5 reasons to stay while everyone is leaving their jobs
Numb from reading farewell emails? Tired of joining town halls? Getting suspicious about sick leaves guessing who will be the next?
Yeah, I feel you.
Mobility in the professional world is a fantastic topic. Although natural and a critical part of our career growth, this journey can be doubtful.
When can we be 100% to quit for another job?
When can we even go jobless for the better good?
After hitting my 5-year-mark at Google, I came to 5 reasons to stay. I shared with my inner circle and got lots of echoes. Moreover, some reasons are exactly what held people accountable while weathering through the storm.
So I thought, I should share it more broadly. Definitely not a“one-size-for-all”, but based on my observations, true stories, insights as an over-thinker!
If you’re already secretly interviewing or fighting the“what-if” fear considering quitting: be my guest, and read this :)
Why do you think about leaving, NOW?
Some pandemic aftermath that we all need to reminder of ourselves:
- You didn’t realize. You REALLY burn out.
Banned, isolated, locked in for 500+ days WFH putting on a “professional” mask is an insane effort! Let alone some of you were responsible to comfort others while your world was upside-down.
Here’s what I learned about our body: when a drastic accident occurs, our brain releases an incredible amount of adrenalin that blocks you from feeling a thing (my case: when arm bones snapped I felt painless).
It’s a self-protection mechanism!
During COVID, our brain numbs anxiety because the amount is off-chart; it turns you into a zombie! (So-called “amygdala hijack” if you want to dig deeper)
Your emotions only return when the severity level drops. You suddenly feel how much you’ve overworked yourself, how much mental recovery you need. Making a change is simply a desire to take care of yourself.
2. You desire to live, not just survive
Covid forced us to reflect, develop resilience, gain serves to be (a bit more) reckless. You rethink what matters, what values you hold dear. What important issues you overlooked and should fix! Making a change is more tempting than ever.
Maybe you always wanted to switch to another job, learn about another refreshing new area/field, live in your dreamland from your bucket list, open a cafe, build a farm…for a happier life that you only live once and deserve it.
3. You are having a FOMO
Watching many others going somewhere else doesn’t feel good! The inevitable “am I missing anything?” is both a reaction and a reasonable reflection. It’s also harder to face goodbye and carry on with the same old life!
I’m sure there are other reasons. Nevertheless, don’t you judge yourself for thinking about leaving your job.
5 reasons you should stay with your current job
1. You are excited and learning new things
Ask yourself: am I learning constantly? Am I immersed in a new environment? Collaborating with a new team, on a new project/product area?
My example: I switched 3 distinct products with unique user problems. In 2020, I was put on a task to shape the UX of how people collaborate in the hybrid environment. Looking from the outside, I’m in one place for quite some time, but deep down I’m constantly fed with new knowledge.
If you find yourself in a similar situation, congrats! You have a reason to stay put. It’s scary and intense and that’s awesome. I’m happy for you!
2. You discovered new challenges and opportunities for deepened and expanded growth
Related to #1: is your team hiring? Are you’re interested in helping? Are there types of events you want to arrange/lead/speak at? Promo committee member? Summit planner? Manager candidate? Any expanded roles for yourself, e.g., being a mentor, a team lead, an intern host?
If any of those are available and excites you, look no further. Put yourself out there! You’ll be surprised how much the world has been waiting.
3. You are still, inspired to work every day
It can get old and familiar. When you can press the elevator button with eyes closed, when your coffee tasted better outside the office, when you feel a panic under cover: am I on an autopilot? Should I leave?
My answer was YES! Each time when I selected a new product in a new product pillar, I was refreshed. My worry of wasting precious domain knowledge/credibility vanished! I was inspired like a new born.
If you were like the old me dragging to work, feeling something was off but could’t tell, consider a switch. Otherwise, STAY!
4. You feel ok to miss those things you haven’t touched
The grass is always greener on the other side. Sometimes we are eager, other times we have an itch.
Like me who is always curious about start-ups, I feel ok to wait. As I’m aware, I tend to be curious about entrepreneurship, while drawing comparison with my corp experience constantly. It’s a perfect drive to becoming a keen leader with both perspectives!
So, if something tempting comes up, but you feel that you can sit on it for a while — let it slow cook, it’s not time to move yet.
5. You have built supporting systems for guidance and tips
Take a look around you: are you surrounded people who motivate you to be a better designer and person? If so, consider staying — or take that with you! (It’s hard but doable, sometimes they rejoin you)
If you find yourself always having someone for a specific problem, getting candid feedback and insights — cherish it. It took years to build an amazing network full of mentors, road models, cheerleaders.
People who know you and support you regardless of your highs and lows are invaluable over salaries, companies, titles if you ask me.
Let’s be critical thinkers and ask: when do you “have to leave”?
Among many stories people told me, I found this one fascinating:
“To be better at work is simply more work.” Do you agree?
The person who told me that is a VP at a well-known company and was offered with being an SVP because of the stellar performance and that person’s boss is leaving too, ironically. However, this person is determined to quit.
If you are like this person, who finds your work only consumes you; you don’t feel the excitement even if you are named big or offered with a bigger dangling carrot.
Go! You only live once and it’s time to make a positive change.
Hope this brings you some pointers for a great 2022!
Hello, I’m Leecy Li, a UX designer working and living in NYC for 8 years. I share about UX career growth. I look forward to seeing you in the comments.
Cheers!
