Why I quit my job

Friday was my last official work day as an employee of the Northern Territory Government. 

This is the first post in my brand new blog where I share the journey I am on starting a business, working from home and letting out my inner writer.

This first blog aims to explain why I left my job, what I am doing and what I hope YOU will do after reading this. 

So… because it's the title and I am sure you are wondering why I left my stable job with a decent employer and good working entitlements, I am sharing my three reasons for quitting my job. 

• I was with the NTG for 5 years. That is the longest I have EVER worked for one employer. By YEARS. When I realised that, I wondered - what is the average length that a person stays in a role in Australia? I found statistics at the Australian Bureau of statistics and it turns out that, in 2021, almost half of the people that were in their jobs had been there for more than 5 years and that people are hanging on to their jobs a little longer than they used to. Source: https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/labour/employment-and-unemployment/job-mobility/latest-release. I did try to find Northern Territory Statistics, but the last reliable figures were in 2012. Anyway, the figures confirmed for me that it was time for me to leave because I don't want to be average. 

• The Northern Territory Government is not where I want to work. Don’t get me wrong. Many of my colleagues are extremely hard workers (perhaps overworkers), but the government is a huge system and cannot be fixed by one person or one team. Despite the wish to do all the things that we as individuals or professionals or organisations wish to achieve, some of the problems that the government is working on are monumental. I really value what I learned there about good governance, how to work through roadblocks and at times roadblockers and how the system and the law works in general. I take this forward with me.
  I also recognise that I am leaving behind great employment entitlements. The NTPS has great pay, opportunities for development, leave arrangements and much more so if that is what you are looking for, do not hesitate to check out NTG Jobs- you might even find my old job advertised.
  But in the end, the public sector is not for everyone, and it’s not for me. 

• I have wanted to have my own business again for a long time. Some of you may know that I was a Finance Broker in Darwin and then in Katherine, NT. That was the best work arrangement I have ever had. I enjoyed the challenge and freedom of building something for myself. But it is risky to run a business. Did you know that 3 out of 4 businesses are said to have “failed” in the first 5 years? According to the University of Technology Sydney, this is because some business owners do not do enough planning and research to make sure that the business is feasible (Source: https://www.uts.edu.au/sites/default/files/Start_me_up.pdf).

  That’s why I did a lot of work before making my decision to quit. I have a list but you will have to wait until my second blog post. That being said, the most important and enjoyable thing I did was write a business plan. 

  (Now this is where you really get to know me. I LOVE THIS STUFF- Business Planning, Risk Management, Business Continuity Planning, Tenders, Grants, Procurement, Copywriting, Business Writing any kind of planning is my JAM! It totally fills up my cup and it’s even better when I am helping someone else’s to achieve their goals.)

So there's MY three key reasons for quitting my job. 

I guess it would be useful now to tell you the details of what's next… 

Officially, On The Same Page Consulting will open the (figurative) doors on 2 February 2022. Yes, I did pick that number on purpose - I just loved the idea of all the 2s in 2/2/22.

In this next chapter, I look forward to doing work that I love - mainly writing, catching up with people I have worked with before in the NT and figuring out how an extrovert can cope with working at home. 

I have left some details out of here purposely because I want you to subscribe below and keep reading my blog as I post next week. I also want you to go check out my new webpage and facebook page. 

I expect I will be laughing, and crying, and doing some air punches in this first year. 

I would love you to join me as I step through the hurdles of this next chapter on this blog.

If you have read this far, can I be honest and vulnerable with you?

I am full of doubt and fear. 

When I tell people that, they say ‘you’ll be fine’. 

Honestly, I wish I got paid each time someone said that. 

I really wish I was as confident as them. 

Instead, I am reminding myself that courage is doing something despite fear. So here I am.

So. Now. All there is to do now is to launch. Right? 

Kinda! But No… 

I have done a lot, and I will share that in my next few blog posts, but right now I am spending January getting my systems, templates and arrangements in place. 

There is SO much to do!

But lucky for me, this stuff is what I love doing so it’s not hard work. Just time consuming. 

I would love it if you would stay on my mailing list to find out more about the first year of operations for On The Same Page Consulting. 

In summary, and to save you reading the whole blog if you want to skip to the end…

• 5 years at one job is too long for me

• The Northern Territory Government is not where I want to work

• I want to run my own business again

• On The Same Page Consulting officially opens in 2 February 2022

If  you think this email would be useful for someone you know, please forward or share it. 

I love feedback so please ‘feedforward’ about my future content or what you have read here. You can post comments or send me an email or contact me through facebook. Go ahead.

Hope you have had, or are having, or will have, happy holidays and I look forward to working with you soon. 

Ciao for now,

Conni.

P.S. Thank you NTPS for having me for the last five years.