Quitting job with nothing to go to - WWYD?

How old are you? Do you have kids - their ages if so? Is there anything you can change to improve the current role while looking for a new job at the same time eg wfh? Expand your professional network?
I was made redundant last year but the job i eventually found in July (in the same town where I live and, while less money, isn’t a terrible wage) isn’t great. I do wfh as much as possible which helps.
Do you live in a place where if/when the job market improves there are a range of roles in your field generally on offer? I live in a provincial sized town so options are always slim.
Would you consider downsizing your house to pay off your mortgage because even if you change jobs the situation itself may not improve that much - you hope it would but no guarantees.
I have also found in my field that a lot of that jobs that were on offer were full time but for a fixed term - usually only 12 months. So there is uncertainty as to what may happen after that.

I am a recruiter for the past 20 years and disagree with the concept to just "stick it out" when it comes to work. Bad jobs are like bad relationships. The longer you are in them; the more they erode your self esteem and confidence to the point it takes years to build up again. Also we reach an age where stress can play a terrible role in our overall health. Ive worked with people who stuck it out over fear only too end up being to sick to work at all. Life is short. Dont let a job sink your self worth or confidence. If you can afford to eat you can afford to quit. Mind yourself and im so sorry your going through this. But honestly quit. Noone regrets quiting a job that was damaging their mental health x

Before going for a nuclear option, I'd think about ways to reduce stress. First of all, are the pressures you experience external or internal? From experience, a lot of the stress people feel at work are internal pressures - "I am letting the team down by not picking up bits of work when we are understaffed" or "I don't want people to think that I am not pulling my weight so I am not making use of my reasonable adjustments" or "I can't call in sick because there are three people sick already and we are very busy". In reality, people can only do what they can do and if the workload is designed for 1,5 people, you are still only one person and can absolutely say that you are at capacity.
How good are you at emotionally disconnecting after your work day is finished? Do you shut your laptop at 5pm and walk out or do you log in at 11pm to check your emails?

If there are external pressures such as poor processes or bullying in the workplace, that's often harder to shift and I've been burned by that in the past. Which is why I never apply for jobs which say I should be "working well under pressure" because it basically says "we are taking on too much work for the capacity of our organisation, we are too disorganised to deliver projects on time, and we give unrealistic expectations to our clients"

Honestly, I'd go. I have done this more than once in my working lifetime with no job to go to, you will find something eventually... Truly, toxic workplaces which are affecting your health and wellbeing are not worth sticking at, life is too short.

Yes, the job market isn't ideal currently but you have done all the right things...you have several months' salary saved and a supportive partner, you'll ride it out. Hand in your notice, the relief will be enormous. And if necessary, get a sick note to cover your notice period.

No job is worth your health . My advice is leave and treat your job search as a full time job

There.was a thread recently by a.woman who was being made redundant and struggling to find a job at the same salary (she's senior) and being rejected from lower.paid jobs because she's over qualified.
It's brutal out there!
Is there anything occupational health could help with to make adjustments to make the day to day more bearable?

I would prioritise your MH and go putting in notice today so you finish before Christmas.

You have 6 months salary saved so that would give you until July to find something else. Chances are you would find something at a less senior role before then if you prioritised yourself. You work to live, a role you hate which is making you ill isn't worth it.

DH and I have had a similar conversation recently. Is isn’t happy at work at all - has a very stressful role with real like consequences if you cock up, and is chronically understaffed. I asked him if he wanted to quit if it was that bad. He said he does but ultimately no as it doesn’t solve anything - he’ll still be stressed and unhappy but he’ll also be poor and feel guilty towards me on top of that!

You're right about slim pickings. I'm also on the hunt for something new after seven years. Because I've been in my current role for a while I am well paid, have great annual leave and a good pension, etc. I'm finding it hard to better the package I currently have, but I know I've got to leave before I say something I shouldn't. The frustration is killing me. My role is also in a fairly niche sector. You've started the hunt so you are moving forward. I've had my CV looked at by a few agencies and have taken some advice, as a lot of recruiters now use AI screening tools. In the past (before I had a kid), I have just walked out of jobs and then found another, but that's not so easy these days. Could you find temporary work to plug the gap whilst you find a permanent position? It's always easier to find a job when you're already in one. I've found employers take a suspicious view if you leave your last job with nothing to go to. What about taking some time off for a bit of head space?

