“As if I was cheated on and removed from my home.”
The pain of job divorce is real.
Our workplace is like a family, our co-workers are like siblings or even a spouse. Being forced to leave a job can be as wrenching (or as relieving) as a divorce. Many people feel a sense of survivor’s guilt.
Some people become so attached to their corporate family that they prefer it to their own family. That’s because we share most of our waking hours with our colleagues and we enjoy their camaraderie. We work towards the same goals.
Powerfully seductive ties to the corporate family can make the idea of changing jobs an agonizing experience.
That is the reason that many unhappy employees never leave. Emotional inertia (pain, abandonment, worry, etc.) keeps many people from scanning the job boards or contacting a recruitment firm.
Interviewing is not cheating on a loved one. Accepting a new job is not divorcing your family.
Never confuse a job change with a divorce.
Changing jobs is not about hurting anyone or falling out of love.
In fact, changing jobs is about falling back in love with yourself and what you want most for your family and loved ones.
I am Bernie Reifkind, CEO and Managing Principle at Premier Search.