'[I] saw an angry email from my boss and decided... nope!': 10+ Workers share why they quit their jobs to look for new opportunities

Author image for Brad Dickson
Brad Dickson • Managing Editor
Oct 6, 2023 12:00 PM EDT

They say quitters never win, but when it comes to jobs, sometimes you just need to know when to walk away… After all, we're not going to work the same jobs for our entire working lives. I think it's safe to say that the days of that being a likelihood are long behind us. Sure, our grandparents might have started working straight out of high school and spent their entire careers with one company, retiring at 55 with an excellent pension… But that's just not in the cards for anyone who isn't bordering on retirement age. 

So, without a doubt, if you're not working at the same place forever… you'll be leaving some jobs. You might be leaving because the people you're working for are terrible or the type of work or industry is not the right environment for you; it's also possible the growth you're looking for might just not be available in your current organization, even if you like your job and the people you work for; heck, you might be changing jobs for reasons entirely out of your control, such as following a spouse's relocation.

These people shared why they left their roles, a collection of stories, ranging from short to shorter, of a whole lotta people calling it quits.

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  • 01
    Gesture - A 11 spp flow WAJES n that negative campaign "Saw an angry email from my MacBook Pro boss and decided... nope!"
    via Austin Distel
  • 02

    The first story

    Font - I quit my job today. I quit my job today. Only lasted 4 months. But those 4 months were full of literal bullying by all management, 4 other people quitting and me taking on a lot of their work, and not being fully trained in anything but getting yelled at for not being fully trained in anything. This is also an entry level role in a career I just finished a college diploma in last year. Woke up today, saw an angry email from my boss and decided nope! Closed my laptop and haven't answered
    via u/Jjorrrdan
  • 03

    This user shared their experience in the comments

    Font - Penge1028 I was an associate attorney at a law firm that had about 25 attorneys and 100 support staff. I was one of the youngest attorneys at the time. The partners didn't seem to like me very much. I was called into a "Come to Jesus" meeting with the owner of the firm after working there for about 8 months (this was roughly the end of September). It was all petty bull. They didn't like how I socialized with the support staff (they were all my age and great people)... supposedly they woul
    via u/yolthrice
  • 04
    Font - because I actually treated them like human beings). They didn't like how I would occasionally nap in my car at lunch time because people would think they were working me so hard that I didn't get enough sleep at night. Really dumb stuff like that. December rolls around, and it's time for Christmas bonuses. I get called into the managing partner's office. I'm told they're not giving me a Christmas bonus that year. Not a dime. Not even a supermaket gift card. They
    via u/yolthrice
  • 05
    Font - didn't even give me a reason why. I didn't bother asking...I was ped off at this point and decided I'd start looking for a new job that night. A week later was our office Christmas party. It was a huge event at a country club. There was a huge Christmas tree with tons of wrapped gifts under it. The male support staff all received nice watches. The female support staff all received nice jewelry. The attorneys, who had already received their (substantial) Christmas bonuses (except me) all r
    via u/yolthrice
  • 06
    Font - Except all I received was that chocolate tower. I apparently meant less to that firm than every single other employee. Two weeks later I had a new job, where I stayed for 8 1/2 years. Now I own my own law firm. ↑ 118 ↓ Share ...
    via u/yolthrice
  • 07

