Pro tip: Quitting without a new job is underrated if you have 6 months of savings

I see people staying in toxic jobs for years because they think they need a lined up offer, but I walked out of a corporate marketing gig in Austin last March with 8 months of buffer and landed a better role in 5 weeks. Has anyone else found that having no backup actually forces you to network harder?

3 comments

3 Comments

kaigibson16d ago

People act like walking out with no backup is some life or death gamble, but honestly most jobs are replaceable. Eight months of savings is a solid runway, and being forced to network without the safety net of a current gig lights a fire under you. That said, it's not one-size-fits-all. Some fields are brutal right now, and if you're in a niche role it could take way longer than 5 weeks. For most of us sitting on a decent emergency fund though, staying in a soul-crushing place just to avoid a gap seems like the riskier move by a long shot.

the_piper16d ago

Did the 5 week gap feel way less risky than you expected?

smith.nancy16d ago

Debbie downer here, but my neighbor tried this with 4 months of savings and it took him 7 to find something. @the_piper you got lucky with the 5 week gap, but its not always that quick. Depends a lot on your field and the market at the time.