Four good reasons to leave the Job
Published:Wednesday | May 5, 2010 | 12:00 AM
The need for more money is the most common reason why people say goodbye to jobs, but experts advise that using more cash as the sole incentive for moving office may sometimes end in disaster.
Rosemarie Voordouw, director, employee consultation and ombuds service, Bank of Nova Scotia, serves as our adviser this week as we consider the best reasons to terminate employment:
1. If money is your prime motivator, Voordouw warns that you should be very gracious in leaving as "all that glitters is not gold".
On arriving at your new post, you may find that what seems like a better job is literally a nightmare, with unacceptable ethics, an abusive boss, and other unpleasant surprises.
If there was nothing wrong with your old job apart from the salary, it might be something to fall back on when you discover the better-paid but ill-fitting job does not work for you.
2. There are many other reasons why people choose to leave their jobs. If you are married and have just had a baby, or if you have begun to suffer chronic illness and other situations which indicate that you need more time for yourself, it might be wise to find a job which is less demanding.
3. Voordouw notes that stress which leads to illness, is one aspect of overwork, but there are other stressors which can be addressed before leaving the job.
Stress, she states, may also result from conflict about and ambiguity in relation to your role in the office. It may also result from lack of support, poor leadership and poor communication.
Then, there is also stress resulting from the fear of lay-offs. Employees may also find themselves becoming physically ill or mentally disturbed as employers demand more work for the same amount of pay. They experience real symptoms as they feel the pressure to meet these expectations without the commensurate job satisfaction.
Voordouw states, "If stress is making you ill, this is a clear warning signal. But, leaving may not be the only solution. If any of these problems can be resolved through the process of communi-cation, you should attempt this first. But, if there is nothing to be done, then you leave."
4. Another problem may be that you are being ignored and overlooked for promotion.
The answer to this may not lie in declaring that you are leaving.
"Sometimes persons do not know how to sell themselves and have not taken the initiative to cross-train," Voordouw states. "Some people who have been in a job for 10 to 15 years feel that they should be considered by virtue of how well they are currently performing.
"But, it's not just about technical competencies ... Additionally, if you have not been following new developments in your profession, checking your skill gaps and behaviours, which you need to change, your supervisors may overlook you time and time again."
You should make sure, as well, that the right people are noting your great ideas and your great work.