Where do you live that house prices have dipped so massively or did you only have a very small deposit? I’m only asking because I have (totally unrelated concerns) about my brother putting himself in meantime equity through his divorce settlement and have been advising to think it through rather than just agree to get it done. Where I live house prices have dipped a little and the market is cool but they are still generally up from 5 years ago

so technically I'd have 9 months before the money ran out. It feels a bit reckless but I think we'd manage

I appreciate the health problems make this a more difficult decision. But thinking you will manage, isn't a plan. You need to seriously consider what you would do, if after 9 months you're still unable to find a job. As there's a very high chance of being unemployed, with a big mortgage and no savings, which would be a lot more stressful than the job you left.

I would go on long term sick and get myself signed off with stress and use that time to find another job. I wouldn’t be quitting!

No way in today's job market would I leave without 2 years of savings. If you quit now you'll also be without a job over Christmas.

I agree. I think it would give you time to think and you might even be missed. I don't think walking out is a good approach.

How badly is it affecting your health?
Are you responsible for a large team or do you have junior managers under you?

Different circumstances but DH had to look for a new role as his current one was ending. It took about a month of constant searching, applications, a few interviews… There was about a week and a half between him finishing his old job and his new one starting. He had been wanting to leave his old job for years but it gave him the push he needed to properly try.

A friend’s DH has recently quit with nothing to go to. He had a 3 month notice period and was signed off for a lot of that. I can’t say for certain but my impression was that he wasn’t putting in 100% effort to finding a new job but he has now secured one and will have been unemployed for 1.5 months when he starts.

I think, if you’re willing to move to a role that’s not quite right, then do what you need to do but if you want to hold out for the right thing, you should keep working. In this economy, not working would stress me out even with lots of savings.

Quit, today. Your health is more important.
As soon as you hand in your notice you will feel better and be able to ride out those three months. That gives you until christmas of salary and by then who knows? You are already putting out feelers so you might have something else lined up, you might not, but its absolutely not worth risking a breakdown.

I think the first thing is to reframe what work is and what this role is to you. Accept it’s a bit f a misstep, accept it’s a bad environment/crap boss/awful clients, and figure out how to work to the minimum of what’s required so you give yourself headspace to find another role. If you need to take leave then do. Carve out coffee breaks / a walk or gym at lunch etc or wfh days too.
Id set yourself a realistic timeframe to find a new role - say 6 months - and actively look during that period. After that, give yourself the break regardless of the job prospects. It’s easier to say ‘I can do this til March’ than ‘I can’t see an end to this.’
Be mindful of seasonality of recruitment in your field. Also actively use your network - previous company or managers might help?
Good luck (from someone who’s been there).

Normally, I'd say quit, you can do better, i am a veteran job-hopper. However, my last FTC ended a year ago and I still havent found work even though I started looking 6mo before it ended. I have turned down 3 unsuitable roles in that time, so technically i COULD be working now, but they were unsuitable for a reason and it would affect my quality of life bigtime. If i was dependent on the income, that would be my situation. So, i'm advising caution. I'm running out of money now and concerned I'll never find a serious contract in my sector again at 40. Feeling rather like all my training, investment and graft was a waste. Esp. As our house is now hovering on the edge of negative equity too! :/

speak to management
but ride it out

This is precisely what I am currently doing. It’s tough, but applying for 100s of jobs while my savings dwindle would be tougher.

The job market is brutal that is true. However you can’t underestimate the impact stress has on the body and your mental health. If you can manage on savings and your husband’s salary and cut your cloth to suit you should consider leaving.

My young adult son had a similar situation in terms of stress in a job and it triggered a lifelong health condition which made us all reconsider the importance of health versus working in a job that was making him ill.

I am not comparing your situation to his or saying this will happen to you. But it made me reevaluate my thinking on this. If you were on your own, with a large mortgage, bills etc. then that is a difficult and more tricky situation. However, if you can manage and accept that it might take a while to find something else then it is definitely something to consider!

Go off sick with stress to string things out?

@MHPlummeting
I'm currently going through a similar thought process, I have a thread ongoing on MN.

Slightly different to your situation as I've been in my role a long time, pension to consider etc.

Its affecting my MH and was making me ill.

Personally, I planned to stick it out but am now actively looking for a new role but in the meantime I'm trying to shut out the nonsense, head down, ignore what goes on around me.

This attitude probably won't work for you as you sound like you're at a higher level than myself.

I wouldn't leave without a role to go to, just looking for something else has shown it's a tough market.

You have my sympathy