According to a survey by management consultancy Robert Half, half of working Canadians plan to start looking for a new job in the first six months of 2023.

Millennials and millennials, tech workers, employees who have been with a company for two to four years, and working parents are those most likely to switch careers, the survey of more than 1100 professionals in Canada shows.

Higher pay, better benefits, more opportunities for advancement, and greater flexibility in when and where to work were among the top reasons respondents said they would look for a new job.

While hitting the send button to deliver a resignation letter can feel liberating and provide a sense of instant gratification, experts say it’s best to have a plan in place before you quit a job. .

“I would say the most important thing people need to understand before they leave is what’s next?” says Sarah Vermunt, a Toronto-based career management and transition coach and founder of Careergasm.

Better plan what the next chapter will be — including researching the requirements and salary ranges for new positions — so you don’t “panic” and accept a new job you get without asking yourself “that it’s really would fit”. what they are looking for,” she says.

For those who jump in without quickly changing jobs, Ms. Vermunt believes it can be helpful to think about how this ‘pause’ on your CV might be interpreted by future employers.

“For those looking to make a radical career change, it’s perfectly fine to note on their resume that they just took a sabbatical to pursue an education to change careers. It goes with the flow and makes sense,” she explains.

“But for those who are leaving a job and somehow have a gap on their resume, they need to talk about it.”

Having a budget or emergency fund to stay afloat during a transition period is also beneficial, Ms Vermunt points out.

“If you know how long you can sustain your expenses and have at least a rough idea of ​​what you want to do next, you’ll be a lot less afraid to quit your job,” she says.

“And that seems more likely when you know what you need to do to take the next step.”

Discover outside, but also inside

Kadine Cooper, career transition coach, echoes those words. Unless you’re in a “very toxic or unhealthy” work environment, she also suggests planning what’s next before taking the plunge.

“You definitely need to develop a plan before you decide to move away from what you currently have,” she says.

Ms. Cooper recommends networking within and outside of your current workplace to explore available opportunities.

“Internally, it may be possible to expand your responsibilities or take an interest in another role before you decide to leave the organization,” she notes.

As a former Toronto Public Library careers coach, Cooper also recommends consulting a careers coach or mentor for a second opinion on any changes you are considering. Some places, like the library where she worked, offer free career management support services, she points out.

It’s crucial to leave a job with a good grade, Ms. Cooper adds. In addition to further nurturing and building relationships with colleagues and employers, this could ultimately lead to a recommendation.

“The network we have determines our wealth,” she says.

“It’s a small world — you never know when you might run into someone again, so it’s best not to cut ties with anyone.”

make his dream come true

Gina Marie, 37, quit her job as a therapist at a mental health program in Toronto in September.

Before leaving the company, where she campaigned for welfare and job security, Ms. Marie made sure she had a financial cushion to cover her rent for several months if things didn’t go as expected.

She also wondered if she had enough education and skills to start her activities as a sexual health and intimacy coach and pursue her dream of becoming a psychedelic psychotherapist.

Participating in a training program in psychedelic therapy and enlisting the services of a career coach gave Ms. Marie the confidence she needed in herself and her abilities, she believes.

The decision to quit her job wasn’t easy, she says, but it allowed her to pursue her dreams, prioritize her health and be more flexible in adapting her work to the lifestyle she wanted — most recently, she was working from a home the jungle on her laptop, just minutes from a beach in Costa Rica.

“I was so scared for so long. I thought: ‘Oh my God, how am I supposed to do this?’” remembers Ms. Marie, who currently also works as a private psychotherapist.

“But I did, and it was a bit difficult to adjust at first while I was still studying, but then, in December, I could say I had it under control.”

His advice to other Canadians looking to quit their job is to be patient and talk to others who have already made a career change.

“(It) really, really helped me too. Instead of (…) being like a dream, it really started to become more real because I was watching other people do it and getting their advice and doing it myself and now, honestly, I couldn’t be happier.”