Exit a Dead-End Job 12: What Will You Decide to Do?

This concludes our series to help all of you who feel trapped in a dead-end job to find an exit

Janine considered all of her options to escape from a dead-end job. She wanted more challenge without sacrificing her strong pension. A transfer within the company would require moving across the country. She compared what she wanted with the consequences of each alternative.

Factors to Consider Before Making Your Decision

We presented various options to exit or surrender to a dead-end job. Now, it is up to you to decide how you want proceed. This decision will impact your life a lot. Therefore, you should consider several factors before you make your decision. Here are just a few of the factors you should consider, how much:

• You are willing to accept the risk of leaving the dead-end job
• Each option will bring you the greatest satisfaction, fulfillment, and happiness
• You will win or lose financially from each option (salary, pension, or medical benefits)
• Each option will improve or disrupt your personal and family life
• Will minimal salary increases due to a capped salary affect your cost of living
• Time do you have left in your work-life before you retire—if you retire
• Time and energy will it take to implement the options presented

Use the PROACT Model to Evaluate Alternatives

The PROACT decision making model helps you evaluate options. PROACT adds a significant element to decision making that other models neglect—what are the objectives you wish to achieve with your decision. The word PROACT stands for:

• PRoblem: What options will help you find the greatest fulfillment and satisfaction
• Objectives: 1 Financial security, 2 Fulfillment on the job, 3 Challenge, 4 Family time
• Alternatives: A Transfer, B New company, C Find satisfaction outside, D Training
• Consequences: Assign a 1-5 of how that alternative will achieve the objective
• Trade-offs: How much is financial security important compared to family time

Add the totals of the consequences for each option and multiply the total by the trade-off for each objective.

Monday we begin a new series encouraging you to “stop saying stupid stuff” about work