How I Quit a Job I Knew Was Holding Me Back

I quit my job at 7:40AM on 7/26/18. It was absolutely time to go. When I left the building, it felt as if a HUGE weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I don’t want to sound cliché, but I could literally feel the stress leaving my body as I pressed send on that final email and drove away.

Here’s the back story. I began this job exactly 1 year and 1 week prior to that joyous day. What started out as high hopes, and pure optimism slowly turned into skepticism and regret. Unlike previous times when I’ve applied for contract positions, I was recruited by an agency specifically for this position. I went through the usual routine of researching the company and individuals that would be conducting the interview, having a phone screen, an in-person interview, and sending thank you notes immediately afterward. Apparently, my thank you note is what solidified the position for me; and they decided to move quickly to get me in. I should have known immediately that something was wrong when I arrived on my first day and nothing was ready for me to begin. The person I was replacing was on vacation for a week, my PC hadn’t been ordered, I had no log-ins, but who cares right, I got the job!

When my predecessor finally returned, I had exactly 4 days to train with her as she was moving across the country at the end of her 2 weeks. Thankfully enough for me, she was prepared to train, and I was eager to learn. I did find it odd that I was replacing her as she had a more senior title and obviously made more money. That was a concession I gladly made as I was transitioning back into a field that I had previously worked in and understood that I needed to work my way up to gain more experience and become a permanent employee. Eventually, it all fell into place. At the time I was the only contractor with my title, and I was able to fully take over the account I started with in addition to becoming an integral part of 3 other accounts. I purposely began taking on more than what was defined in my scope of work, because as anyone that has ever contracted knows, you take on more to show that you’re a team player and an asset, not a liability. You’ve got to be proactive and take initiative to set yourself apart from the others. 

At 6 months, I sat down with my direct supervisor to discuss the plan for me to become a permanent employee. That’s when red flags began flying. I got one time span from him and another from the agency. I decided that I needed to stay on top of the transition plan, so they knew it was important to me and that it was never left up to chance. In January of 2018, I was told I would become permanent in April, in April, I was told June. I made a promise to myself that I would give them until June 1st  to make me a permanent employee before I decided to move on. I made my resume live on every hiring platform imaginable June 1st. I also gave myself a deadline to be gone after one year.

This time around, I knew I had to be more discerning about what I would accept in my job search. I had the upper hand when it came to money, hours, and work load. When an opportunity came about that underpaid for the position offered, I told them my bottom line for pay. When they asked if it was negotiable, I strongly stated no. When contracted opportunities appeared; I thanked them for the consideration, but kindly explained that I was only interested in Direct Hire positions, when they countered that the position was temp to perm, I thanked them again and asked to only be contacted with permanent opportunities. 

Ironically, on the day of my one-year anniversary at the company, I had a promising interview with my current company. I created and brought with me a brag sheet AKA brag book of all my accomplishments at my previous job. I also brought scaled down spreadsheets (protecting proprietary information) of my projects to show that I was fully capable of handling the position being offered. When the interview was over, I immediately sent thank you notes to the interviewers recapping our conversation and included a 90-day plan detailing what I would do if I were hired on. Exactly one week later, I had a 2nd interview with the President of the division and sent a thank you note including the same 90-day plan. 

By the grace of God, I was offered the position the next day, and well; this leads me back to the day that I quit. 1 year and 1 week later, I was able to obtain a better position, with higher pay (salaried), bonuses, vacation and sick time (I know this is normal, but as a contractor; it’s common you don’t get paid for either). I am truly grateful for the experience I gained at my previous position, and the people I met. At some point, I realized that it was a stepping stone, and not where I would end up, and had to make an exit plan immediately. Ladies, I know it’s rough out here, and we’re resilient, but we know ourselves, and we really should stop fighting intuition. I knew very early on that I should have parted ways with that company, but I’m an adult with adult bills and responsibilities. It was much easier said, than done. However, we all have a drop-dead bottom line and mine was overworking and being paid the absolute least. Know your value, and trust when it’s time to go!