Have you ever quit?

[jaded2]

I am a reporter at a miserable dead end job. I have never quit a job before without having another one lined up, but I am so fed up with the station and just want to leave and concentrate full time on a finding another gig. My question... has anyone quit without having another job, and if so, did that hurt you in your job search (i.e. when you were interviewed for other broadcast jobs?) I really appreciate any advice!

[Banned]

It's not worth the risk. Especially with "grass is greener" syndrome.

[Produce man]

Don't do it, unless you're daddy's lil' rich girl.

[ November 30, 2006, 04:52 PM: Message edited by: Produce man ]

[AlterEgo]

I'm about to do it. I had something lined up, but it looks like it's going to fall through. My decision to leave has been made though (family issues) and I'll just have to take a job outside the business for a while until I find something better. I don't care if I have to work at the local McDonald's, but I'll find something.

[Lazlo Toth]

How long can you last without a regular income? Figure on it taking three months to a year to find a new job, any job.

[adam & doctor drew]

if you're independently wealthy, do it.

if not, you'd be foolish to hamstring yourself that way.
keep doing the job and cashing their checks, and make finding a job your 2nd job.

[drink the koolaid]

Welcome to LIFE. Grow up kiddies. Keep a job, and look for a job, get new job, then LEAVE old job. Then come back and whine MORE how that job sucks. When you realize that you have to make the best of your job and the people you work with, you will be marketable. Now you just come across as whiny.

[ November 30, 2006, 06:49 PM: Message edited by: drink the koolaid ]

[s'news]

The old rule is that it's easier to find a job while you have a job.

[Roy Hobbs]

Once you leave this business it's hard as heck to get back in.

So unless you're truly ready:

"Never Get Out of the Boat

http://www.shadowsonthewall.co.uk/images/swaponow.jpg

Absolutely Go&*amned Right.

http://www.freiburger-medienforum.de/kino/1204/apokalypse.jpg

Unless you were going all the way. Kurtz got off the boat. He split from the whole fu*&ing program."

[ December 10, 2006, 09:33 PM: Message edited by: Roy Hobbs ]

[pleasestandby]

I did it. I was on the beach for 9 months and it was pretty tough. Would I do it again Probably not. What they say is true...it's a lot easier to find a job when you have one, than not.

[Diplomat]

I quit once but had outside work lined up before I did. Working for a lying, boozing bigot who screwed us out of expense reimbursements was a nauseating combination.

A few others also quit and within a year, the bad guy was booted.

It's best to have something waiting in the wings before you quit.

[ November 30, 2006, 09:00 PM: Message edited by: Diplomat ]

[Another side]

If you're really, really miserable, you only have two choices:

1. Quit immediately, take that McDonald's job, and look for a new job/career from there -- hell, you're out of work anyway, might as well revaluate whether you want to stay in broadcasting ... and look at some other career options.

2. Pick up the pace of your "pain in the ass" conduct at work, where you are probably a negative force in the newsroom already, if not a cancer, probably close to one -- *****ing about everything to your coworkers. News of your unhappiness (and your enthusiasim in talking about it) should lead to the boss calling you in and firing you. Then you can collect unemployment. It won't be much, but you won't have to work at McDonald's, leaving you free to stay home and send out tapes.

If you don't have a job OR unemployment, you could just toughen up, take your lumps, put on a happy face, and impress everyone with your work while you secretly look to change jobs.

[McCovey Cove Returns]

I did it. Took a few months, but I ended up with a much better job at a much better station.. which happens to be where I grew up.

However, I had a couple of things going for me. One, my old station had become notorious because the new owners started off with a mass firing and announcement they were automating everything. Two, my new station is in my home town. I had a "home field" advantage so to speak. However, I have a rather long resume. If you're going to do it, you better have the goods to sit on the sideline and land a new gig.

Edited to add: Make sure you think this through like a game of a chess.

[ December 01, 2006, 04:11 AM: Message edited by: News Vampire ]

[jaded2]

Thanks so much for all of your advice.
Just for the record, I am not some whiny kid... again, never quit before... alot of circumstances going into this consideration. Long story, been reporting for 8 years, started one-man banding in a large market to be closer to home (big mistake!) Management has made it clear, will never get a photog. or a raise. I work my butt off, have a good attitude, but just don't know how much more I can take the way people are treated here. Sweatshop. I will suck it up, as I continue to do. Again, thanks so much for some perspective, and I will likely keep on until I find something else.

