Written by: Adelina Stefan, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Leaving your job can be sad or exciting. The way you resign may impact your future career opportunities. By leaving on good terms, you will be able to rely on your professional relationships that you have built since you started and influence your future job searches positively.
As a Professional Career Coach, one common question I get from the people I work with is how to build an effective exit strategy and help them step out of a career they may hate.
Though this has been a recurrent theme in my coaching practice, during the past year, it became more prevalent, with more and more professionals that feel stuck in roles that don’t bring any fulfillment in their life, don’t make them happy, or suffered from burnout, leading them to pursue their dream career later, by either finding a position that fits with their values or work for themselves.
Why is an employee exit strategy important?
If you want to leave your job and pursue your dream career, remove yourself with dignity and professionalism from a work environment that is no longer serving you or your purpose. Planning your exit strategy is very important. For instance, many job seekers struggle to address how and why they exited their last position and make the mistake of sharing too much information during interviews or with potential influencers. In this article, we will look at 7-steps to create your exit strategy.
Know your “Why.” Before leaving your current job, ask yourself first what it is about your job that makes you leave. Is it because your values and personality no longer align with the company mission? Or is it because you dislike your organization, manager, or sector you work on? If the answer to these questions is yes, if you got a new job in another company, would you still want to leave your current position? Or is it because you are looking for a new challenge, or you want a job with better career growth opportunities? Then, would a different role, new responsibilities, or a new team make you feel different about your situation? Take time to write down all the reasons that lead to exit your current role and explore opportunities for career development and lateral moves before you exit your job.
Define your vision. After defining all the reasons why you are looking for a new opportunity or type of career you would like to embark on, start thinking about your career goals and vision. How would you describe your ideal day? What would you do differently? What are your needs in a workplace environment? What are the major components that matter to you in your life? And how is your current situation aligned with these answers? If you decide to look for a new job, select a few reasons related to your professional life that you would like to highlight during an interview. Categorize your skills, relate them to specific accomplishments that demonstrate your skills, and show how you will make contributions to your target role in an authentic way.
Invest in your personal branding. Your brand reflects who you are, what skills you possess for specific roles, what you have achieved so far, and what your target is. Your core values are passions are the foundation of your brand and will define its shape. If you are searching for a new opportunity, look for a job that fits your brand. Your personal brand will distinguish you from other candidates with similar interests and qualities by aligning your key skills, attributes, talent, and experience around your personal story. A consistent personal brand that describes your values, skills, passions, and accomplishments will position you as a stable and goal-oriented professional in front of recruiters and employers and enhance your credibility about who you really are in your profession.
Measure your financial health. Financial safety is one of the main reasons that makes people think twice before quitting their job. Hence, before doing that, write down a list of your monthly expenses. Decide which ones are important and which are optional. Define how long you can afford to sustain yourself without a job. What if the worst will happen and things don’t go as planned? Do you have any money and resources to take care of yourself? This will show you whether you are ready to quit your job right away or need to take some small steps first to stay safe. For instance, having a buffer of survival for at least 6-12 months would be a safe strategy. Think about how much money you have and how you can find an equilibrium to survive and prioritize your health and well-being during your independence and transition.
Leverage your network and build upon your support system. Reach out to your network and select a few people you trust to ask for help. Share your plan with few people in your career support system, such as mentor, career coach, legal consultant, or transition specialist, who carefully review your exit strategy, address missing points, and help you reflect on your situation from different angles to help you make the right decision at the right moment. If you are looking for a new opportunity, built strategically your network and position yourself as a problem-solver to a challenge that your target company is facing. Craft your elevator pitch to transmit clearly who you are and what skills and expertise you bring to that role. Remember that networking requires constant engagement, perseverance, and preparation to create an impact no matter your career goals and path to your dream profession.
Polish your transition plan. Live your life by the compass and adjust accordingly. Make a transition checklist that covers all the steps that you need to take and how they are done. Don’t quit your job without reflecting first on your options. For instance, you may ask your employer if you can reduce your workload or work part-time while you are looking for a new job or plan how to start your business. You can also agree on a reasonable time to exit the company. Regardless of your reasons to quit your job, it is important to leave as a professional and have your former boss as one of your references.
Stay positive and aim high. Even if negative experiences made you decide to leave your job, it is very important to stay positive throughout the transition process and find a positive way to move forward. An employer wants you to know you are trustworthy, stable, and responsible. Embrace every experience you had and focus on the skills you have developed in your current role, the good relationships, and the networks you have built with your co-workers, stakeholders, or customers. No matter how difficult or bad it may be, remember every exit is an entrance somewhere else, and with every step you take, you are closer to that door. Be kind, be courteous, and prepared!
Adelina Stefan, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Adelina Stefan is a Professional Certified Coach & Intercultural Facilitator specialized in Career Development, with deep expertise in international HR recruitment and selection and Training and Development. Having worked for 10+ years across cultures, Adelina seeks to catalyze individuals’ potential, helping them create and implement their unique career blueprint and, at the same time, achieve a healthy work-life balance. She specializes in working with ex-pats and mid-to senior-level executives dealing with challenging work environments that can affect their performance and well-being. She supports organizations in building a corporate coaching culture by highlighting individuals’ maximum potential and engagement to become dedicated and highly successful employees. Her practice includes Career, Life, Executive, and Agile Coaching for individuals and developing and implementing corporate Human Resources practices for improving intercultural relations.
