Four Reasons You Should Stop Feeling Guilty About Quitting Your Job
Well, look at yourself: after months of quietly exploring new, better career opportunities, you’ve found a job that makes you dizzy at the thought. You even got up the courage to tell your current employer about it. And just at the moment when you should be in seventh heaven with happiness, a feeling of guilt pours in.
This post was originally published on the Muse website .
It happens. You start to question the decision. You feel terrible about leaving your team at a time when no one could live without you. You wonder if you should just dive into your cubicle for the next two weeks to avoid bumping into people with this sensational news of yours.
Stop that. Yes, of course, guilt is a natural feeling that many people feel when leaving an employer, especially if you really like the company and the team will really burn soon.
But, assuming you are gracefully managing your departure , you absolutely shouldn’t feel guilty, and here’s why.
1. Professionals are expected to develop and grow
Your colleagues are not like you. They strive to grow, develop and, in many cases, take positions with new tasks and responsibilities . It’s human nature, and that’s to be expected. Even if your peers or supervisors are pouty or annoyed when you announce you are leaving, understand that they are probably just thinking about the pain in the rear that your leaving may cause them in the short term (or wishing they were are right about now).
2. If things were different, the company probably wouldn’t feel guilty.
Think about it. If your employer was faced with budget cuts or layoffs and your job was to be among those affected, do you think your managers or HR director would spend endless hours wringing their hands of guilt before they warn you about dismissal? Probably no. Of course, on a personal level, they may feel bad. After all, we are all human. But they will surely understand that this is a business, and in business sometimes difficult decisions have to be made.
Now apply this to your own decision and understand that most employers understand that you too are making difficult choices to grow your own business — the business of your career.
3. If you are not feeling guilty, you are not doing anyone a favor.
I’ve actually coached a few clients who turned down great offers because they just didn’t have the courage to face their employer and retire . (“They’ll die without me.”) And in at least two of those cases, guess what happened? The person who stayed became more and more resentful or unproductive in their role, and this had a negative impact on the employer. Even if you know your company will complain and moan when you leave, if you don’t feel guilty, you are doing both them and yourself a disservice .
4. Guilt will ruin your joy for the last two weeks.
Did you enjoy spending time with the company you are leaving? Have you met at least a couple of colleagues or clients that you really enjoy being with? Well then, stop moping and make the most of your last days at your old job. Take that burden off your shoulders and enjoy the hours you have with these comrades. Because guess what? It may not be easy to make time to see them when you start this new show.
Even when you are overwhelmed with the upcoming transition, it can be emotionally difficult to quit your job. Feel the emotions absolutely. Just don’t let the wine sneak in and steal the moment. You need to swim.
4 Reasons You Should Stop Feeling Guilty About Quitting Your Job | Muse