Is it totally stupid, or the best idea I've ever had?

Historically, the only thing that motivates me to look for a new job is the fear of not having one at all. I am at a breaking point right now at work, and really don't see myself being happy here any longer. I consider myself pretty employable but philly is a harsh-ass city with very little opportunity, so leaving a job is always a little terrifying.

has anyone done this before, and how did it work out for you? Tell me it'll be ok, (or talk some sense into my stupid head)!

Its been this way for awhile, so its not even just friday stress.

sure...i've "left" many a job with no plan. It really does provide a sense of freedom unclouded by your current work environment to decide what you want to do next....

having said that, looking for the new job while being paid is always the best option!!!

Everytime i've been inbetween jobs, I always wished I would have taken more time to do this and that or travel here and there, but when you're unemployed, it's understandably hard to justify...

good luck! What kind of work do you do or want to do? My last employer was Fiberlink based in Bluebell, PA and I still know a couple of folks there...

I have done this on several occasions.

If you are so unhappy with your job that it is starting to affect your home life, I think you should quit immediately.

I believe it's best to look for work while you're employed. I think you look better to employers. I think the trick is to look for a new job before you absolutely hate your existing job.

Also the economy seems kinda shakey and what if the job market gets hit?
Can you accept that you could be looking for 3-6-12 months? You never know.

And how do you answer why you left your current job?
And what have you been doing since then?
Just saying...

Can you jobhunt while at work? websites, type cover letters etc?

if you mean spending the first 2 hours that i get home "de-stressing" from work and the 1st hour i'm up bracing myself to deal with the day...then I think you hit the nail on the head.

should i post my resume on skullbrain? who has hiring power here? haha.

I'm a recruiter, so looking at job sites is part of the day. i do as much as i can, but its honestly WAYYY too busy every day to really get anywhere. By th time I get home, its the last thing i want to do, since i'm on Monster & craigslist all day at work anyway.

My wife used to come home and spend the first hour venting about stupid customers, stupid co-workers, stupid computers, etc... It was really frustrating for me to have to listen to because I wanted her to enjoy what she did and it just made me sad. Unfortunately, she was a part owner of the company she worked for and couldn't just quit. 2 years ago, they decided to close their doors...

She's been going to school to become an accountant and she's been much happier. I actually get to hear about good things when she gets home...

It's a scary thing to make a big decision like leaving a job that guarantees a certain income, but it's my opinion that it's worth it to your peace of mind and your physical self as well to be free of all the negativity.

I've actually walked out of two jobs.
Didn't even give notice, just told them that I had enough of the bullshit, goodbye.
But both times, I had a part-time gig on the side to keep things going.

I suppose I'm cautious these days as I was out of work for 9 months in 2002.
I looked everywhere and it sucked. Really demoralizing...

I just checked out our Philly office for you, but no openings currently.

And I agree with liquid's suggestions as well.

I've done it before, but sometimes it's better to wait it out. Or go with your gut feeling...I've been learning to do that lately myself.

Also easier as a couple. I was single so there was no one I could fall back on.
Maybe you can crunch the numbers and determine how long you can go on one salary?
Or line up something part-time asap and then jobhunt with your other free time?

Just more thoughts...

I've done it a number of times, and each time, it gets easier. The problem is trying to explain them to a possible future employer. Doing it once or even twice as long as you can swing it financially won't do too much damage to the resume.

skylar is a student. so we'd be bums if i quit. i'm the breadwinner. haha. **he does pay for stuff though!!** i don't support him, but i do support 1/2 of us.

Have you considered getting a substantial life insurance policy on Skylar?

you are always trying to kill one of us off!

That's NOT true... I'm trying to get you BOTH killed off... Hee hee hee...

i've walked out of a number of jobs. life is too short.

why don't u try doing something random and stress free for awhile. even if you go back into a higher stress environment, i've found it can be very liberating to do retail or work oddjobs just to pay the bills for awhile (u can search for a "serious" job while u enjoy a bit more stress-free downtime)

just an idea ^^

I've split a couple of jobs with the only thing planned was R&R.

sure. every one of them I ever had. then in 1988 I quit working all together and went freelance.

go for it.

livin' the dream.

Anyone who can make a living with smoking poo is living the American dream!

that smoking poo bought him a sweet ride. I saw it parked outside his house when I stalked him from next door. hehehe.

HELLOOOO FRANNNNNK!

I've quit several jobs w/out notice but have always had work lined up ahead of time or at least made sure i had pelnty of scrilla to cover bills first..I'm a general contractor so it's a bit different for me though..Good luck w/the job hunting missy..

Yeah, I'm a little too cautious to not have a backup plan in operation, especially in the last several years, but that's just me.

However, I do know what you mean about the stress - the editing job I left a few months ago was like that. It got to the point where I couldn't sleep at night because I was worrying about what I had to do the next day. I hate to quit anything, but I just had to.

Best of luck.

i liken this to riding a bike with no brakes which is what I do. Makes you completely aware all the time. Also makes you plan your moves blocks ahead instead of the 20 ft. in front of you. No thought, just action involved. This is also why I ride to work instead of driving. Otherwise, I'd be decompressing from stress for about 2 hrs. I've actually programed myself to deal with stress at work from riding a brakeless track bike.
go figure.

the only sense of security with a current job is that you may feel comfortable and secure but it doesn't mean you are learning or growing. changing your job or anything personal is growth. do it! whether you have a plan or not, the future is always unpredictable. with open eyes and heart, new opportunities are always out there.