How Quitting Your Job the Right Way Can Lead to New Opportunities

Before I quit my first position in commercial real estate financing, I called up the president of the company and let him know I needed to meet. He could sense the urgency in my voice and told me he wanted to know the details right away.

“I feel it’s time for me to move on,” I said. The words felt uncomfortable coming out, although I knew in my gut they were right.

The president of the company urged me to reconsider. Because of hakaras hatov for the role he played in my career, I agreed. In the real estate world, there’s a concept called “Time to Cure.” It’s the idea that even if you think a situation isn’t curable, you should give the other person the opportunity to try.?

Quitting your job is a big decision that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Whether you want to quit because you’re unhappy at your job or want to explore new opportunities, there’s still a right and wrong way to go about the process.?

I’ve been on both sides of the equation: I’ve left companies, and I’ve also been burnt by brokers and employees who left without a word.

On the other hand, I still champion many past employees in their careers simply because they left with such integrity. I love seeing them succeed! If you take the right steps before putting in your notice, you can leave on good terms and set yourself up for opportunities you hadn’t even considered.?

Let me be clear: I haven’t always gotten it right. There are many situations I could have navigated better, but my hope is that you can take this advice and avoid those mistakes.

When it comes to challenging decisions, I rely on the 10-10-10 rule. The rule is simple: whenever you’re unsure about something, ask yourself, "How are you going to feel about this in 10 seconds? 10 hours? 10 days? 10 months? 10 years?” This helps me avoid choosing short-term gains over long-term growth.

After giving my position at that company another chance, I knew it was still time for me to go. With the 10-10-10 rule, I was confident that I was making the right decision for the long term. Although it didn’t work out, I’m glad I honored the relationship in that way before leaving because now, decades later, I have no regrets about how I proceeded.?

Once you’ve made up your mind about leaving and have a job offer, go to your boss before signing.

If the final decision is you are leaving, even if you’re not getting compensated for it, try to be gracious in the time you will stick around and be willing to answer questions.?

When I quit my first position, I offered to stay on for a few months to ensure that everything transitioned well. In the interim, I didn’t let anything else distract me from my job—in fact, I continued to work as if I would be at that company for the rest of my life out of respect for the company. I tied up two deals the day before I left.

If you’re evaluating if it’s time to quit, I encourage you to keep it to yourself—nobody in the company should know. Don’t go to friends or co-workers for advice. Continue to give your all at your job as if you’re planning to work there forever. Instead, find someone who is making the money you want to make and who has the reputation you want to have who left the business, and ask them how they left. By speaking to someone who went through the same experience as you, you can get a much better idea of how to take the high road each step of the way.?

For example, a very common point of debate when a salesperson leaves a company is open commissions; if they ask their friends for advice, they’ll say, “You’re owed the money. Fight for it.” If they ask someone in the industry who has gone before them, they’ll usually say, “Listen, it’s not worth fighting over and leaving with that type of reputation. If you get a bad reputation in the industry, that will cost you a lot more in the long run.”?

There is an old adage that says, “A good name is better than precious oil.” Take the high road.

My personal advice, both to employers and employees, is to make decisions based on the reputation you want to have more than being right.

Is it bothersome to take those extra steps? It can be. Does it hurt if people don’t respond in a positive way to your resigning? Of course. It’s not about that—it’s about the 10-10-10 rule. When I look back, I ask myself, “Where would I rather be?” And I always come to the same conclusion: protecting my reputation was worth more.?

Establishing that reputation gave me a huge advantage when I started Eastern Union. And later, when I left Eastern Union to launch GPARENCY, I applied this same approach. I left on such good terms, many investors towards GPARENCY came from previous companies I was a part of.?

Quitting is a big decision. If you quit the wrong way, it will only hurt you in the long run. But if you leave your job on good terms, it can provide unexpected opportunities that will benefit you throughout your entire career.?

Beyond the financial gains, even more importantly, it’s an opportunity to make a Kiddush Hashem.?

As you know from my video at Birkas Kohanim, success only comes when there’s true peace.