Ever since I left my day job last year, I have had several people ask me what they should do about the job that they hate. I have heard some horror stories about jobs that almost sound like the same reasons for why I knew I had to leave my day job.

Because of this, I thought it would be a great idea to discuss what a person should do if they hate their job. While most people cannot just simply quit their job and retire whenever they would like, it is possible to find a job that doesn’t make you ill.

Since everyone spends so much time working, I always think that it’s best to either have a job you love, or have a job that allows you to do what you love outside of work.

Below are different things you might want to think about before you quit a job you hate:

What do you hate about your job?

Leaving your job just because you hate working is 99.9% of the time not a good idea. I can’t think of a time where it would be a good idea but I’m a believer that anything is possible. You need to be realistic with this question.

Figuring out the answer to this question could possibly lead to you not hating your next job. Just think about it – if you don’t figure out why you hate your job, you might just be putting yourself in the exact same position with the next one.

Here are some different things to think about when pondering this question:

• Do you hate the work you do?
• Is it management that you have a problem with?
• Is it the work environment you hate?
• Are the clients the problem?

Do you have a game plan?

Before you quit your job, you probably want to have some sort of game plan. This can make everything much easier and possibly a little less stressful if you do your research.

This leads to the different areas I will be discussing below…

What will you do for money?

If you quit your job, what will you do for money? I’m sure you have at least some bills that will need to be paid after you leave your job. Will you be searching for a new job? Starting your own business? Relying on savings?

Can you possibly look for a job while continuing at the one you hate?

I know there are certain circumstances where you might have to leave your job immediately because something at your job may be harming you physically or emotionally.

However, if you do not need to immediately leave your job, it may be wise to look for a job while you continue to work at the job that you hate. This way you can continue to bring in an income and not have to worry about when you will land a job.

Do you have an emergency fund?

Before leaving your job, having an emergency fund can be a lifesaver. This way if you end up hating your next job as well, then you will have something to fall back on in case something were to happen.

An emergency fund is also a lifesaver if you plan on starting a business after you leave the job you hate. You never know if you will have a bad income month when you work for yourself, so having an emergency fund can hold you over until you are able to make a more stable income.

What would you tell someone who tells you that they hate their job?