of Norways most popular blogs in a very short time. I'm living a life that gives me good meaning and I'm finding it easier to generate income and new ideas.

For example, just today I managed to attract more than $500 from advertisors after a long period without so much income. This is still a bit unusual daily result for me, and maybe my best so far, but the point I'm trying to make is that there are plenty of possibilities for the right persons out there. It's all a matter og doing what you love (and knowing what you love), expressing it to the world whenever it feels right for you, and watch the world almost bend over to meet your needs effortlessly (at least on good days). It takes some doing, patience and sometimes failures, but you don't give up if you're on the right path.

I really feel like I'm just getting started. Owe it all to Steve for pushing me over the edge and helping me find the courage to live the life I want. Thanks so much.

Hope this was inspiring for somebody.

Sorry for any bad English. I'm going to partly blame it on the clock, which is 4AM in the morning here up North.

[Nautilus73]

Originally Posted by openyourize

What do we think of this?

I think that the entire concept of not leaving a job until you have another lined up is a corporate trap that began way back in the day. It is very difficult to find a new job while you are still at your current one, because your current one occupies your time and concentration. Where do you find the time to do interviews or make phone calls? Most companies don't offer those things after business hours.

On the other hand, it is highly frowned upon to be unemployed while searching for jobs. But, if we want to go from slave to taking charge of our purpose, then what do we care what they think? We are not applying to be slaves again.

I was in both positions. I had to find a job after being let go from my old one and I had to (or wanted) to find a job while still having my old one.

It was a lot more stressful when I was forced to find a job. I think I flunked several job interviews because I was to eager or seemed to be to desperate. I ended up in another job I wouldn't had taken under normal circumstances. From this position on I had to find another job I liked.

So my answer is - look and plan out of a save position.

[stellasky]

Two years ago, I had two jobs and was promised by the main "corporate" one, that a I'd be able to get a "decent schedule" in order to pursue my artistic projects, which they re-neged on after some time on the job, leaving me no alternative but to quit, (I kept the Saturday job)

Within three days, I was able to find training for a job that I'd wanted, which I felt in the long run was a good career move that would serve as my main source of income. Money was tight, the Saturday job barely covered the rent, so I charged the course tuition on my VISA and lived off my credit card. ouch!

Two months after the course, I got a job offer in my new career, in another country working full time. Now, after almost two years, I have no time for my artistic projects and feel in the same position as before BUT with two years of legitimate experience in a field that's highly marketable so that I'll be able to free-lance, do it from home or work in practicallly any country, opening up more possibilties for work and travel (I love to travel).

For me it was very hard to line up a job while working full time. It was only after I quit, that my energy and drive came back allowing me to focus on what I wanted. It's been a process, I'm still working at getting exactly what I want and now feel more confident and "upgraded" regarding skills.

[Mremedia]

I also left my job after a bad situation; I had plenty of reasons already, but the incident was the final straw. I walked away with no plan other than to keep myself sane and to get some de-stress time.

Looking back at the job now, I feel happier/healthier than I have in a LONG time. In the 2 weeks since I left, I've been making my own schedule, working at my own pace, and selectively marketing my skills to companies that I am interested in working with.

When I quit, the first thing I thought was, "I had better find another job." My second thought was "Now I can make a living without a job!"

I much preferred the second one.

[bus9hy]

I think a big factor to this is your finances. Can you afford to take a few months without work?

As for being seen negatively among employers, you can talk positively about things you done in your time off (own projects, travelling experiences, family...) and why you want work now.

[ar81]

Being unemployed while looking for a job is not something strange.
With all those job cuts in USA, you can argue downsizing.