5 Reasons To Stop Feeling Guilty About Leaving Your Job

By Lilian Wamaitha
Congratulations!
You have done it.
After months of looking for a new job, you have succeeded in finding the perfect position and you can’t wait to start.
You have already given your one month or two weeks’ notice and are just finalizing and trying to make the most of the time you still have at your current job.
And then the guilt kicks in. You feel like you are betraying your employer.
You start doubting whether the new position will really make you happy.
You wonder how you are going to make it past the few weeks remaining without going insane.
Here is the truth; it’s okay to feel a little guilty but don’t let it consume you. Don’t let it prevent you from taking a better job unless you are really not sure about the new opportunity.
That said here are five reasons to stop feeling guilty that you are leaving your new job.
1. As a professional you are expected to grow and develop in your career
Whether you believe it or not, the colleagues you will be leaving behind also aspire for one thing; growth and none of them can hold it against you for wanting to move to a place you will achieve that.
So even when your supervisors or peers seem irritated that you are leaving this is just them acting out and wishing they were in your shoes.
2. If it were the other way round, the company wouldn’t feel guilty
Think about it. Let’s say the company was doing layoffs and your job was among those on the line, do you really think that your boss would have sleepless nights trying to come up with a better way of telling you that your job is over?
Probably not. So why would you feel guilty because you are leaving for a job you are passionate about?
Sure, on a more personal leave you may feel bad but that’s human nature. But your employer understands that in business difficult decisions have to be made once in a while.
3. If you decide to stay out of guilt, you won’t be doing anyone any favors
I have met a number of professionals who have had to turn down great job offers just because they couldn’t gather the nerve to say they are quitting.
Sadly these are the people who months down the line of turning down a job will find that they are not happy.
They will resent their position and in some instances their employers and blame them for their misfortunes and in a short time will be looking for yet another job.
Here is the truth; even if your employer is not going to be happy that you are leaving (which is normal) you staying out of guilt is only doing you and them a disservice.
4. You deserve to love what you do
There is nothing as satisfying as doing something you are passionate about.
If you have been looking for a job and have managed to get one, it clearly shows that you have reached a point in your career where you were not happy with the job you had.
You don’t have to therefore feel guilty for wanting a satisfying job. It’s that simple.
5. That guilt will just take away your joy of the last one month or so
Have you enjoyed the time you have worked at that company?
If the answer is yes, then why would you want to ruin those last couple of weeks from guilt?
Savor that moment and make the most of the time you have left with those amazing co-workers.
If your paths do meet again, wouldn’t you rather have left them on a high note?
With this in mind
No matter how enthusiastic you are about your new job, quitting a job will definitely take a toll on you emotionally.
But if you have decided to move on and are sure that a new challenging opportunity is what you need, then you need to move past the guilt and make the most of the time you have left before moving on.
Trust me; your boss will not hold it against you.
Your turn
Are you at a place in your career where you feel that you need something else but are not sure how to go about it?
Are you feeling guilty about leaving your current job because you are not sure that it’s the right move for you?
Learn more about our 7 Week Career Mentorship Program that is GUARANTEED to set you in the right direction and help you thrive either in a new job, career or just where you are.
Lilian is a Communication Officer at Corporate Staffing Services, a HR and Recruitment firm offering trainings, coaching and job placements.