At 27, Camrin Bailey held a great job in an exciting city. As a third-year associate at a prestigious Chicago law firm, she was on her way to becoming a partner and earning a substantial lifetime salary. But during a long, cold Chicago winter, she felt an urgent need to return home to Southern California. She impulsively quit the firm, packed and left.
Once in California, she assumed she'd quickly find another law-firm job. But when she called the state bar association, she found, "to my dismay, that California was saturated with lawyers," Ms. Bailey says. "There wasn't the work I thought there would be."
Her sudden decision to quit her previous firm was another strike against her. "None of the firms I spoke to liked the idea that I'd left a good job on a whim," she says.
She spent six months waitressing before finding a job at a downtown Los Angeles firm. "I was able to get into a law firm but it meant a difficult commute and the same rat race I'd left behind in Chicago," she says.
Professionals resign suddenly for various reasons. Ms. Bailey wanted to return to the more laid-back California lifestyle, but others quit to indulge a fantasy, such as working at a ski resort or bartending in a restaurant on a Caribbean island.
Why do some people quit while others don't? Many impulsive quitters are bored with their former lives. Kathryn James, a reporter for the Park City, Utah, newspaper, often interviews new residents to the resort area. When asked why they moved, they often say their prior jobs and careers weren't fulfilling, she says.
These relocators believe a sudden move will act like shock therapy and magically dispel their feelings of discontent. Many new arrivals haven't determined the true reasons for their feelings or the impact of moving on their long-term career prospects. They're even more unhappy when they realize that moving wasn't a cure-all, says Ms. James.
Other professionals suddenly quit jobs because they believe they aren't being true to themselves, says Efraim Estrada, a psychotherapist in the Lake Tahoe, Calif.-Carson City, Nev., area.
For instance, their companies may require them to perform unpleasant or unethical tasks. By seeking new avenues and directions, even if on the spur of the moment, they can gain self-awareness and happiness, he says.
Too Tired to Plan
Is an impulsive career move ever appropriate or possible without causing long-term damage? In hindsight, Ms. Bailey says she wouldn't repeat her behavior. "Anyone who feels like suddenly leaving a place [should] take the time to look for work before they leave." she says."This is no time to be impulsive."
But some professionals who are under extreme stress or burned out may feel too trapped, afraid or exhausted to make an orderly career change. For them, quitting impulsively is the only way to end the stress, says Ms. James.
And in the long run, you may discover a better career. On the outside, everything seemed fine for Dave Sturges, 51, who was earning a good income as an insurance broker in Salt Lake City. Internally, though, "I was deeply unhappy in my life," he says. "My family life was very troubled and I was an emotional mess."
His dream was to become a contractor and build beautiful, affordable houses. "One day, I quit my job, took my family to Durango, Colo., where I'd always wanted to live, and started a new career," he says.
Now a contractor in Durango, Mr. Sturges says he doubts he could have made the move if he'd stopped to plan it carefully "because I'd have lost courage in the end."
"It was exactly what I needed," he says. "I'm happy, my family life is great and I'm doing what I always wanted to do."
If you're unhappy or burned out and want to quit your job immediately, how can you do it without causing long-term harm? Career specialists offer the following advice:
1. If you're unhappy, don't make impulsive decisions without first seeking professional guidance.
If you're unhappy for personal reasons, you'll only transfer your sadness to the new location or job. A career counselor or psychotherapist may help you understand the source of your feelings and the best way to resolve them.
2. Think through where you want to live and what you want to do with your life.
The thought of leaving for a position with few responsibilities may seem appealing when you're stressed out. However, not having enough money or working in temporary or menial positions creates a different kind of stress. You may find yourself unhappier than ever in a new location.
3. Research the destination and available job opportunities.
Learn about the local economy, social activities and other factors that may affect your happiness in your dream location. Review issues of magazines that profile various cities, such as Money magazine's annual review.
Researching and planning a move can help you stay focused and decide if a community is right for you. For instance, that resort area you loved during a ski vacation may only offer low-paying seasonal work and little to do during the off season.
4. Don't assume that a move will dramatically change how you feel about yourself.
Your daily activities and lifestyle may be different but any internal changes will be subtle. Decide what you want from a move in advance, so you can evaluate whether the switch was beneficial.
5. Arrange to move with a friend, spouse or significant other.
Moving is stressful and could negatively impact your relationships, but being by yourself initially may make you feel so lonely that it affects your emotional or physical health.
6. Ask for a leave of absence to test the waters.
After a ski season or summer spent hiking the backwoods, you may long for the structure and competitiveness of your old job. Keep your options open and never burn your bridges at a previous employer. If you say you need time off to renew yourself, your employer may be willing to give you an unpaid leave.
After a divorce, Marla Johnson, a real-estate executive in Frederick, Md., was so burned out that her physician told her to request a leave of absence. She received a year off without pay and spent the winter teaching skiing in Taos, N.M., while working part-time in a restaurant. During the summer, she led hikers through the Santo de Christo Mountain Range near Santa Fe. Although her activities seemed exciting, she grew tired of her new life and returned to her old job six months early, feeling calm and refreshed.
For Ms. Johnson, taking a leave of absence was better than resigning. "The life I led in New Mexico sounded great, but once I was there, I realized how much I missed the excitement of my job," she says. "The grass isn't really greener somewhere else. You've just got to look for it where you live."
7. Don't beat yourself up if the move goes badly.
You did what seemed right at the moment. Now it's time to cut your losses and make an informed decision about your next step. If you're uncertain about what you should do, seek an assessment from a trained career counselor.
An impulsive move may reduce your stress and unhappiness temporarily, but once the newness wears off, you may feel unsatisfied again. Use this as a sign that you need to determine what's really bothering you. Seek assistance in resolving your unhappiness, then carefully plan your next move so that it helps you to achieve meaningful goals.
-- Dr. Glicken is a professor of social work at California State University at San Bernardino and a frequent contributor to the NBEW on career-related issues.