[NewsMom]

Of course it makes finding the next TV News job more difficult. BUT..... here's my story:

In a small market, I watched the (later-hospitalized-for-mental-problem) news director target my co-workers one by one, until each one quit.

"Wimps," I thought.

Then it was my turn. And when the ND called me into his office, and told me the newsroom wasn't big enough for 2 of us, unless I was willing to abide by his rules..... After he finished his 10 minute (not an exaggeration) rant I said, "you're right."
"So, you're going to do the work that's expected?"
"No, you're right, the newsroom isn't big enough for both of us. I quit.

I walked out and felt positively euphoric for weeks. It took 9 months to get another job (thank you Mom and Dad), but I'm professionally alive and well, and know that it was a gem of a moment for me, when I left him dumbfounded.

[Spike]

I quit Wednesday with no job lined up. I'm not the slightest bit worried about it. But then, I also have no responsibilities and have structured my life for maximum freedom, so I can do whatever the hell I want. Your mileage may vary.

But here are the questions I would ask myself (and answer) before quitting:

Who else will be affected by my decision? (Kids? Spouse? Sick mom at home?)

How long can I go without any work whatsoever?

Do I have any kind of backup plan?

Am I willing to work in a crap temp job if my money runs out?

What will I do about health insurance? COBRA is really *****ing expensive, and the Blue Cross Blue Shield open enrollment period for individuals just ended in many states.

Can I afford my current apartment/house/condo/yacht on what I have saved?

Before you do this, you should sit down and figure out a realistic budget, then multiply it by at least 150% for unexpected expenses. I planned for my move for over a year.

Oh, and I don't believe that business about it being harder to get a job when you don't have one. I think that comes from the attitude of the individual. When I was out of work in the past, I got right back in within two months at a higher salary, because I was confident and had the attitude that I deserved a job. Managers can smell fear and uncertainty in a job candidate, and that's what makes it difficult to get hired. Shake that off and you'll be fine.

[The Mockingbird]

Don't quit without another job.

[SpxGrunt]

Listen to Spike (did I just say that?). Great advice. If you want to quit, expect to be out of a work for a year, or at least have that much in expenses saved up. Never, ever quit without having something lined up or unless you have the $$$ in the bank to back you up for some time.

[sportzchick]

I did it. However I gave my 2 weeks notice which gave me time to build up a little pad in the bank.
At the time I didn't have any children... just a husband who had a steady job and paycheck.
I also freelanced for my former station until they could get someone in my old position.
During that time I hit the ground running looking for something else and it wasn't long until I landed a job doing PR/Producing for my local government.

One of the best decisions I ever made.

[NYC Street]

What Mockingbird said. Don't, unless you know where you're going.

[Stack It]

I quit my last job, best thing I ever did. I was job hunting the whole entire time leading up to my departure. Got turned down for a couple of jobs, decided not to take another, and a little persistance landed me a gig at the station I've always wanted to work at. Whatever you do, don't just quit and walkaway so you can get out. Think this thing out, make sure you know what your next move will be. You're not going to have any income for a period of time. Waking up not having to worry about being at work and dealing with the daily BS is a great feeling, but you've got to pay the bills and put food on the table.

[From the Right]

I quit once with absolutely nothing lined up. My contract was up and there was no way I was going to sign another one at my former station. I was able to collect unemployment and did some freelance work at a couple stations while I looked for another job. The biggest strain wasn't financial as much as it was the stress of having nothing. The freelancing work was huge for me because it kept my skills fresh and filled a hole in my resume. It's a big leap of faith but it can be done. Hopefully you've been stashing some $$ in anticipation of this day approaching. Good luck.

[newhouse]

I say it depends on how big a risk taken you are, what kind of experience you have, how much money you have saved, and who if any are your dependents.

I quit a job without having one lined up. HOWEVER, I was in SERIOUS talks with another station and had been flown out for an interview. PLUS, I had hometown advantage with that one, so it was a LITTLE less of a risk. I ended up getting that job.

Despite that, I wish I had waited until something definite was lined up. It was very stressful.

[The Invisible Swordsman]

I can echo the some of the same stories here. I quit with only about two days of preparation. I kinda knew that the job situation was going to come to a head and it did. I quit. He will never admit it but the News Director was stunned. He pushed, I pushed right back. Because of things that happed to me before I quit I was able to get unemployment. The station fought me on it, but I needed it and I won. Having that cushion helped out. I was out of work for six months. The last week my unemployment check showed up I got a job.

