How to Handle The Reality of a Job

It’s 7 PM and you were meant to leave at 6 PM but your boss asked you to do ‘just one small thing’ before you leave since it’s essential and very ‘urgently’ needed. On top of that, this overtime work will most likely go unpaid since it’s a favor for your “work family”. 

You said that you will learn to say no, but a small favor like this wouldn’t hurt, right? Well, it’s the 7th favor you are doing this month and you are too tired from doing favors.

I’m certain that any person who had an internship or job, has suffered from frustrating experiences or toxic workplaces that lead them to consider quitting. The example above is one of the many cases an average worker might happen to.

You’re Thinking of Quitting, But It’s Complicated

In retrospect, googling “should I quit my job?” often leads to forums and articles that tell you to follow your heart, and chase your dreams. Sugarcoating aside, quitting is a difficult thing for many. Hastily leaving your job with nothing lined up in the near future can lead to no work experience, (undesirable by employers) no money (can’t pay the bills), or no connections (can’t freelance) which would worsen your anxiety and lead you to develop a Stockholm syndrome for your current employer.

Unfortunately, this destructive cycle is what most young people (as well as older folks) in the workforce are facing. They are often told that to reach a position that pays well, they should sacrifice their time, their mental state, and their creativity in an internship or under-paying entry role for the sake of a company.

It is honestly astonishing that the current system of late-stage capitalism and industrialism has made the 9 to 6 system very common. What was once considered an activity to generate income before the first world war; has now become an aspect that people base their value on.

If you are not willing to forsake everything and put their bottom line on a company’s payroll, then you are not a hard worker.

You might be thinking that this blog is sounding a lot like a critique of capitalism or that I’m biased, and you know what? You are right!

I don’t love to share details about my personal life on the internet but I consider myself someone who’s been working in a professional setting more than the average person my age. I believe that I experienced the negativity of work at an age younger than what is expected. It took me 3 years of being a worker (starting at 17!) to recognize healthy workspace and set boundaries.

However, that isn’t today’s topic. In this article, I want to talk about a concept called quiet quitting which can be the middle ground for multiple suffering workers. But before we talk about quiet-quitting, let’s talk about loud-quitting.

Loud Quitting

As the title would imply, Loud Quitting is when a person officially announces that they quit a job. From a verbal agreement to a written resignation letter, everyone is aware of their departure and that person is no longer associated with the establishment.

I believe that Loud Quitting is the final solution people resort to after they reach a snapping point. By this stage, they have most likely considered their financial situation and have something else lined up to compensate for the job. However, to reach this point, you must research all available options.

If you find yourself wanting to loudly quit. I believe that you should browse websites like Moroccan Indeed, Maroc Emploi, or LinkedIn Jobs to find new opportunities before quitting. When doing this, you will better understand your value and skills in the market.

However, Loud Quitting is the natural evolution of Quiet Quitting; such that you cannot loudly quit without quietly quitting. This observation implies that the two are not opposites, but rather a two-step system that workers go through.

Quiet Quitting

I first stumbled across the concept of quiet quitting through a Youtube video. I remember thinking that this is something I have been doing in every job I’ve been in without even considering it. Since then, I’ve started learning more about it through books with each author calling it differently.

Quiet quitting is when a person stops caring about a job and only does the bare minimum to stay hired. To stop caring means that a worker will show up late, leave on the clock, and solely do their tasks. If I was to describe it even shorter, it’s when a person is physically at a job but mentally somewhere else. 

Quiet quitting is by far the most efficient and accessible method of handling the situation of leaving your job. Since you are willing to be fired, you can start searching for other jobs or work on your side hustle without worrying about your company’s workload. At the same time, you will still benefit from a salary for the remainder of your time at a company.

Once management or your boss has had it with you, then getting fired isn’t as severe since it was already anticipated.

What to Do When Considering Quitting Your Job

First and foremost, consider your financial situation. Are you able to cover your bills for the next two months? Is it nearly the end of the month?
Your savings should also be able to sustain you for 2-3 months of necessary costs (bills, groceries, etc). Additionally, try and work throughout your final month so that your boss/employer won’t con you out of your month’s pay.

To find your next job, I recommend browsing Indeed, Maroc Emploi, and LinkedIn. Similarly, consider updating your CV/Portfolio and connecting with others on social media (make it known you are looking for a job).

In my opinion, you have a higher chance to get recruited for a paid internship (especially at a younger age) rather than a full-time position. If overworking for atrocious pay is not your thing, then I recommend working on projects.

More common in the creative field, individuals who are looking for a job and do not have work experience often work on projects to validate their skills. For example, a graphic designer has a plethora of example projects that they refer to an employer during an interview. Try to find the project that works for your case and work on it.

These days, employers are no longer satisfied with a diploma. Get out and do something (side hustle, passion projects, etc) and show your worth to the world. Throughout your journey, you might even become a freelancer (Hey, that’s me!) or land a nice position along the way.