Knowingwhen to quit yourjob: ‘As I listened to LeoVaradkar’s speech, it reminded me that life is short’

Leaving a job and heading into the great unknown can be terrifying — but also therapeutic. Arlene Harris talks to four people who took a leap of faith and are now flourishing in their new roles

His St Patrick’s Day visit to Washington was deemed a resounding success, so when just three days later, on March 20, Leo Varadkar announced his resignation, the political world reacted with shock. Citing personal and professional reasons, the Taoiseach came to his surprise decision following “careful consideration and some soul-searching” and has decided that, after seven years in office, he is “no longer the best person for that job”.

“When I became party leader and Taoiseach back in June 2017, I knew that one part of leadership is knowing when the time has come to pass on the baton to someone else — and then having the courage to do it,” he said in an emotion-filled speech. “That time is now.”

Giving up a job, particularly one you enjoy, isn’t something to be taken lightly, but Leo isn’t alone in forgoing one path for another. And to try and understand what might be going through his head, we spoke to four people who have taken a leap of faith and are flourishing in their new roles.

Geraldine Walsh, who lives on the Dublin-Meath border with her husband and two children, spent over a decade working as a medical librarian. But while she enjoyed her work and hadn’t contemplated leaving, in 2018 she reinvented herself as a freelance journalist and author, and has recently published her first book, Unravelling Motherhood.

“I don’t do spontaneity, as I enjoy lists, research and plans — so the decision to step away from my career was not straightforward or easy,” she says. “It was a permanent, pensionable position with career progression and I was shifting towards somewhat of an unknown.

“But life has its way of manoeuvring these things and I have always been a writer — when I worked in the Rotunda, my lunch hour was often spent in the Irish Writers Centre. I also ran a local writers’ group for three years, which at one stage had 25 members, so writing was more than a hobby for me; it was, and is, a passion.

“But it is a daunting career filled with hard graft, rejection and self-doubt — however, it was the challenge I was hoping for and, whether due to luck or talent, I have established a significant career. Along with journalism, I also run a business centred around writing. The job satisfaction I had as a librarian was strong, but shifting to a career which has far exceeded my expectations and passions was the best decision I ever made.

“So, the idea that Leo feels he is not the right person for the job anymore did strike me, because when I receive feedback for the work and passion I put into my career, I feel validated that I am the right person for the job I have created.”

Eamon Nolan wishes he had “found the courage to quit” as soon as he realised his boss was not going to change. Instead, the Cork man says he endured several unhappy years before finally making the break.

“I went into my job straight from college,” he says. “I’ve always been a fairly quiet person. One of my colleagues was very confident and ambitious, so took centre stage. It wasn’t long before they were promoted and I believe that they revelled in being able to tell me what to do.

“Our boss thought this person was great and, over time, they moved up, but my experiences with them were horrible. I found them to be sarcastic and cutting, and forever finding fault with work, particularly mine. It made my life hell.

“Still, there was nothing concrete and no one made an official complaint. I used to dread going to work and suffered with anxiety and stress almost constantly. It also affected my personal life and although I knew I should leave, my self-worth was so low, that I didn’t think I’d get another job.

“Fortunately, my wife stuck with me and encouraged me to look for work before handing my notice in. After a series of interviews, I was successful and got offered a job in Dublin. So, as she works from home, in 2022, we made the move and I now work with a great team and have never been happier at work.

“I’m delighted I finally did it, but wish I hadn’t put up with so many years of crap. Still, better late than never.”

Living in Dublin with her husband and three children, Síne Vasquez worked as a physiotherapist for 14 years. It was a fulfilling role that she really enjoyed but, after doing a jewellery-making course in 2012, she loved developing her creative streak. So, in 2018, she decided to take the plunge and went back to college to study goldsmithing, before finally handing in her notice and setting up her own business.

“I felt a lot of emotions as, at first, I had a strong sense of guilt for ‘abandoning’ my patients. In my job, I was able to really help people, but I was leaving it to do something for me.

“But I realised that you don’t have to be working with cancer patients to change the course of someone’s day — just taking the time to listen to someone you meet in the supermarket could make all the difference to them. I try to carry that into my work, as jewellery can be a really significant purchase for people because it carries such meaning.

“Another thing that helped was thinking about what my patients would tell me to do and I knew they’d absolutely be cheering me on. And now, five years after graduating, I can proudly say that I run my own small fine-jewellery business,

“As I listened to Leo Varadkar’s speech, it reminded me of being in the headspace of realising that life is short — and no matter how much you might want to do a job, your life and priorities change over time and eventually it feels like the time to pursue something new.

“Also, it’s interesting that in an era where we’re much more aware of mental health, we’ve recently seen a number of prime ministers and leaders like Jacinda Ardern and Nicola Sturgeon also step away from the job before serving their full term.” Mental health was the main reason why Dolores Andrew, who lives in Galway with her two sons, left her job in the service sector. She was being bullied by a colleague who made life very difficult and she finally came to the decision that, for the sake of her health, she had to resign.

Mental health was the main reason why Dolores Andrew, who lives in Galway with her two sons, left her job as she felt she was being bullied by a colleague who made life very difficult and she finally came to the decision that, for the sake of her health, she had to resign.

“Many years ago, I was introducing a new system to the office and one person challenged everything I did, refused to fill out paperwork, was awkward about things, degrading towards me and undermined everything I was trying to do. One day this person slammed a door so hard behind me that it nearly came off its hinges. I couldn’t do my job effectively because

‘I don’t do spontaneity, so the decision to step away from my career was not straightforward or easy’

of their behaviour but was told to just go along with it, so I kept having to double up on work to keep them happy and justify their personal criticism of me. It was terrible.

“I was pregnant at the time and the whole situation was extremely stressful. It was almost like an out-of-body experience: my heart would be palpitating and every fibre of my being was in shock. I had a miscarriage during that time and the whole experience had a huge impact on my life. I went on to have another healthy pregnancy and since then retrained in the wellness area — becoming certified in assertiveness, as I needed to find the confidence to have my voice heard. It’s by far the best thing I ever did.

“I qualified as a trainer in 2020 and since then support people with stress and burnout in the workplace. So I can resonate with Leo’s words ‘we have limitations; we give it everything until we can’t anymore’ — everyone has their limits and being aware of them is essential for our mental and emotional health. So I admire him for doing what he needs to do for himself at this juncture of his life.

“I have never been happier at work myself and know I am following my purpose, and I hope he finds his.”

Career consultant Angela Burke says happiness at work is very important and if someone is no longer fulfilled by their job, they should either try to rectify the problem or consider moving on.

“When I guide people through this during my workshops, they identify a range of reasons affecting their career satisfaction — from personal values not aligning with their work to not feeling rewarded for their contribution or simply being overwhelmed and burned out,” she says. “Often, people discover that a personal situation has actually impacted their ability to give their role their all.

“I’m always fascinated with how long people admit to remaining in a job they’re deeply dissatisfied with. I’ve had people finally take steps towards change after 20 years of unhappiness. It’s incredibly rewarding to see.

“What’s important is that people take the time to consider what isn’t working for them in their current job so that they can avoid jumping into the same situation elsewhere. Of course it’s scary as we don’t like change, but take small steps at a comfortable pace and you will be so grateful you leaned into that short-term discomfort for your long-term gain.”

Career and well-being coach Elma Carew agrees but says it’s important to “ensure that you have thoroughly considered all your options” and are leaving for the right reasons.

“If there is a new role, make sure that it’s the right fit for you and not something chosen in haste or frustration,” she says. “Also it’s important to leave on a positive note, to provide a decent handover and end things on good terms.”