The ultimate dream for many people is to be able to walk into the office on a Monday morning, head over to their boss and tell them that they are leaving for greener pastures. Adios! The idea of quitting and going to work for yourself is an exciting one; however, there are five basic things that you need to think about before you quit your 9-5.

1. What’s your purpose?

Before you can quit your job to go and do something new, you need to consider what your plan of action is. What do you plan to do now that you are out on your own? Will you train for something else to be employable for another firm, or will you start a business of your own? Think about your plans and make sure that you have a solid option to move into once you quit.

2. Is now the right time?

If you are working towards starting a business and jumping on the entrepreneurial bandwagon, it may make sense to consider having a side hustle first. As much as you might want to, you may not be able to quit your job until you are earning enough to replace your full-time salary. If you can balance both at once for a while, you can not only make some extra money, but you will still have that security to fall back on if things don’t go according to plan. This approach will allow you to work towards your new career and lifestyle without worrying about finances.

3. Where’s the money?

Before you build a business for yourself, be sure to have a grip on the basics. Many aspiring entrepreneurs have grandiose plans about making money, but don’t take the time to craft a business plan or put sensible measures in place to capture the income. Start off by looking into tools and vendors like merchants.services and determine which options make the most sense for you.

4. Ready to exit?

Although you might dream of doing a Bridget Jones, standing up to your boss in front of the whole office as you quit your job, this isn’t the way to do it. You have to keep in mind that whether your new plans pan out or not, you will likely need to get a reference from your employer in the future. Leave things on good terms and explain your reasons for leaving as wanting to explore something new and grow your skills. Most important of all, do it in private.

5. Do your colleagues know?

Even though you might not think it will make much of a difference, you will want to inform your colleagues of your plans to leave after you have made your boss aware. You want to make sure you part ways with them amicably as well. Bear in mind that you spend time with these people every single day and they deserve to know if you are planning to leave. Leave on good terms because you might want to network with these people later on in your career and you want your relationship with them to be professional, rather than adversarial.

Before you quit your 9-5, there are many more to-dos that an aspiring entrepreneur like yourself must consider to maximize your success and minimize your failures. If this is all new to you, consider hiring a career coach or even better, someone like me who has been where you are in this exciting journey. Goodluck!
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