If you quit and don’t have a job get ready for ton of different emotions. My wife had a job so we were fine. The first two weeks I treated like a vacation. I deserved this time off after putting up with my past working environment, or so I felt. Three weeks out I had two very strong leads on jobs. I just knew that I would get one of them. I knew both people in a position to have a say in the hiring for those jobs. Well they didn’t hire me. They didn’t hire anyone, they eliminated the position.

Months and Months go by, chasing jobs and laying around the house. It can and will get to you. I started feeling pretty bad for myself. Doubting why I quit. I blew a few interviews, I didn’t know what I was doing. It had been four years since my last one. The tension was building between my wife and I. I couldn’t even get a temporary job. I tried at hotels to work the front desk, no one called. I tried to do warehouse work, no one called. I called temp agencies, no one called. I guess a lifetime of TV work on a resume isn’t what they are looking for.

Finally six months after quitting, I got a new job. It isn’t perfect. It isn’t in TV. But I knew that going into making my decision to quit. I wish you the best of luck in finding something new. Be prepared to tough it out.

[Roy G. Biv]

Originally posted by s'news:
The old rule is that it's easier to find a job while you have a job.This is VERY True!!

[stpeterdontyacallme]

Do what you WANT to do, let the money or job come later.

I walked from an anchoring gig and wound up leaping 70 markets to a top ten as a reporter within a month.

Then I walked out of that shop with absolutely no notice and figured I'd had enough of the biz.

One more move half way across the country and now I find I'm in demand again.

If you can play a lot of roles in the newsroom and you are honest and willing to do multiple things, you will land some kind of job.

This industry ins't worth being miserable. NO job is. I don't care what anybody here says, decide what will make you happy and then just go and do it.

Good luck.

[ZuZu's Petals]

You don't have to adhere to the "Don't quit the job you have until you have another" advice.

It depends on your situation. Do you have 3-4 months income in savings? Are you prepared to live as a non-consumer - only paying your bills and buying nothing but gas, groceries, printer ink and postage?

My friend and I have discussed this... we each lived without jobs for a period of time. He quit his to attend Grad School full time, living off his savings and some rental property income.
I had a severance package and a few months of unemployment benefits - virtually no accessible savings. ... we learned of this beautiful freedom that comes from the knowledge that you don't have to be tied to a full time job!

We learned two very important things, 1) We'll always be okay (financially or otherwise) 2) and we'll always find work.

We've tried to explain this to our friends - they just look at us dumbfounded because they don't understand. And to be honest, I'm sure it's not for everyone. I think only someone with that certain form of inner strength can live with insecurity in confidence.

We also learned that we were living with this irrational fear since college... that you HAVE to HAVE a job... if you don't have a job people will think less of you and not hire you... and employers will be suspicious of a gap in employment.
The truth is ... no one in a hiring position has EVER asked me about the gap in my employment.

Here's the thing, during that period with severence pay and unemployment benefits I SAVED more money than I ever had in my life prior! Oh, and let me also point out that I did that on my own... no help from Mommy and Daddy - as if they have money to spare!

And... the experience taught me exactly what I am capable of... gave me the courage to quit a regular paycheck, same-amount-every-time-job two years ago to take a 15 week contract doing something I LOVE!
After those 15 weeks, I picked up intermittent freelance work. In fact, during 2006 I probably only worked 4 months (not consistant) until I signed a contract in early November!
It got pretty tight in Sept and Oct as I was drawing on Savings I had hoped to leave untouched. But I now I'm golden for 2007 - even if I don't work a day after July.

Just be sure to evaluate what you can really handle. Hopefully, I've given you a realistic idea. Just something to consider.

Also, consider reading this: When Generations Collide, by Lynne C. Lancaster and David Stillman. They describe the different employment and work expectations of the four generations now in the workplace. That "Don't quit a job until you have another job" theory was created by the baby boomer generation. It's antiquated. Both the Gen X and Millennial generations expect to live their lives BEFORE retirement. (and most generations don't intend to fully retire) Trying new things (experiences, travel, careers) while they are young enough to enjoy and learn from them.

You don't have to be locked into a situation you don't want to be in. Just know what you can handle before you leap.

Good luck!