Everyone has gotten to that point in a job, exiting the “honeymoon phase”. You think you are
going to love the job you currently have for a while and then it hits you – you hate it. You hate
everything, or most things, about it. But you still think, deep down, that this is the job for you.
Whether or not that job is just to get by in college, or a job to get you by for the rest of your life,
you don’t want to let anyone or yourself down by quitting.
Sometimes though, quitting is what is best for us. If you even have a blip in your mind about
quitting, then that should be a red flag about your job.
Some of these red flags could be:
- Your schedule – this goes for part-time jobs only.
- Your manager/management
- Your coworkers – probably one of the most important aspects of working in my mind.
- The pay
- Distance
- Your passions
All six of these things are great reasons for quitting a job. For me, personally, I’ve dealt with all
of these at one point or another. Especially when it comes to part-time work.
Let me tell you my story, and how quitting a job has changed me for the better.
Back at the end of last year, one of my best friends and I applied to Starbucks together. I’ve
always had a passion for coffee and learning about the different ways it can be brewed or
presented. I had that thought in my mind: “I am going to love this job.” Well… here I am now,
my last day at Starbucks is April 5th.
So, what happened down the road that led me to quit a job I had a passion for? Well, from the list
above, it has to do with four things: my schedule, coworkers, the pay, and distance.
I liked my schedule at first. I thought I’d be able to wake up super early in the morning twice a
week. It got easy until I began to get more and more homework and I got more and more sleep
deprived. I would show up to work having just rolled out of bed, no makeup on, looking like all I
did was slap my clothes on and go to Starbucks. I was not happy with myself.
My coworkers were one of the biggest factors when quitting. I loved my opening coworkers; I
was not too fond of my closing ones. My opening crew made conversation with me, and I felt
welcome, the opposite was true for my closing shift. My closing shift crew would criticize me
for every little mistake I made and talk poorly about me to other people. If coworkers are making
you not feel welcome, it’s time to consider quitting.
The distance was far, and the pay was too little. I had to drive to work every day and pay to park
every day since Purdue has barely any free parking. It would get to the point where at the end of
the month, I would spend a whole paycheck on parking toll fees. Which moves me onto the pay.
I was being paid $10/hr. Sounds good right? Not to me. Maybe if you are living in a dorm or an
underclassman, but if you are trying to rack up savings while paying for an apartment, and have
a social life, $10/hr is not enough. Especially if the corporate store down the street is making $5
more than you.
Quitting a job does not make you a failure. It just means you are taking the initiative to find a job
that will make you happy and successful. You should never push yourself to continue something
you hate. Finding a good minimum wage job is very hard. Keep looking and one day you will
find the job for you.