It is more than likely that if you stay in a position for long enough, there will come a time when the job is no longer right for you. Either you’ve reached your goals within the limits of the job or with the current administration, or things around you change and you realize you would be better off searching for a different situation. Quitting has such a negative connotation, yet when you look at it objectively, it can be a highly positive and importantly proactive decision.

Many years ago, I was the librarian in a high school library I helped design. I had been a part of the school system for decades. I was well-respected in the school and an integral part of the teaching/learning process. Then we got a new principal. I used all the techniques I had learned to reach out to him and show the value of the library program. He liked none of it.

Although he caused tension and stress in my life, initially I had no thoughts of quitting. It wasn’t until the Superintendent of Schools, who was an ongoing supporter of my work, announced she was retiring in two years. I could foresee what would happen with my principal without the buffer offered by my Superintendent. Suddenly my future looked very different and quitting became a logical alternative.

Only a month after reaching out to my contacts (your network can be SO important!), I had an excellent job offer. Although the commute was longer and I lost my sick days, I kept my salary and found a far better situation. It was even worth losing tenure. I stayed in my new position for eleven years until I retired. The more I heard what was happening back in my old school, the happier I was with my decision.

With summer break upon us, take the opportunity to ask yourself – Is it time for me to quit? Depending on your years of service, should you retire or find another job?  If your answer is yes (or a strong maybe), use this time to plan your future course of action.

In his article, Quitting Doesn’t Always Make You a Quitter, Frank Sonnenberg discusses when quitting is recommended and ways of deciding if that’s your best option. Here are some of the 10 situations he recommends quitting. He asks, are you:

• In a toxic relationship – Are you having to work with someone consistently who is detrimental to your work environment? This can have long reaching consequences professionally and personally.
• Looking to cut your losses – Librarians and other educators stay because they keep hoping things will change, even when they know it won’t happen. Be honest about what’s happening and if it can be changed.
• Getting stagnant – What if you are unable to make changes and feel you and your program are locked in the past? If nothing changes, nothing changes. Are you happy with how you’re able to grow your program?
• Afraid of leaving your comfort zone – The devil you know vs. the unknown. Remember, it’s still a devil. Yes, there will be things lost if you move (sick days, tenue, coworkers you like), but there might be something new out there for you that is so much better. Don’t miss it!
• Compromising your standards – These are difficult times, but it’s hard to face yourself in the mirror when you are afraid to uphold your core values and professional ethics. If you are in a school district that doesn’t align with your beliefs, this is a good reason to look elsewhere.

And here are some of the 15 ways to decide whether you should actually quit (or retire if that’s an option).

• What, if anything, has changed to evoke these feelings from you? – How has the landscape changed to make you now consider leaving. Are there any you can anticipate?
• Are you making a spur-of-the-moment decision? – Are you just tired and angry or have you been feeling this way for some time? A bad month or even a tough year my not be enough of a reason to leave – yet.
• What’s the upside versus the downside? – Look honestly at what you will lose by leaving but look equally honestly at what you stand to gain by leaving. Don’t let fear of the unknown be what gets in your way.
• Have you sought counsel from an objective person? – Talk it out with a fellow librarian who you trust to keep your conversation confidential. If you can, find someone in your state (or in our Facebook group) who has quit one position and found another.
• Will you regret this decision five years from now? – Which do you think will honestly feel worse – staying or going? Yes, there are no guarantees either way, but the risk can be very worth the reward.

Sonnenberg closes with this W. C. Fields quote, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Then quit. There’s no point in being a damn fool about it.” You are a leader. Sometimes the person you need to lead is yourself.