Quitting or changing jobs within the company?

Instead of quitting, why not consider the possibility of changing jobs or departments within the company? How to determine whether such a solution is right for you, and how to discuss it with your boss.

According to CHRP Louise Brochu, Senior Director with Raymond Chabot Human Resources, making the decision is necessarily the result of a career assessment. “You review what you’ve done, your short-, medium- and long-term objectives, and you see whether these can be accomplished within the company,” she explains.

The goal of this assessment is to determine whether you can advance professionally in your current firm, whether through a promotion or lateral move. If you can’t, you’ll have to think of something else. But in any case, it’s something you need to think about carefully, and keep in mind that this approach should be part of a career development plan.

How to bring it up

Ms. Brochu says that any discussion with the boss in this regard requires a strategic approach. “You have to avoid revealing things that could put you in a position of vulnerability. Your boss is not your confessor, and you shouldn’t be opening up completely to him or her!” For instance, if you know that the company cannot or will not offer you a job other than your current one, it serves no purpose to threaten to quit. You could be taken at your word and let go before you even have time to find another job.