(Photo Illustration by Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Millions of Americans quit their jobs in record-breaking numbers. On Reddit, a question was raised: if you were one of them, why did you quit and what are you doing now?
To put things into perspective, Reddit has 330 million monthly active users. A February 2021 survey found that “36% of internet users aged 18 to 29 years and 22% of users aged 30 to 49 years used Reddit.” Around 46% of Reddit app users have a college degree or higher, while 40% have a high school degree. With this data in mind, the social media site serves as a great way to gauge the sentiment of young and middle-aged working people.
The mainstream media talks about the Great Resignation as if all workers quit their jobs and then sit on the couch at home watching Netflix all day long. They’re not. People are leaving bad bosses and low pay, in pursuit of better opportunities and fair treatment. The pandemic has harshly schooled us that we only have one short life to live and we need to make the best of it. You can’t waste it working in a dead-end job that makes you miserable.
Here are some of the stories, mostly from Gen-Z and Millennials who posted on the r/antiwork, r/askwomen, r/askreddit and other subreddits, about quitting their jobs and what happened next.
Cyber_Mermaid
“I wasn't paid enough at my former job. I was working with special-needs children and it was an awesome job. I really felt like it was what I should be doing. But I was only making $250 a week. Now, I work at Costco for $17 an hour, plus a ton of benefits. The work is not what I want to be doing. But I am more appreciated serving hot dogs and pizza.”
Hugebluestrapon
“This is why I recently quit being a mechanic. Lowest paid trade, have to supply your own tools. Shops charge over $100 an hour for labor and offer a tech about 20% of that. So, it obviously is not worth what they charge. And you get paid a flat rate, so you have to be fast and lucky and have a strong supporting team to get quotes approved and parts in your hands. And if any mistake gets made, you have to fix it for free. If business dies down, so do the hours. Just quit for a bench job remanufacturing turbochargers. Less pay, but I feel appreciated and get paid hourly.”
SpanktheGreenAvocado
“Yup. Same here 1.5 [hours] on two buses each way. The job was micromanaged, which was probably the biggest reason I quit. It was a good pay, $18 [an hour] and I was considered the best worker as well. Quit it for $14.50 and [a 20-minute bus ride]. Four months later, I got a raise to $18, after the same company asked for me back and my current job didn't want to lose me. Know your worth, but also importantly know your time’s worth.”
Sinister-Lines
This person brought up an important piece of data, as opposed to a personal anecdote. Sinister-Lines shared a recent study that concluded that the vast majority of those who left the workforce were people that just retired. Goldman Sachs, in a research note, estimated that most of the 5 million are older Americans who have decided to retire. Only about 1.7 million are aged 25 through 54, which economists consider prime working years.
Aspenchef
“I was a pastry chef. Now, I invest in real estate and am building my own bed and breakfast! Being in the industry really threatened my mental and emotional health. I was underpaid and overworked. Now, I work from my laptop and make 4 [times] the amount.”
yu/hestolemysmile
“Quit my job last night, it was nice to be home to make the kids breakfast and take them to school today! Off to hunt for a new opportunity, wish me luck :)”
Boss, I quit.
u/wotitdo
“I resigned from my job today. What a time. What a time. What a timeeee to resign. I just put in my two-week notice to my company and I wish I felt this huge overwhelming sense of relief. But I don’t. I feel nervous, but I also feel OK. I’m rather calm. Sent my boss an email and she came back with “Ok, sorry to hear that. I'll put time on our calendars later today to talk through.” She’s a large reason as to why I’m leaving. I don’t feel stupid quitting at this time, but I should, which is why I haven’t told anyone close to me because I know they’ll remind me that. I won’t be pursuing another job. But doing my own thing and applying for grad school later. I know we’re in the middle of hard times. And I don't have a heavy stash to crash on, plus I have someone to support, but I was so unhappy and was trying to do my own thing but unable to focus on it. I’ll probably cry later when I understand the magnitude of what I’ve done... but I hope, I really hope, I’ll fight through and myself and family will get through. I have always thought pursuing your passion and happiness was for fortunate people with money or at least parents with a home they can go to if shit hits the fan. And hereeee I am quitting a job. I support my parents and I have a house, which I’ll likely now sell.”
dianaprince76
“I was with a world-renowned company for 18 years. Good pay, fantastic benefits, defined benefit pension and all that. I started off super happy. Made tons of friends and loved my work. [Eleven] years in, that all changed. I was absolutely miserable for the next seven years, but I didn’t know anything else. Plus, on paper, it was a good job. But my bosses were awful. I was sexually harassed and when I complained about it to HR and my manager, I was further harassed and told to engage in reputation management, effectively blaming me for what the harasser has done. I became depressed, gained weight and started smoking copious amounts of weed to get through.
And then, one day, magic happened. I got called down to HR and told they were downsizing and I was being let go. It was the absolute best thing that ever happened to me, hands down. I couldn’t contain my happiness to the point they thought I was having a nervous breakdown. I wasn’t. I was being set free.
That was a few years ago, and in the years since, I’ve been so happy at a job I enjoyed. I was interviewing with a new company yesterday and the hiring manager asked me what I would do differently if I could change my career. I probably exposed more of myself than I should have, but it came out so quickly I couldn’t stop myself. I told him that I wish I hadn’t stayed so long at that company. I wish I had been more open to change, more able to see the possibilities that lay ahead and more confident in my own abilities and my own resilience.
It may sound crazy to do what you’re doing, but you won’t regret it. You should never, ever put aside how you feel if you’re in a bad situation like that. The negativity will seep its way into every facet of your life. Your self esteem, your physical and mental health, your relationships, all of it.
Know that it’s going to be a bit tough for a while. But be confident though that you’re doing what’s best for you, your health and your future. You’re paddling your own canoe, not letting the current dictate your path and I’m just so happy for you. You got this!”
Manfromsnives
“I have not worked for anyone else since I left university five years ago. Started freelancing straight away, selling my research/writing skills. Not earning a fortune and there are slow times, but it beats working a 'real job' under somebody else and having no time to live. Next year, I plan to start mowing lawns and doing basic gardening work to supplement. The world is your oyster and money is not everything. Sign up on the freelance platforms and do odd jobs here and there, you can make it work.”
The common thread is that people no longer want to put up with mistreatment. It's not that they’re lazy or don’t ever want to work again. The Redditors aren’t asking for a lot. They just want a job with growth potential, autonomy from micromanaging, mean bosses and the flexibility to have a healthy, fulfilling life-work balance.
