On Transitions
This is a post from when I started working at SeedInvest, a job I looked for for six months.
Two years ago, I decided to save up enough to take off a couple months between jobs. I was already burnt out and I knew it — and it showed in numerous areas of my life. I stopped calling my family, cutting visits short or worse, going and being on my phone the whole time. I wasn’t a very present person, and now when I look back on how rude I was, I feel so sorry for the people who loved me — and got a preoccupied version of me. The better I did at work, the more I disliked who I ended up becoming. I doubled my salary in 16 months — learning how to negotiate, build business cases about what I was contributing, and I was constantly competing with myself to do a good job. It was confusing why I just wasn’t happy when I thought everything I ever wanted was in my hands.
Last year, in June, I decided I no longer wanted to stay at my job and I was close to my savings goal — and I made the plan to leave. My opportunities were getting more and more limited — and I really didn’t care about the field of law. But I did love the people I worked with, and I did enjoy going to work everyday, for the most part.
The reflections/ suggestions below are reflective of my experience the last couple months as I took time between roles to find what I want
- and if you are hoping to make a change, maybe they will help you too. They’re all things I wish I had known.
1. Save way more than you need. I had only six months saved before quitting and doing something pretty out of character for me — which is leaping without looking where I was going to land. Most people who know me know I never operate without a plan. I am very privileged to be in the position of taking time off between roles and if you don’t have that option to have a cushion to bounce on between roles — wait till you do. There will be a time.
2. It will take longer than you expect to get a job. Or the right job. Sometimes it’s okay to take a bridge job in the meantime to cover basic expenses since you know you need some income coming in. I declined a couple different interviews with companies I knew I wasn’t passionate about because I wanted to use my time efficiently when I was searching for the right role.
3. Make an effort with your network — it will be a couple months before you get people who know what you want as the next step but be brave in asking for informational interviews. I knew I wanted to be outside of the legal industry in every capacity — and my mission was to learn about as many industries as possible where my skills were transferable but in a space that really excited me.
4. Job searching is a full time job. Thank your champions, and know that it is an emotional roller coaster. A stable job is a lovely tether and getting outside of that often is a romanticized experience. There will be days you doubted why you left, and you wish you just waited a couple more months before leaping. It can also be a very lonely and isolating place, you will be extremely cognizant of how so much discussion revolves around your job and your career. Drown out the noise. Your career isn’t who you are. It’s just what you do. Start asking people what really excites them instead.
5. Fully recharge. Treat your job search like your full time job but also take the time to do the things you always wanted to do. Cook more. Journal more. Meditate and take baths. This is essential to your mental health as there will be plenty of days you will wonder when the next job is coming.
6. Have a support network where you can really vent. It’s not all glamour and especially not everyday. A journal really helps.
7. Pay it forward when you have a job and are back on track financially. Have a logical plan on how you’ll pay back your debts if you went into debt while you were job searching and tackle with a snowball. Be there for people who you know are having a tough time finding the right fit.
8. Stay positive. It’s trite but true. I had to consciously decide today was worth it some days and some days I just had to have a mood and be sad — but it is all coming. Your mental health is your responsibility, take care of it wisely. For me, that included regular movement and meditation and mindful eating, cooking for others and taking social media breaks.
9. Ignore most people who try to give you advice on what they would do. Lots of people will advise you not to take a break because they view life in their lens, and you need to make a call for you. People can be your support, but do not look to them to make a decision for you. Only you know your full financial picture. Only you know what you want to accomplish and when. Do not pause what you want based on other people’s fear. Ignore the haters. Do not expect them to relate. Some days, it will be harder than you expected and they will not relate and instead of feeling alone — ask these feelings what they are teaching you rather than why it is happening to you. You are the author of this story more than you realize.
10. It can all be taken away in an instant, the right job is one that allows you to have your identity in place and where you are learning and constantly being challenged, but once it becomes time to move on to something that will be better for your career, use logic to see if you should make the leap to something harder and better for you.
What helped you when you decided it was time to start over?
Reth
