Should people quit their current job before going for interviews?

SINGAPORE: A local Reddit user who is unhappy with the low salary in his first job is planning on quitting and applying elsewhere.

However, he is concerned that the two months he needs to keep on working after handing in his resignation letter could be “a deal breaker for many employers”.

Therefore, he wonders if he should first resign before he applies for another position.

In an r/askSingapore post from Thursday (Oct 17), u/Crywren explained that he works at present as a a Desktop Engineer with a salary of less than S$2,000 after CPF. He now wants to apply for a similar IT job that pays more.

The advice Reddit users gave was mixed, with some giving the conventional advice that he should stay until he secures a new job.

Others, however, encouraged him to just quit.

One commenter asked him to consider how low his pay is, calling his position a “fodder role” and adding that whether he stays or quits now is “inconsequential” at this point.

“If you are worried about money let’s just be honest here I think Sheng Siong packer earns around the same la,” they added.

The commenter also wrote, “It’s a bottom office technician job, no one cares if you stay a few months more on your resume.”

If money is the only consideration, he would earn the same amount working at McDonald’s and twice as much as a food delivery rider, the commenter added.

Another bluntly wrote that a packer working for Sheng Siong grocery may even make more if they work overtime, “up to $2875.” A packer’s basic pay is around $2350, they added.

Others, however, took a more conservative line, telling the post author that an employee should never resign before they have another job lined up.

The exception to this is if someone is financially secure and can afford to be unemployed for a while.

One commenter told him to stay at his job but to use his sick leave days (MC) to attend interviews or to schedule interviews over Zoom during his lunch break.

Another warned him that he risks being unemployed for six to 12 months if he resigns without a sure job.

Some were critical that the post author has to wait two months to resign, especially since he’s not in a managerial position.

Hiring platform Indeed says there are no hard and fast rules in these kinds of situations, which can be quite complex and personal.

“You will want to make the choice that will most likely give you the best outcome. Figuring out what that looks like for you will take time and thoughtful consideration. Before you quit a job, you must understand some possible risks of quitting before finding a new position.” /TISG

Read also: “Regret quitting without a new job in hand” — Jobless Singaporean sends 400 job applications in one month, but still “no interview offer”