By Chelsea Babin

Enough is enough, you’ve had all you can take and you’re ready to break free from your bad job. During these tense, frustrating times where you’re still stuck at the job you know you don’t want and you’re searching for the right opportunity it’s easy to make a few mistakes along the way. These 5 mistakes are commonly made when breaking free from a bad job but, once you know what they are, you’ll have a much easier time avoiding them!

1. Don’t Check Out Too Soon: When you’ve decided that you’re done putting up with your bad job and you’re ready to break free you may start to mentally check out from your current job. But, unless you’ve accepted an offer at another company, this isn’t the time to check out. You don’t want to jeopardize the professional relationships you value or get fired from this position before you’ve completed your job search! IT may be difficult to stay motivated at your bad job while searching for a better one but it will prevent a lot of potential chaos from invading your life so it’s well worth the effort.

2. Don’t Procrastinate Your Job Search: Don’t let yourself mentally check out from your current position and then procrastinate your job search unless you want to be reprimanded or fired from your bad job. While it may be tempting to just be done with the place and while you may not have as much time as you’d like to dedicate to your job search, it’s financially beneficial for you to keep your current job until you find a new one. Plus you’ll prevent any work gaps from appearing on your resume and you’ll be a more desirable candidate for recruiters and hiring managers if you’re still at your current job and actively looking for a new one.

3. Don’t Hide Your Frustration From Everyone: It’s frustrating to spend so much time looking for a new job and still have to show up and perform well every day at your current job. Don’t bottle those frustrations inside! Talk to valued family members, friends, or professional network connections about your job search experience and about why you want to leave your current job. As long as you know who will stay discreet and as long as you vent rather than complain this behavior can be cathartic and helpful throughout this frustrating time.

4. Don’t Ignore Coworker Relationships You Value: It’s easy to cut ties from your current coworkers in your mind because you know you won’t be working there much longer. But a lot of solid professional networks are built on relationships with former coworkers. If there are any coworker relationships you value, make sure you keep those well maintained even while you’re looking for a new job or working your last two weeks after finding a new job.

5. Don’t Burn Bridges on Your Way Out: Going out in a blaze of glory might make for a great story but it’s never a good idea, especially if you’re moving on to another job in the same industry. While you won’t necessarily want to keep in touch with everyone from this bad job, you may still want to keep your professional reputation in tact and you’ll certainly want to prevent your new company from hearing about your antics and deciding not to hire you after all. Burning bridges and giving zero notice may be tempting if you really despise your current job but, in the end, it’s not worth the potential sacrifice.

A lot of people make these 5 mistakes when you’re breaking free from a bad job but you don’t have to be one of them! Avoid these bad habits and find yourself a better job that you’re truly excited about. Good luck!