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This past year has been rough for me because of a project/interest mismatch. It showed in my most recent review, so I decided to change teams. For big company reasons, I've been told that my next review likely also won't be good. I wasn't quite told this, but I'd likely be managed out, despite several good years at the company. This has been a source of stress, enough that it's started affecting my health.

Something has to change. Fortunately, I have enough saved to take a break and cover my expenses for a few years.

I'm not sure how to proceed. Regardless, I should start looking for a new job. I'm debating whether it's best to respectfully quit outright, wait for the inevitable, or explain the situation to my manager. Aside from job security and broader trust issues with management, I'm actually fine with the company, so I'd be open to trying to make something work, though since it's a big company, I doubt there's much my manager can do. I'm also not sure how recruiters will see quitting with a break vs. being laid off.

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  • You might not be eligible for unemployment benefits if you voluntarily quit, but you likely would be if you were laid off. (Depending on what country you are in)
    – John Gordon
    Commented Dec 3 at 19:41
  • How comfortable are you with your manager? I’ve had ones I was comfortable giving a year+ notice, and I’ve been fired (along with everyone else at that location) while I was out at a dr’s appointment.
    – jmoreno
    Commented Dec 3 at 22:14
  • Quitting before you have a new job is always foolhardy unless you are independently wealthy.
    – mxyzplk
    Commented Dec 4 at 0:11
  • @jmoreno We knew each other from before, so somewhat comfortable
    – MLivingston
    Commented Dec 4 at 7:50
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    Getting fired is bad, laid off not so much but still not good. If the manager is trustworthy, the best course of action is a frank discussion, where you decide if you’re good to stay or will be finding another job as quickly as possible.
    – jmoreno
    Commented Dec 4 at 12:20

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Take not counsel of your fears.

  • General George S. Patton

You may be laid off you may not. The job is the cause of a lot of stress. Its time to update your resume, brush up on any skills you want to use in your next job, and practice your interviewing techniques. This may also include either buying or refreshing the clothes you will wear to an interview.

These are the actions you should take. These actions should help you relieve stress as you are taking positive actions in your life to regain control. You have lost a bit of control due to the current job situation.

Apply like crazy and work your network for your next position. Be positive and do the work you are assigned to the best of your ability at your current job.

Quitting is not on the list of actions you should take. It serves no purpose and hurts yourself. You will look less attractive to a future employer being out of work and you will not have income.

Having some money saved is a great accomplishment and not easy to do. It should be protected and saved for something meaningful.

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  • Yes, you should have two nest eggs. One is for savings (2-3 months' worth of expenses) if you cannot work for some reason, and the other is substantially longer for times of world economic downturns, allowing you to be less stressed about the money portion. These nest eggs are there so you don't have to cash in your life insurance or dip into your 401K and pay a substantial fees.
    – Donald
    Commented Dec 8 at 3:40

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