3 tips to stop feeling guilty while leaving your job

Your company will be just fine without you.

Photo by Mimi Thian on Unsplash

You have that dream job in your hand, a job that checks all your boxes. You earned it, and then when you think you are so close to it, a little (not really little) guilt creeps in for leaving your current one.

You established yourself as an asset to the team, and you take pride in being an integral part of your team. You have worked hard to give the best at work. The guilt of leaving a ripple behind you can overshadow the exciting new journey you are about to begin.

Here are three ways that can help you eliminate the pesky guilt and celebrate your next career chapter,

Go back to your WHY

You probably started your job switch plans due to some reasons — those are your WHYs. Why did you want to start your job search in the first place? — Go back and list them down.

To make it easy for you, here are a few I can think of,

• It might be because your current role is no more aligning with your career goals.
• You are in a toxic work environment, or you are not being respected or being appreciated enough.
• You are planning to take a break to travel or probably spend time with your family or focus on your health.
• You are starting your business (Good for you! 😀)

Whatever was your WHY, it was strong enough that it kept pushing you to land this new job, and you accepted your offer. Remember that you have exhausted all your options before deciding on making this move.

Know that there is always a fear of the unknown, don’t let that fear win you over through this guilt to back you out.

Avoid explaining and overanalyzing.

Growth requires change. You are a professional, and you are expected to develop and grow. Once you decided to make this change, don’t try to explain to those around you why you are leaving this job and how you planned your future. When you start explaining, you will open the door to criticism and judgment; when you overanalyze their judgments and conversations, you open the door to fear and self-doubt.

There will always be someone who wants to put their opinions forward, take them and thank them for their concern. After all, among all the possible career choices, nobody knows what you need in your career better than you.

It’s enough that you know why you quit.

Focus on what’s next

Well, now you have accepted that you are ready to take the next step, focus on this new beginning. Just know that everything beautiful is on the other side of the guilt.

If you are switching jobs, here are few tips I have for you to focus on

1. Define your vision for this role.
2. Research more about the role.
3. Create connections and alliances.
4. Take the learnings from your current role — technical and non-technical and grow from there.

If you are doing it for any other reasons I gave in the first tip, remember you have already thought it through, and you’ve got this!

Don’t let the guilt disrupt your joy during the last couple of weeks. Take the important connections you built in this role, keep them going strong outside.

On the last note, don’t be emotionally attached to your company or job. If the tables were turned, the company wouldn’t probably feel guilty. You are on your own life project, and there is no room for guilt when you are just growing and expanding your horizons. Don’t let the guilt steal your thunder.