Quitting your job at any time of the year is nerve-wracking. Quitting your job ahead of the festive season is even worse. There are so many things to think about, will you have the same autonomy? Will your colleagues be cool or lame? Will the actual job match the description in the advert? Will you get to work on cool projects? The worries are endless, most importantly however, will you be able to handle the extra pressure at this point in the year? If it’s been a year like any other; you know you need a break and you will have to think twice before you jeopardise that. So we ask; should you quit your job before the December holidays?
Too Good to Pass Up
Picture this, out of nowhere you get a phone call … maybe you weren’t even looking for a new job but you take the time to listen to what the recruiter has to say to you. When we get those calls we often assume that it’s a waste of time even looking at the job spec. You look at it anyway and surprisingly it piques your interest. What? Sometimes the right thing comes at what we consider to be the wrong time. If it really is a great new role, at a great company with room for growth, a salary increase and great benefits – don’t pass it up for something that appears at a more convenient time. If Murphy has any say in it when the time is right nothing will rear its head.
The Pieces Finally Fall into Place
If on the other hand,, you have been looking all year for something that’s just right and that job happens to pop up right before the December holidays, you know now more than ever that the right job for you is pretty rare. That’s even more reason to grab it with both hands before it flies away never to be seen again. Some of the best opportunities are fleeting, don’t miss out because you were stuck in indecision.
Pros and Cons
What you do need to do however, before you take that giant fat leap into a new job; is weigh up the options. It’s easy to get excited but, and that’s a very big but, what is there to lose by resigning from your job now and what is there to gain from accepting the offer. At this time of year, you are likely missing out on a bonus, are you likely to miss out on an increase too? Some companies are very fickle when it comes to this stuff, if you’re out you’re out. If they are a cool business they might consider giving you a portion of your bonus – the trick is, don’t hold your breath. Decide whether it’s worth moving regardless of the increases and the potential bonus first. If you aren’t expecting that little extra dough you can’t be disappointed.
The Negotiations
So based on the assumption that you have held intense debates with yourself on the matter, double checked your work contract and double checked the contract for the new job, you now have room to negotiate with your old and new boss or HR managers. You can negotiate your salary based on pending increases and bonuses as well as your start date. Maybe you can start a little in the new year and not miss out at all? You will probably find that both parties are willing to negotiate depending on their needs too. The new job can’t pay you too much more so they let you start later? The old job can’t replace you quickly so you hang around a bit longer in exchange for your bonus. You can find a way forward which is beneficial for everyone involved.
Happiness is Invaluable
If you don’t manage to successfully negotiate in and around all of the ts and cs, money, benefits and intricacies you do need to consider whether the move is worth it all together. Why is it that you were looking for a new job? If you weren’t actually looking but were offered a new job; are you moving for the right reasons? The most important factor by far is your happiness, if you are painfully unhappy it may well be worth all of the sacrifices you will need to make. Take your time thinking about this, it will always be important.
So again we ask; should you quit your job before the December holidays? Are the risks with the potential gains? Will the opportunity forever be gone if you don’t nab it now? In all honesty, whenever you leave a job you are leaving just before an increase, performance bonus or year-end bonus, are to going to stay on the wheel or escape the rate race and grow your career on your own terms?
