{"id":8477,"date":"2018-08-04T09:47:08","date_gmt":"2018-08-04T13:47:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ioadvisory.com\/?p=8477"},"modified":"2024-03-09T13:10:48","modified_gmt":"2024-03-09T18:10:48","slug":"leaving-toxic-job","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ioadvisory.com\/blog\/leaving-toxic-job\/","title":{"rendered":"Leaving a Toxic Job"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"a<\/a>\u201cJane Smith\u201d knew she\u2019d made the wrong decision the first day at the job that would end her career. The supervisor showed her to a filthy cubicle. The computer keyboard was jammed with food, and what she hoped was hand lotion. When she asked the I.T. support tech for a new keyboard, he looked dubious and a little annoyed.<\/span><\/p>\n

When her supervisor walked her around her new unit to introduce her to the other staff, many seemed hostile and tense.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWork isn\u2019t supposed to be fun, that\u2019s why it\u2019s called work.\u201d Jane Smith tried to convince herself. But she felt sick on Sunday nights and most mornings before work.<\/span><\/p>\n

Depression set in. Jane ended up on stress leave for three months<\/a>. When she went back to her toxic job, it didn\u2019t take long for the same symptoms to return, and worse. \u201cI started to burn out. Between the toxic upper management and the angry, depressed people around me. That job derailed<\/a> me \u2013 my career and my mental health have never been the same.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

A job is so much more than just \u201ca job.\u201d Most of us spend most of our waking hours at work. In a good scenario, colleagues become friends as well, and work can become an important part of our social life. Your job is often a big part of your financial security, and if you\u2019re lucky, your fulfillment. What do you do when your job becomes a dreaded grind? Or worse, like an abusive relationship?<\/span><\/p>\n

\"a<\/a>Paranoia, anxiety, and\/or isolation are common reactions to a toxic job situation. Sunday nights shouldn\u2019t make you lie wide-eyed in bed dreading the approaching week.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s hard to walk away from a toxic job that’s masquerading as a \u201cgood job,\u201d with steady pay, benefits, and good\/predictable hours. Yet, each day you sit at your desk, feeling like your life is passing you by while you\u2019re passed over for opportunities and promotions. \u201cEveryone told me how lucky I was to have a government job,\u201d she says. \u201cI wasn\u2019t supposed to complain when so many people would have traded places with me in a heartbeat.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cAfter many months I called the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to ask to see a career coach,\u201d Jane told me. There was no career coach associated with the EAP so she talked to a counsellor or social worker. \u201cWhen I told her why I wanted to leave, and the things I was experiencing on the job, she told me I was working in a toxic job and that no, I was not crazy, over-sensitive or imagining things. Having my experiences validated helped more than I can ever explain.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\"a<\/a>Most people don\u2019t know how to resign from their position without a huge financial loss, or permanent dent in their resume. Quitting a job can also be emotionally challenging. If you have a family relying on you, you will probably feel terrible worry and guilt about taking a risk. If you have colleagues who suffer beside you, you may worry about leaving them behind. There may be legal implications and options.<\/span><\/p>\n

At the same time, you might try to downplay the severity of the mistreatment you have experienced. \u00a0Plus, you have to find a new job without relying on your abusive employer as a reference.<\/span><\/p>\n

This can be an intimidating decision, but leaving is critical, just as it is for someone who is in a destructive relationship. Ideally, you will line up a new position before leaving the bad one but since you will not be at your best, that’s not always easy.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Here are some dos and don\u2019ts, for leaving a toxic job<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Do:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n