What’s your experience of handing in your notice without a job to go to?

[MsStillwell]

And should I do the same?

I've only done it once as it was a toxic, bullying environment. I did, luckily, find another job during my notice period and moved straight on.

However I really, really, would like to take a few months off to maybe upskill and just be a SAHM to my 2 primary aged DCs. But I am terrified of prolonged unemployment (even if DH can support us). In theory, I have the savings and experience to do so, we can also downsize house... but I have a massive fear of poverty that I just keep on going miserable.

I have turned down a job offer as I felt it was like going from one lions den to another with the risk of a new environment.

I did and it was a huge relief to me as my job was ruining my mental and physical health. However, I knew I was going to be okay financially for a fair period of time and that I was as good as guaranteed to get a job before that period of time ran out. If I hadn´t known that, I wouldn´t have done it.

I’ve done it but did so knowing that other half could afford to support us. Found a new job within a month, found out I was pregnant the day I started new job and the 8 weeks later handed in my notice as I had hyperemesis and felt so guilty about needing time off!
That was a long time ago though and I probably wouldn’t do it now. Depends on your situation though

I've done it once, and spent the next 13 years living abroad being a lady of leisure (aka a SAHM), as dh's jobs kept us abroad, and there was no financial need for me to work.

It was lovely, except it felt like treading water, but the jobs available to me involved long hours for little pay, and the incentive just wasn't there.

Now back in the UK, I am job hunting, and am waiting for a formal offer once security checks, a DBS check, and references have been gone through.

I've done it twice. The second time though i had been speaking to my now employer (they approached me). I was on a 3 month notice period and the thought of spending any more time in my previous job than i actually had to was very upsetting. So i quit before i'd had an offer or signed contracts.

Risky but it worked out. I did have a supportive Dh, and we'd done the maths so knew how long he could cover everything on his own if he had to before i got a new job if that happened.

would i do it now in the current climate? probably only as a last resort.

I did it. I was in the very fortunate position that I don’t need to work and my DH just wants me to be happy in whatever I do.

The situation at work WAS making me ill (and I wasn’t the only one) so I quit. I started my current job which is FANTASTIC after three months off.

I’ve done it but I’ve always freelanced on the side so it wasn’t as much of a gamble (but not without risk).

Don’t do it if it’s going to add more stress to an already stressful situation until you have a plan in place for how you’re going to survive financially.

It can be a bit of a red flag for recruiters. And if you will be up against 100s of other applicants, you don't want any red flags or question marks on your CV.

But it all depends, of course, on your skill set etc.

Have you a Plan B if it takes a while to get a another job? E.g. study, career break, nixer.

I would take try to take annual leave if possible and spend it applying for other jobs

DP does it every 2-3 years or so. He has savings, so he can cover his share of the bills etc, and he usually gets another job within 2-3 months.

Thank you for your insightful comments each and every one of you. To answer some questions:

finances I could use up my savings and be off for 6 months with no belt-tightening, 12 months if I lived very frugally.

commitments no dependents, no mortgage, no debts.

support good friends, lovely DP but although he wouldn't see me starve, we have no financial commitment to each other iyswim.

mental health I'm feeling weepy and anxious and I recognise that experience of feeing very down on a Sunday (and I only work PT).

job prospects I don't want to apply for new jobs and I don't want to work in the same industry. I want something completely different and to be self employed. I'm worried that this will mean I go from a professional salary to eeking out office jobs if I'm lucky.

I did over 20 years after falling out over the company strategy. Like the OP I had enough money to live frugally for about a year. At the time it was painful to leave and be unemployed for the first time ever, though the way things have turned out since, was a blessing in disguise.

I did it once many years ago. I was so desperate to leave a job. I walked back into a position where I had worked before following a phone conversation with some one in authority who offered me the post over the phone(I think they valued/ liked me) This was with NHS. I would never contemplate doing this now and especially at the moment. I was lucky enough to have qualifications and it was at a time when there were jobs for life. Those were the days!!!!

@LakieLady

DP does it every 2-3 years or so. He has savings, so he can cover his share of the bills etc, and he usually gets another job within 2-3 months.

Why does he walk out of jobs every 2-3 years? I see it as a once in a lifetime act of desperation 😬

I did it years ago in the 80s. Walked out on a horrible NHS admin job I hated. Started another much better paid job two weeks later. Then DH decided to do the same and landed a better job within three weeks. It was easy back then, not so much now unfortunately.

