“Rage-quitting” — leaving a job in a stressful moment without crafting an exit strategy, giving notice or getting another job first — isn’t common. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen. FlexJobs says about 15% of people think about rage-quitting, yet only 4% actually do. Before you rage-quit your job, here are some proactive steps you can take to find the right role from the start.
2021 was the year of the Great Resignation. Last year, the U.S. saw a record number of people quitting their jobs. There were more than 68 million people who quit, resigned, or otherwise left their jobs last year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Among those who left their jobs, some did it in haste. According to FlexJobs, 68% of those who have recently quit their jobs didn’t have another one lined up. Instead, they tapped into emergency savings or used a side-hustle to make ends meet until they landed another job. FlexJobs says about 15% of people think about rage-quitting, but only 4% actually do. Before you rage-quit your job, here are some proactive steps to finding one that fits from the start.
1. Learn about a company before applying
You don’t have to blindly apply to a company just because you saw a job posting for them. Dr. Ai Addyson-Zhang, CEO and Founder of Classroom Without Walls, says doing the background work on a company is important.
“You can follow some of their leaders or employees on LinkedIn and check out what they talk about,” Addyson-Zhang says. “Doing such digital networking and background research can already tell you a lot about an organization and its culture.”
READ MORE: 4 Things You Should Do Before Quitting Your Job
Look up business review sites like Glassdoor and Salary.com to see what current and former employers have to say about a company. This can give you a sense of how a business operates, which can either be encouraging for you as you job-hunt or you can move on to other possibilities.
2. Look out for toxic culture signs
FlexJobs says almost two-thirds of people quit their jobs due to toxic work culture — far and away the number one reason why people left. Addyson-Zhang says watch out for a couple of toxic culture signs before you start.
- Poor leadership. Leadership is one of the biggest reasons toxic culture exists. What are leaders projecting onto their workers and their company? How do they show appreciation and respect for workers, customers, and others they serve?
- Ego-driven. “If a company culture is driven by everyone’s ego, it is going to be extremely difficult for employees to be productive and stay in their optimal mental state,” Addyson-Zhang says. Instead, check to see if the company is service-driven, where they put the needs of others first.
- Lack of vision. When employees don’t know what they’re doing or why they’re doing it, it can cause them to work without purpose, possibly leading to burnout, limited healthy work options, and the feeling of rage-quitting.
3. Be specific in the interview
If you got a call back — that’s great! That means you’re moving up in the hiring process. Now is the time to get your specific questions answered.
“Whatever questions you have, bring them to the interview and ask,” Addyson-Zhang says. “Be specific. If they give you ambivalent answers or try to hide something, these are definitely red flags.”
READ MORE: 8 Financial Strategies If You Want To Quit Your Job This Year
Whether it’s culture, diversity, mental health resources, benefits, or something else, you can use the interview to ask them questions. Remember the interview process goes both ways; it’s not just a time for them to see if you’re a good fit. It’s also a time to see if they’re a good fit for you.
“Diversity is something very important to keep in mind,” Addyson-Zhang says. “If only one skin color is shared, it is probably not going to be an enjoyable place to work at. To me, this is a sign of close-mindedness, which tells me a lot about their organizational culture and leadership values.”
4. Be mindful of misalignment
As you’re vetting potential companies to work for, look to see how current employees promote or share company details. What are they saying about who they work for?
“Just like the saying goes that children are mirrors of their parents, employees are reflections of their organizational culture and whether or not there is an alignment between what leaders say [compared to] what they do,” Addyson-Zhang says. “Happy and dedicated employees are signs of alignment. Otherwise, there is likely to be a misalignment.”
A unified message or happy employees promoting the benefits of where they work are good signs of alignment. While not every employee will be happy all of the time, misalignment is a red flag.
Signs of a toxic work culture from the outside
While it’s not always feasible to know if a company is toxic before starting work, there are some signs to look out for before you start. Signs include:
- High turnover. How often are people leaving and why are they leaving? If you’ve been casually looking for a job for a few months and tend to see the same company come up with the same job postings, it could also be a sign of high turnover.
- Entitlement vs. gratitude. Some companies feel workers have a responsibility to provide for them without reciprocation. What sort of benefits does the company offer and how do those align with your needs — both in terms of the benefits as well as the job requirements? If a company showers workers with praise, respect, and an overabundance of benefits, it’s a sign they’re grateful to employees.
- Unclear work responsibilities. Some companies look great on the surface, but what are they asking of their employees? If the job description seems vague and the interview doesn’t offer clear answers, that’s a big red flag. It could mean that you wear too many hats and jobs tend to blend together, causing overwork and burnout.
READ MORE:
- My Boss Won’t Let Me Work From Home Anymore… Should I Quit?
- 8 Financial Strategies If You Want to Quit Your Job This Year
- How to Quit a Toxic Work Environment
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