On leaving a big job

Recently I left a big job at a big company in order to "find something new." Those are the kinds of words that freak out your family and friends when they ask you what you've been up to. In my case, my friends and family have grown accustomed to my way of navigating the world of graphic design in New York City. They said they used to worry but when I went on to do bigger and better they began to relax.

Leaving a job (particularly without another offer in place) isn't easy, but here's how and why I've done it:

- Creative people are not machines. If you are starting to feel like an app spitting out layouts, it's time to take a big breath and rethink the why, how and where. (Don't get me wrong, any creative worth her salt and with a good grip on her ego knows how to balance fighting for a good idea with giving in to the layout machine.)

- Make sure you have the right reasons to make a change. Don't give in to petty reasons or get overworked about the small stuff. Put a hold on the office drama and gossip, please. Identify big and consistent patterns that bother you and hinder your capacity to do your best.

- Ask yourself if what you are looking for is realistic. Talk to people in the industry. Talk to people outside the industry. Listen.

- Take a good, hard look at your work and assess your marketability. This is hard but crucial. Ask for honest feedback on your book. Is it strong? Does it show excellence in at least one area? Look for people in the industry who can give you constructive feedback. Don't ask close friends to do it.

- Make all the financial calculations. If you are leaving without another job, you need to make sure you have your finances in order. Four to six months is the usual timing* to find another job. Make sure your partner and family fully support your decision, particularly if they will have to foot some of the bill.

In my personal case I left without a job a couple of times and, even though it wasn't the easiest of times, I don't regret it. It allowed me to zero in on what I was doing wrong and what the key things were I was looking for. I chose to reset the clock and not rush into a new job that would be similar to the one before.

* this window of time is specific to the creative industry in NYC, it's a time frame that recruiters refer to often but only when talking about art directors in digital space and with a certain level of experience. I strongly recommend you do a lot of research in you own area of expertise before making any decisions. Everything I mentioned in this post is drawn from personal experience and it's by no means written in stone.