People in Hong Kong nowadays consider resigning before lining a new job first. Mainly because they just can’t stand their job and attending and focusing on interviews during the day is particularly challenging. An increasing number of employers also prefer candidates with immediately availability too. But how risky is a move like this?
Most people worry about not being to find another job soon enough and not having the income required to bridge the gap. There’s also the added challenge of explaining gap periods to your interviewers.
With the right preparation you can mitigate some of the potential pitfalls when resigning from your job before lining up a new one.
What’s the minimum budget you need to get by? You should calculate your regular expenses, such as rent, insurance, loans and other bills to determine your monthly budget and make sure you’ve got enough saved before you resign.
There’s always at least one extravagant expense that we can cut down on where a less expensive alternative will do. For example, if you’re paying for a gym membership near your workplace, considering something nearer to home, or community facilities?
There’s a continuous market demand for freelancers, from translators, to private tutors, to photographers and even coding. So, if you’re leaving your full-time job, there could be some options to supplement your income.
Leaving your job can be an overwhelming combo of emotions, some of which will be conflicting. As per Business Insider, “No matter what, give yourself permission to feel this wide range of emotions. As you move on to whatever's next, the feeling will subside and you'll find a new normal".
Today’s modern work schedules often force us to miss social occasions with friends or enjoy the outdoors, either because you’re too busy or just too tired. This is a rare opportunity to really take charge of your life and make it more fulfilling with your new found spare time. I’m not saying you should fill up your schedule, but it’s important to have a life during your gap period.
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Sophia Wong
Brand and Marketing Strategist in Hong Kong, writes about career, job hunting and interview tips.
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