Be A Quitter - and Become More Marketable

New York, NY (August 9, 2005) - According to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, more executives are leaving their jobs to unwind and explore new opportunities for a year or two. Feeling the effects of burn-out, executives with over 25 years of experience are taking a break from their careers and focusing on hobbies and interests such as travel, that they never had time for. According to Peter Handal, President and CEO of Dale Carnegie Training, "Taking a leave from your job mid-career can be a positive move for many reasons. It may help you relax and recover from burn-out and give you time to identify your passions and interests."

A generation ago, few people voluntarily quit a job midway through their career, no matter how unhappy they were. They made sure to secure a new job before leaving the prior one. The belief was if you were out of a work, even by choice, prospective employees considered you damaged goods.

Today, it's become more common --and acceptable-- for executives to take some time off faced with burnout and corporate restructuring around each turn. Employees now are leaving the race for a few months or longer without knowing where they will run to next or when they will jump back in.

But, an extended break is a gamble that can backfire without careful planning, warns Handal. "You need to do an honest assessment of your financial position before making such a career changing move. " He offers the following additional advice on determining whether it is the right time in your career to take a break and how to successfully get back into the workforce after your leave:

Determine job satisfaction in your current position. If you are unsure of your career path or if you are too consumed by your current position to explore new opportunities, it may be a good time to take a break to do a thorough job search.

Have a plan. Make sure you have a plan in place before you leap. Know how you'll help pay the bills, such as project work or consulting. Along with leisure time activities, make sure you take time to network and career search.

Job experience. Executives with 25 years of stellar experience will have an easier time of reentering the workforce after a break since they have many contacts and credibility. Assess your skill level and experience when deciding when to take a break.

Continue to Network. It's important not to lose touch with contacts you've made throughout your career; you'll need when you decide to reenter the work force. Over the course of your hiatus, network and talk to people about their jobs to figure out what kinds of jobs you might find more satisfying.

Click here to download a PDF of this press release.

More Press Releases ....

About Dale Carnegie Training
Dale Carnegie partners with middle market and large corporations, as well as organizations, to produce measurable business results by improving the performance of employees with emphasis on leadership, sales, team member engagement, customer service, presentations, process improvement and other essential management skills.  Recently identified by The Wall Street Journal as one of the top 25 high-performing franchises, the Dale Carnegie Training programs are available in more than 25 languages throughout the entire United States and in more than 75 countries.  Dale Carnegie includes as its clients 400 of the Fortune 500 companies.  Approximately 7 million people have experienced Dale Carnegie Training.

Dale Carnegie’s corporate specialists work with individuals, groups and organizations to design solutions that unleash your employees’ potential, enabling your organization to reach the next level of performance.  Dale Carnegie Training offers public courses, seminars and workshops, as well as in-house customized training, corporate assessments, online reinforcement and one-on-one coaching.  For more information, please visit www.dalecarnegie.com.