When I left my corporate job in insurance claims after 16 years, it took me several months just to accept that fact that I could now decide how to spend my own time. But I was determined to follow that little voice that told me my life could be so much more fufilling.



Corporate culture can be overwhelming. It creeps into all areas of your life. It often defines who you are, how you see yourself and even how you spend your free time. You find friends and maybe even lovers there. But there's the danger of losing yourself in the process.

If you plan ahead, leaving your job can be empowering. You might even find your heart's desire.

Here are some recommendations for preparing to leave that corporate job.

1. Make sure you know why you're quitting.

It's important that you are clear in your own mind what your motivation for leaving your job is. Make this decision from a stable place. Don't get caught up in momentary frustrations. Let it be about who you are and what you want out of life and not about any specific circumstances you may find yourself in.

2. Have enough money set aside to be employed for at least 12 months.

One of the best ways to relieve the pressure is to have plenty of cushion. One year of pay will allow you to take three to six months off and still have six months to find a new position.

3. Plan what your next actions will be.

Know what you're going to do next, whether that's taking some time for you, going to work for yourself or spending time with family. Make that decision ahead of time. That way you won't get distracted from your purpose by waking up on Monday morning with 40 or more extra hours on your hands.

Giving yourself the gift of time off can be wonderful. Get to know yourself again. I would recommend six months, but a minimum of two months will allow you to get back in touch with yourself.

4. Pick a firm date when you are leaving.

Establish a firm date for leaving. Give yourself time to adjust to the idea before giving your notice. For some people this time frame will be relatively short. However, if you've been in the same corporate job for over ten years, you may need at least a month to get used to the idea yourself before you're ready to talk about it with others.

5. Pick a story and stick to it.

Your colleagues will want to know what you're doing next. It may be advantageous to have a story prepared whether or not you know for sure what you will be doing.

You may also get some unexpected reactions. The decision to leave a secure corporate job will bewilder some of your friends, family and co-workers. Not only will they worry about you, some of them will also be upset. The idea of striking out on your own and following your own heart will threaten some people. Your leaving may make it uncomfortable for them to continue believing that they are trapped in their own jobs.

6. Decide when you're going to start looking for a new position.

Go ahead and pick a date when you're going to start your own business or look for a new job. It helps to relieve any internal pressure if you've already negotiated with yourself about when you're going back to work. That way you can enjoy your time off without any indecision hanging over your head.

7. Do something to break yourself free from the corporate culture.

After working for several years at the same career, it's easy to believe that you can't do anything else. This isn't true. Some things that you can do to break free are to go back to school, take an art class or begin some other new creative endeavor. Utilizing your creative abilities will bring forward all kinds of new ideas in all areas of your life, including your career.

8. Make some new friends.

Let's face it, your old fiends know you as someone who did a certain job at a certain place. Often many of your friends will still work for the company you left. Keep all the good friends, but make some new ones too. It's important that you have people in your life who are going to support you in being different than you were in the past. Some of your old friends may feel that you're doing things that are out of character. Your new friends will probably just be happy that you're exploring new avenues.

9. Have fun!

Whether it's taking an art class, going out dancing or just having coffee with friends, every week make time for fun. Don't let your time off be a punishment. To expand your horizons explore a totally new area.

10. Celebrate!

Once you've spent three or more years at a major corporation, you are pretty well indoctrinated. You've spent most of your waking hours there. You've given them your best work. You have friends there. It's no easy move to just pick up and leave. So, congratulate yourself on this accomplishment. When I left my job, I went on vacation to Hawaii. It was the best vacation of my life.

Whether you know what your next endeavor will be or not, you can prepare for career change. It can even be an adventure if you let it.