How to Leave Your Dead End Job Professionally

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Bills need to be paid and this often results in people staying in jobs that are not going anywhere. Other common reasons for staying in a dead end job include liking your fellow employees, making a good salary, and convenience. However, all of these start to get old after a while when there is no opportunity for growth with your current employer. For career satisfaction, you need to work somewhere that allows you to grow within the company. When you are leaving your dead end job, however, it is important that you do so in a professional manner so that you can still get a good reference from this company.

Find Your Passion

Before you leave your dead end job, you want to figure out what you want to do so that you can find a job to go to. There are many ways to figure out your passion so that the next job that you get offers fulfillment. Consider the following to discover your passion:

a)      Do some research on the things that interest you.

b)      Talk to people who have similar interests to find out what they do for a living.

c)      Do some volunteer work that is in the field that you enjoy most.

d)     Head back to school to earn a degree in a field that you are passionate about.

e)      Go to the Internet and do some research on the jobs that are available in the things that you most enjoy.

Start Applying for New Jobs

Once you know what you want to do, you have to start applying to jobs. You do not want to leave your dead end job until you have a new one lined up so that you have income. This can take some time, especially if you live in a small town with limited employers. Tweak your resume and make sure that it is current. You can also work to rebrand yourself to better fit into the field that you are now applying to.

Talk to Your Employer

After you secure a new job, it is time to talk to your employer about leaving the company. You want to keep things professional so that you can ask for a good reference for your new employer, or for the future if you plan to change jobs again. Make sure that you give your current employer a notice of at least two weeks so that they have some time to find someone who can replace you. If you can give them a longer notice, this is even better. If you know someone who would be ideal for your current job, you can recommend them to your employer and offer to train someone new when they come it.

All of this will ensure that you and your current employer part of good terms. When it comes to professionally leaving your dead end job, this is the most important part of the process.

Be Prepared for Further Change

Leaving your dead end job is a major change, but the changes may continue to occur. Even if you apply for your dream job and get it, this does not mean that it will be your dream job forever. You want to be prepared for potentially applying for different jobs in the future. This is very important because if you are not happy with your job or the direction of your career, you want to start to make changes as soon as you notice this.

You also want to prepare for promotions now that you are in a job that has growth potential. Always be professional, do your best work and prepare to grow with a company that values their employees moving onto the better things.

Leaving a dead end job is an important decision to make, but a lot of people are afraid to pull the trigger. Use the above-listed tips to leave your job in a way that is professional and so that you have closure after you are gone. It is important to leave as soon as you realize that you are not going to be able to grow with the company. This is because the longer you work there, the more comfortable you get and the harder it is to make changes in your life by finding a job that will make you happier and more fulfilled, both professionally and personally. 

- Rosemary Kitchen

References

Guerrero, A. (2013). 8 Ways to Graciously Quit Your Job. Retrieved on February 4, 2015 from http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/articles/2013/08/12/8-ways-to-graciously-quit-your-job