    Followed by more shorter accounts of people quitting their jobs

    Font - XXMissy I was tired of customers treating me poorly and calling me uneducated, lazy, etc., when I was studying at a university and working toward my degree. If there was a mistake with their order, you'd get side comments like "This is why you work for McDonalds" and so on. The amount of hate, abuse, and judgement was astronomical. Be kind to the people working the drive thru, folks. ✩ 104 Share
    via u/yolthrice
  • 08
    Font - appletreesknees Boss was a huge bio ↑ 76 ↓ Share ironman288. I did this in college. She actually had the nerve to tell me I was lucky to have a job, when I got 12 hours a week at less than minimum wage after the weekly union dues. ↑ 23 ↓ Share
    via u/yolthrice
  • 09
    Font - [deleted] One job I quit because I just didn't like it there, couldn't afford a living, and other reasons. My current one I haven't quit yet, but I'm on the verge of it. It's become increasingly stressful, annoying, and I'm generally very over it. If I didn't hate job hunting and had another lined up I'd have left already. 37 Share
    via u/yolthrice
  • 10
    Font - basic-fatale 72 hour weeks, was stressed out constantly. Kept getting passed over for promotions. 92 ♡ Share
    via u/daraand
  • 11
    Font - Ghiraheem Found one that is Monday to Friday, same hours as my wife so we can carpool, and paid more for the starting wage than my last job did after working there for 2 years and getting a promotion. Win win win. Plus the actual work is more personally fulfilling. Goodbye retail! ↑ 76 ↓ Share
    via u/daraand
  • 12
    Font - 00 jkra0512 I was in middle management, desperately trying to keep my small team together with no help or support from the higher ups who were content on playing golf and smoking their cigars. My team was overworked, stressed, yelled at constantly by internal and external clients, and were given tools from 1998 to fix 2021 issues. Luckily a former co-worker asked how things were going, I might have an opportunity for you...he's now my co-worker again, and I'm making 40% more than I was, n
    via u/daraand
  • 13
    Font - Independent_Tone8605 Being yelled at by people i am trying to help over things that aren't my fault and that I have no control over 199 Reply Share
    via u/Ashamed_Clock_851
  • 14
    Font - GrandioseBanana The boss/upper management. ↑ 165 ↓ Reply Share gregr333 I quit my last job (retired early) when my boss took credit for my work to the head of the organization. She had provided almost no support or guidance, but when it turned to being recognized as a success, suddenly, it was her work. ↑ 25 ↓ Reply Share GrandioseBanana Yeah, everything is all your responsibility until it makes them look good. Even if they're at fault. Etc ↑ 12 ↓ Reply Share
    via u/Ashamed_Clock_851
  • 15
    Font - antigamente Burnout. 105 Nachtjaeger68 Reply Share Yeah. Finally snapped like a twig after 30+ years in a toxic work environment. Had to go on medical leave for six months before I could collect early retirement at 55. I am. . . broken. ↑ 35 ↓ Reply Share ...
    via u/Ashamed_Clock_851
  • 16
    Font - 8-> 55 Smorvana Micro management ↑ 52 ↓ ma-ki-na Reply Share This has got to be one of the most underrated issues people deal with. There is no quicker way to not only make me resent my job, but also fuel hostility in me. No matter how enthusiastic I am, the second micro managing starts I am checked out. This is what is currently make me look for employment elsewhere. 32 Reply Share
    via u/Ashamed_Clock_851
  • 17
    Font - AHOT SaberGenerator I once worked in a customer service job that I thought was going to be a great fit for me. Unfortunately, the company had some really terrible policies and procedures that made it almost impossible to do my job correctly. For example, they had this rule where you weren't allowed to tell customers about any of their options or explain why something didn't work. As a result, I felt like I was constantly lying to people and not helping them out. After months of frustratio
    via u/LovedEDGE
  • 18
    Font - Hoonigan0690 Everyone was Pretentious -Manager was pretending that there's future of the company -HR was pretending that company is Great workplace -CEO was pretending that he has found cancer cure In reality the business model was a useless piece of st There was literally no growth and future Environment was unprofessional 8↓ Share
    via u/LovedEDGE
  • 19
    Font - The Man DirtyDan Worked at stes. The most mundane and micromanaged job I've ever worked. Couldn't even say "have a good one" when finishing a conversation, had to say "my pleasure" like ca. I worked there for two days and absolutely would not recommend it. ↑ 5 ↓ Share
    via u/LovedEDGE
  • 20
    Font - nothingbeatagoodshit Lack of progression / opportunity to move / personality conflict / boredom / poached by other business. There is alway another job. Ton 63 Share
    via u/LovedEDGE
  • 21

    Another bonus short story.

    Font - I quit my job. Not the most exciting story to post here, but me and the store manager at the store I worked at did not get along and she'd go as far as to say that I was a whiny brat and that nobody liked to work with me. After being berated similarly a couple more times in the same hour, I quit which made her have to cover the entire rest of my shift which went until close. We were also short on staff for reasons I won't explain for anonymity's sake, so she likely had to cover all my shi
    via u/Meeeper

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workplace discussion employment issues antiwork workplace-stories jobs employment-discussion job work i quit quit workplace Horrible Bosses quitting employment in the workplace
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