Recently, I’ve read many posts and articles on social media about looking for a new job. At this uncertain time, when there are still many challenges around, the decision to change jobs is not straightforward. That’s why it has attracted a lot of debates, opinions and discussions about whether it’s wise to quit now.

It’s always easy to tell someone to stay in their current role. Honestly, it’s the safest choice. There are several clear advantages: still earning a monthly salary to cover living expenses, having the chance to be promoted, staying in a familiar environment, and avoiding the risks/uncertainties of moving to a completely new place. Those are all attractive reasons—and nothing’s wrong with them.

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But many things in life are unpredictable and unplanned. Career change is one of them. It reminds me of my own experiences in changing jobs. In all my job moves, only the first one, when I moved to Malaysia, was clearly planned. It means, I knew exactly the firm and position I would work for next.

After that, everything became more uncertain. I left Malaysia without knowing when or which firm I would work again. I just knew I wanted to continue in financial audit and move to another country. So, I started applying to firms in Singapore and finally secured an offer a couple of months later. Later, I left Singapore to study for an MBA in the Netherlands without any clear plan about where I’d live or work after graduation. My plan was simple: study, explore, and then look for a job in Europe. Germany wasn’t even in my mind at first, only the UK and the Netherlands were.

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Looking back, there are a few lessons that I’ve learned from those experiences.

Firstly, always take care of your mental health when making the decision.
Naturally, you’ll worry most about salary, savings, and living expenses—which is totally understandable. But those are not everything. It’s also important to think about your mental and physical wellbeing. Ask yourself: if I continue this job, what could happen? Will I feel more stress that I can’t handle? Will I still be happy going to work every day? Will I sleep peacefully at night after a hard-working day? If you can continue, then go ahead. If not, it might be time to say goodbye.

Secondly, it’s okay not to have a concrete plan.
Sometimes you don’t know exactly what’s next, and that’s fine. Stay firm about what you want, but flexible about how to get there. You can decide on your long-term goal, then allow yourself to explore different paths to reach it. Take time to learn about the industry, company, or position you’re interested in. Later, you’ll need to convince the hiring manager that you can do the job—but before that, you must convince yourself first.

Thirdly, prepare in advance and believe in yourself.
Prepare your mindset that one day you may have to face the decision to leave. Nothing is certain, so it’s better to be ready. Prepare your skills and knowledge, so when the time comes, you’ll have confidence in what you can do. Prepare your “tools” too—your network, your application package, your relationships—so when you need them, they’re ready to support you. Finding the right job is never easy, no matter how good the economy looks. But each challenge forces you to grow. Believe that something better can come from the discomfort of change.

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Lastly, see it as a time to reflect and upgrade yourself.
Quitting a job isn’t just walking away, it’s a reset. It gives you space to breathe again, to think about what really matters, and to rebuild yourself in quiet ways. You may read more, learn new skills, travel, or simply rest. Every time I quit a job, it eventually made me stronger and clearer about who I was and what I wanted next. That’s the true “upgrade”, not a fancier title, but a calmer, wiser version of yourself.

Looking for a right job is always challenging, no matter what the market looks like. But if you see it as a chance to reflect and upgrade yourself, then every change, even the uncertain one, becomes a step forward.