Earn Careers

From Quiet Quitting to a Job You Love

Chelsey Zhu  |  October 19, 2022

Feeling stuck in your career? Don't quiet quit. Instead, learn how to break free in this week’s HerMoney Podcast episode.

 

Over the past year, we’ve heard so much about the Great Resignation, but there’s another trend that’s taken over our work culture: quiet quitting. The movement doesn’t actually involve quitting your job, but rather doing the bare minimum that’s expected of you. No more staying late, no more answering emails after 5 p.m., and no more volunteering for extra projects. A recent Gallup poll found that as many as 50% of employees identify as quiet quitters. 

Don’t get us wrong. Having firm boundaries at work is healthy and absolutely a good thing. But quiet quitting might just be a symptom of a greater problem: People are unhappy with their careers, and they don’t see a way out. According to that same Gallup poll, 18% of workers are actively dissatisfied with their jobs — that’s up from 13% in 2019. Workers under the age of 35 are especially likely to say that they don’t know what’s expected of them at work, they don’t have opportunities to grow, and they don’t have someone at work who cares about them and encourages their development. 

We deserve more than just quiet quitting. We deserve to have a career that gives us purpose and fulfillment, and our guest today is here to help us find it. Elizabeth Pearson spent 13 years in sales before she started her own business as an executive career coach. She helps women navigate job changes, succeed in male-dominated fields, and launch their own companies. She also hosts the Ascend & Transcend Podcast, and she’s the author of “Career Confinement: How to Free Yourself, Find Your Guides, and Seize the Fire of Inspired Work.

Jean and Elizabeth dive into the concept of career confinement and why women are particularly vulnerable to feeling stuck. We often measure our self-worth by how much we can provide for others, so it’s not easy to walk away from a job, even if we’re unhappy, says Elizabeth. But we also have to look at the bigger picture and evaluate whether the paycheck is worth the mental stress. 

“A job is paying us a certain amount, which provides financial security, and it can give you a comfortable lifestyle,” she says. “But if you’re sacrificing eight to 12 hours a day feeling like your soul isn’t in alignment with what you’re doing, that job could actually be costing you more than you’re making.” 

We talk about why it’s so important to listen to your soul, aka your inner voice telling you that you need to slow down, reevaluate your priorities, or look for better opportunities. If you overwork yourself for a job that doesn’t value you, you can experience mental and even physical burnout. Jean shares the story of a doctor who developed “broken heart syndrome” from the stress of her job during the pandemic. 

Then Elizabeth dishes on the most common career roadblocks that women come to her with. Do you have imposter syndrome? Do you keep butting heads with your boss? Are you ready to quit, but don’t know how to start your job hunt? Listen in to hear our advice on these problems and more. Elizabeth also reflects on what we’ve all learned from the Great Resignation, and she shares her thoughts on whether the movement is here to stay. 

In Mailbag, we hear from a listener who wonders if it’s better to use Social Security to pay down her mortgage or contribute more to her IRA. Another listener wants to find an LGBTQ-friendly financial advisor for their nonbinary sibling. And in Thrive, how to save on your next hotel stay.

This podcast is proudly supported by Edelman Financial Engines. Let our modern wealth management advice raise your financial potential. Get the full story at EdelmanFinancialEngines.com. Sponsored by Edelman Financial Engines – Modern wealth planning. All advisory services offered through Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C. (FEA), a federally registered investment advisor. Results are not guaranteed. AM1969416

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The HerMoney podcast is supported by      Edelman
All advisory services offered through Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C. (FEA), a federally registered investment advisor. Results are not guaranteed. AM1969416


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