Overcoming the Hurdles of Leaving a Long-Time Job

Leaving a company that’s been your professional home for years, even decades, can feel both thrilling and daunting.

Here’s how to handle some of the common psychological challenges you might encounter as you consider making the leap.

Resist rumination.

Instead, test your new career interests using small experiments. Whether it’s deepening a hobby or launching a side hustle, small steps provide you with invaluable insights and new confidence, helping you move forward with conviction rather than doubt.

Grapple with guilt.

It’s common to feel guilty for leaving relationships and work you’ve invested years in. Recognise these feelings, but also remember that growth requires change.Your colleagues will understand and respect your decision to pursue a new path.

Embrace new identities.

Leaving a long-term role can mean stepping away from a closely held professional identity and status.Acknowledge this challenge, but focus on the opportunities your new role presents. Letting go of past titles allows you to embrace new possibilities.

Adapt and learn.

When you transition to a new professional environment and identity, you may realise there’s a lot you don’t know. Learning new systems and integrating into new cultures is part of the journey. Staying open and adaptable will allow you to earn the respect and trust of your new colleagues.

• * This tip is adapted from ‘The Challenge of Leaving a Long-Term Job to Start Something New,’ by Dorie Clark and Natalie Nixon