why i left a job i actually liked 😔
hey zesties 🤍
I took some time off lemon8 because i was going through a full blown identity crisis in the first 2 months of the year 😣 but i’m better now, and i just wanted to share what happened. tldr: i quit my job :x
i had always considered leaving my previous company, but not because of politics or anything like that. my bosses and colleagues were genuinely very nice people, and by the end of it we even became friends! so leaving wasn’t easy at all 😕 but the reason i started thinking about it more seriously was because of my career. i began panicking a little because i was worried that i wouldn’t have stable career progression if i stayed. and tbh, the thought of leaving had already crossed my mind back in late 2025, but i kept brushing it aside. mostly because i loved my workplace and i was very comfortable there. but at the same time, the idea of leaving a stable job and possibly being unemployed for a while honestly terrified me. we all know the job market rn isn't exactly the best, so finding a job right wouldn't be easy, and the last thing i wanted was to jump ship irrationally and end up somewhere worse. but then... staying in my comfort zone forever didn’t feel right either 😔
but before i left, i sat with my bosses and had a good talk with them about my career progression and salary progression as well. but after several discussions i realised the path there just wasn’t the direction i wanted for myself and that ultimately, i knew i wanted to go back to HR.
💫 for context, i actually did HR about 3 years ago. but i left to join a media company to do marketing, and since then i’ve been working in marketing roles.
and so after a lot of hesitation and back and forth, i finally submitted my resignation on 5 february and started serving my one month notice. at the same time, i also began going for interviews. AND CAN I JUST SAY… i hate interviews so much LOL. they’re genuinely terrifying 😭 but during this process i realised something important, just like how companies are filtering candidates, we as candidates are also filtering companies. we’re actually on equal footing, no one is “above” the other. and once i started thinking about it that way, i felt a lot more confident for my online and physical interviews (i might do another post on interview prep and the questions i prepared for HR interviews! lmk if you'd like that! ☺️)
and this time round, i also decided to do things differently. instead of accepting the first company that wanted me, i intentionally farmed job offers. not to flex or feed my ego, that oh look so many companies want me. but rather it was so that i could actually compare properly: the salary, benefits, location, working hours, growth opportunities, everything. and in the end, i chose the company that felt like the best fit overall
honestly, looking back it’s a bit crazy that this all happened just about 1.5 months ago 😵💫 and now i’m literally starting my new hr job next monday. i’m excited, but also a little nervous ngl 🫣 i’ll basically be relearning a lot of HR processes again, and definitely facing a whole new set of challenges. but i think i’m ready for it (I HOPE HAHAH)
aell if i had to summarise my first three months of the year, this whole career spiral was pretty much it. i might also do another post on the secondary reason why i eventually decided to leave my previous workplace… but that’s a story for another time
to anyone reading this: if you’re currently stuck in that phase where you’re constantly wondering whether you should stay or leave your job, i really get it. it’s not an easy place to be in. but sometimes feeling a little lost is just part of figuring out where you’re meant to go next 🤍
wishing you guys atb and see y’all in my next post :)
feel free to check these out 😊
diary entries:
➡️ in my 20s but still scared to do things alone
➡️ why i don't care about birthdays like i used to
➡️ how i wake up early without hating myself
food:
➡️ $8 cafe pasta that ACTUALLY tastes good?!
➡️ one of my fav hotpot places! (CDC voucher friendly)
guides:
➡️ how to check instagram unfollowers for FREE
➡️ you can now play nintendo games on your phone?!
relationship:
➡️ don't sleep on younger guys 👀
➡️ low maintenance relationships >>>
Making the decision to leave a well-loved job is one of the toughest crossroads we can face in our careers. From my own experience, I realized that loving a job isn't always enough when it comes to long-term growth and satisfaction. The fear of unemployment and a difficult job market definitely made me hesitant, but staying in my comfort zone felt like a stagnant choice that could limit my future. One important lesson I've learned during this process is that job interviews might be intimidating, but they’re also empowering opportunities to evaluate potential employers, not just the other way around. When I shifted my mindset to see interviews as a mutual assessment, my confidence grew. This perspective helped me intentionally seek multiple job offers and carefully compare factors like salary, work-life balance, benefits, and growth prospects before making a final choice. Also, reconnecting with my past passion for HR reminded me to honor my true professional interests rather than sticking only to the familiar marketing path. It’s okay to pivot and revisit previous roles if they align better with your goals and values. If you’re facing a similar dilemma — scared to leave yet feeling unfulfilled — know that uncertainty is part of finding your next path. Taking time for honest conversations with your current employer about career progression can provide clarity, but don't hesitate to follow your intuition even if it means starting fresh. Embracing change with preparation and openness can sometimes lead to the most rewarding experiences in your career journey.
heyyy can i text you about working hr? going through an early quarter life crisis after poly with everyone telling me hr is not worth it…