It Is Never Unreasonable to Quit a “Good Job” If You Hate Your Life

Posted on by Caleb Newquist

Are you missing out on life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness? Email us your questions and we'll figure where you're screwing up the Founding Fathers' vision.

I'm a second year senior (PwC tax, large market) and I can't stand it anymore. I have no interest in making manager and to be fair, I really do nothing at work. In fact, it's not just public practice – I don't really want to work in accounting at all. My current plan is to quit and be unemployed for the next 9 months (i.e. the amount of time my savings will last). I feel like there is more to life than pleasing clients. Is it reasonable to give up a "good job" in a bad market just because it makes me hate my life? I mean, if things get real bad, I can always find employment right (CPA, partners and clients like me)? Any other readers make the leap to freedom?
What?! You say you're tired of being a capital market servant hack, catering to every whim of your ungrateful clients? I WON'T HEAR OF IT! 
 
Oh, wait. That's what we're doing here – listening to your problems and trying to fix them. Fine. Let's examine your statements one at a time.
I'm a second year senior (PwC tax, large market) and I can't stand it anymore. 
Go on.
I have no interest in making manager
Why would you want to be manager? The only job that's more thankless than a Big 4 manager is the one you currently have.
To be fair, I really do nothing at work 
That doesn't sound so bad.
It's not just public practice – I don't really want to work in accounting at all 
Oh. Well, it's not exactly Hollywood, is it?
My current plan is to quit and be unemployed for the next 9 months (i.e. the amount of time my savings will last) 
Now we're getting somewhere! This sounds like a great idea.
I feel like there is more to life than pleasing clients 
I'll let you in on a little secret (make sure no one is listening) – it's true! Clients are the worst.
Is it reasonable to give up a "good job" in a bad market just because it makes me hate my life?
Reasonable? Maybe not. But hating your life is even more unreasonable. Let me guess, you hit snooze until you know you can't hit any more and you drag yourself to work to do…nothing, I think you called it? And you look at the people around you and realize that you don't really don't want to be around them any more. Just get out, man.
I mean, if things get real bad, I can always find employment right (CPA, partners and clients like me)? 
Don't quit quitting before you even quit! But yes, in the event of an emergency, PwC would even take you back. And McGladrey banks on it.
Any other readers make the leap to freedom?
Indubitably! If you're out there, please speak up. And for further evidence, look at this Washington Post article from 2004. The guy left his accounting job to work in Mexico City sewers (i.e. he goes poo-diving) and he "loves" his job. I have no doubt there's a shitty job out there that you'll love, too. Good luck.

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Here’s Another Accountant Feeling Sorry For Himself Because He Doesn’t Know What to Do with His Life

Personally, I don’t know I have the energy for this shit today but here’s a sob story we’ve all heard before:

I was born to be a lot of things, but being an accountant isn’t one of them. In my heart of hearts I have always known this, but for some stupid subconscious reason, I have always ignored it.

Why? Well…um…err…I didn’t know what else to do.


Okay, I’ll jump in now – this just pisses me off. Why? Because I have the solution and it’s easy. Quit. Immediately. I don’t give a baker’s fuck if you don’t know what else to do; don’t wait, just quit your job. I spoke with a friend recently who has been with a Big 4 firm for over ten years. This person was in a similar situation as this guy, not sure what to do other than what they were doing right now (i.e. “auditing”). Then they decided that enough was enough. Forget the money. Forget not having a plan. They just up and quit without a plan. I was so thrilled to hear someone finally going with their gut rather than thinking about all the practical bullshit that ties people down. Speaking of, what’s this guy’s excuse?

You might be left asking, “If you hate it so much, then why don’t you just leave?”

I’m the first person to berate myself for sticking with it for so long. It never helped that accounting, and the financial sector for that matter, pays so well and instantaneously blindsides with dollar signs. I was always caught up chasing the next pay cheque, hanging around a few more months for a bonus and salary hike, and holding my breath for my well-deserved promotion.

The result always afforded me the trips overseas, a new car, the latest gadgets, elevation up the clothing-label food chain, gambling in a few shares here and there, and even a deposit on an investment property. Important things in a twenty-something year-old’s life, right?

It sounds like I’m making excuses. Well I am. It’s hard to walk away. But hey, if it pays well and the bills get paid, shouldn’t that be enough? And shouldn’t I just be grateful to even have a job in this economic climate?

First off, you’re using the money as the excuse. Money is a terrible excuse. Sell your car. Sell your investment property. For God sake, pull your money out of the casino that is the world’s financial markets. And the mantra “I should be grateful to have a job in this economy” is the biggest crock. Grateful for a job you hate? That’s like being grateful to be getting laid with a partner that’s lousy in bed and hates your guts. What’s the point? Go find something you want to do and never look back. Life is too short to be wasting it doing something you don’t want to do. This is not Earth-shattering advice but sometimes it bears repeating. Will your life change? You bet your ass it will and it’ll be better for it.

And that’s goes for anybody else. You know who you are. Don’t wait for this year’s busy season to come and go so you can see what the raise will be or to get another bonus. I assure you that you’ll still be miserable. Probably more so. There’s still time to save yourself. You’ll thank me. But you don’t have to.