Yeah I've just quit jobs a few times. It is scary sure, but it's better than staying in a job you come to hate. Now is a tricky time but as you have a bit of breathing space then why not? Will you feel relief if you hand in your notice? That was key for me. And I found a dream job 2 months later.

I've just left my job but I start a new one on Monday. I don't think I could leave a job and not have another one to go to even if financially comfortable

job prospects I don't want to apply for new jobs and I don't want to work in the same industry. I want something completely different and to be self employed. I'm worried that this will mean I go from a professional salary to eeking out office jobs if I'm lucky.*

By this do you mean that you're leaving to be self-employed and have a business plan etc or do you mean that you want to do something different and be self-employed but don't know what that will be yet?

Leaving to set up your own business isn't leaving without a job to go to and you should stop seeing it like that. How risky it is depends entirely what your business plan of course.

Leaving not knowing what you want to do is different. I would try and work that out before leaving (and have a solid plan in place) but then I am the main wage earner with kids so there is more to my decision than just what I want. You sound like you are in a position to take time out. I don't really know what you mean by eeking out office jobs though - there's a very broad range of office jobs, even in admin (which I assume you're referring to) and some are very well paid with considerable responsibility. Is your profession something you could easily get back into if you change your mind / get desperate (eg teaching in an in demand subject) or something where once you leave you're going to find it hard to get back in?

You also need to work out what it is about your current situation that you're finding hard (particularly as you're only part-time in a professional role so will presumably be needing to massively increase working hours to become self-employed in a new business, at least medium term if not long term). Will leaving your job change that? Is it the job itself or would changing employer possibly help.

You're in a good position - savings and only yourself to worry about - but only you can really assess whether the risk is worth it for you.

Did it about ten years back - left a long term temp job that was paying shit, long hours and lots of responsibility but fuck all pay or benefits compared to 'proper', non temp agency staff.

Walked into my next job about six weeks later. Also a bunch of arses but better paid and more interesting responsibilities in the sector I wanted to work in. This would have been 2010, so recovering from the crash and as PP have said I think you'd need to weigh up your chances of finding more work in the current climate.

Sorry @MsStillwell just gone back and read your other comment. Seems like you're having a tough time at the moment and would be in a relatively secure position if you did walk. Any chance of trying to get signed off work for a couple of weeks? Or taking two weeks holiday for your mental health? A week of rest and a week thinking about how/if you could improve your current job (or applying for new ones) might help get you through.

I tend to think that if you're worried about how leaving might look to future employers, as long as you can explain any gaps you should be OK (eg wanted to retrain to do X, couldn't fit that in around work so saved up and quit my job so I could study full time etc).

I don't think any job is worthy of sacrificing your mental health. Hope things improve soon.

I am literally about to do the same OP. Teaching in secondary is really affecting my mental health. It was always tough but now I have a new, dreadful micromanaging head of dept and SLT have become hyper controlling and hurl blame around over covid safety (whilst not keeping us safe) and I just cannot do it any more. Is there bank style work you can do?

My experience was that I got a new job far to quickly and then got pregnant. I was hoping for a few months to rest and regroup financed by my dh. That was 15 years ago - still waiting for the rest!

Will you feel relief if you hand in your notice?

I keep wanting to try that out, "imagine you'd handed your notice in yesterday, how would you feel this morning?" but I don't want to con myself and have to deal with it not being true(!). I think I'd feel huge, huge relief and a bit of glee at them having to deal with me leaving (which is not good karma).

By this do you mean that you're leaving to be self-employed and have a business plan etc or do you mean that you want to do something different and be self-employed but don't know what that will be yet?

The latter. I spent a couple of years retraining in all of my spare time, but that hasn't worked out and I think it's a dead end. I wanted to build something up so I had something to go to, but I think I'm just completely worn down that I don't have any zest left.

Is your profession something you could easily get back into if you change your mind / get desperate (eg teaching in an in demand subject)

Oh yes there is always that but it'd be Plan F. @Fizzysours

Thank you everyone, there are so many more comments that I want to respond to, but my head's spinning (am currently avoiding being at work). Yesterday evening was difficult and I'm thinking of trying to get an appointment with a doctor for a couple of weeks off.

What pension provision do you have and what age are you? it’s a mad time currently and if things got tight with no forthcoming job do you have a spare room you could rent out? getting a mid week lodger who works away from home is preferable to a FT one.

I didn’t ever do this, I did have one job that stressed me out but it was over 20 years ago and I managed to get another easily, it was the only time I contemplated leaving without a job to go to.