Before you quit a corporate job at 40, decide what you are leaving, what you are going towards, and whether the problem is the job itself or the Gap between your work and who you are. Quitting can fix the first. It rarely fixes the second.
Forty is often when the question gets impossible to ignore. You’ve proven you can do the job. The next promotion is visible. And somewhere inside, a voice asks whether you want to spend the next 25 years like this.
I know that question well. After the 2008 financial crisis, while I was living in China, I realised I was not living a life true to myself, and I changed direction. Since then, as an executive coach, I’ve sat with many leaders at the same crossroads.
Why 40 is when the question shows up
By 40, most corporate careers have delivered the Suit: the title, the income, the reputation. What they often haven’t delivered is a sense that the work fits who you are. In the Suited Monk philosophy, that distance between the Suit and the Monk is the Gap. At 40 the Gap is usually wide enough to feel, and there’s still plenty of time to do something about it. The free Life Audit is a quick way to see how wide yours is.
Resigning ends a job. It doesn’t end the Gap.
Are you ready, or are you running?
Both feel the same at 11pm on a Sunday. They’re not.
Signs you’re running:
- You can describe what you hate in detail, but not what you want.
- One bad meeting or one difficult boss is doing most of the talking.
- You haven’t looked at your numbers because you don’t want to know.
Signs you’re ready:
- The feeling has lasted through good months and bad ones.
- You can name what you’re going towards, even roughly.
- You’ve already tested part of it and it still pulls you.
If you’re mostly in the first list, that’s fine. It just means the next step is clarity, not a resignation letter.
Decide this first: five questions before you resign
1. Am I leaving the job, or the life?
Some people need a different employer. Others need a different way of living. A new company won’t fix a life that has shrunk around work.
2. What am I going towards?
“Anything but this” is not a plan. Name what you want more of: freedom, meaning, family time, building something of your own.
3. What does the money really need to be?
Work out what your life actually costs, not what your current salary allows. The real number is often lower, and that gives you more choices.
4. What will I miss?
Structure, status, colleagues, the sense of being needed. Be honest about these. They are often what makes the first year after quitting hard.
5. How will I test it before I resign?
Talk to people already living the life you want. Try the idea on a small scale. Give yourself evidence, not just hope.
A 90-day test before you quit
This is the plan I use with leaders who want evidence before they jump.
- Days 1 to 30: get clear. Write down what you’re leaving and what you’re going towards. Have five honest conversations with people already doing the thing you’re drawn to.
- Days 31 to 60: run one small experiment. A side project, a short course, a paid piece of work, a weekend helping someone in the field. Notice whether it gives you energy or just novelty.
- Days 61 to 90: decide. Look at what the experiment told you, look at your numbers, and make a call: quit, change how you work, or keep testing.
Ninety days feels slow when you’re desperate to leave. It’s very fast compared with spending the next five years in the wrong next thing.
The practical side in Australia
Your notice period. When you resign, the notice you owe is set by your contract, award or enterprise agreement. The minimums in the National Employment Standards are about the notice your employer must give you (Fair Work Ombudsman). Read your contract before you announce anything, including any restraint clauses.
Resign, or wait for a restructure? If redundancies are coming, resigning first usually means giving up redundancy pay. Just don’t let waiting for a payout become another way of staying stuck for years.
Your runway. At 40 your super is locked away. In general you can’t access it until 60, unless you meet one of the limited early access conditions (Moneysmart). So the runway comes from savings. The Moneysmart budget planner is a good way to find your real monthly number, and your final pay should include any unused annual leave.
A story: from engineering to yoga
A senior engineer and leader I coached, who worked at a car maker, wanted to do something more personal with her life. She moved back to her hometown in Italy and started her own yoga business.
Not everyone needs a move that big. But her story shows what becomes possible when the decision comes from what matters to you, not just from being tired of the job.
Quit, or change how you work?
Sometimes the honest answer is not to quit yet. You might change your role, your team or the way you think about your work. If you’re not sure which kind of restlessness you have, read why do I feel unfulfilled in my job?
And if the main problem is exhaustion rather than meaning, look at that first. My page on executive burnout coaching explains how I work with leaders who are running on empty.
When quitting is the right call
Quitting makes sense when the values conflict doesn’t go away, when you’ve tested what’s next, and when you know your numbers. At that point, staying is often the riskier choice.
If you want support with the whole picture, not just the job, I work with leaders as a life coach for executives and through 1:1 executive coaching, in Sydney and online. If the decision is mostly about what work comes next, I also work as a career change coach in Sydney.
Frequently asked questions
Should I quit my corporate job at 40?
Only once you know what you’re leaving, what you’re going towards, and whether the problem is the job or the Gap between your work and who you are. Quitting can fix the first. It rarely fixes the second.
Should I quit without another job lined up?
It’s usually safer to test what’s next and know your numbers first. Quitting without a plan can work, but only if you’ve decided what you’re going towards and how long you can support yourself.
How much notice do I have to give when I resign in Australia?
It depends on your contract, award or enterprise agreement. The National Employment Standards set the minimum notice an employer must give, so check your own contract for what you owe.
Will I lose redundancy pay if I resign?
Usually, yes. Redundancy pay applies when your employer ends your job because it’s no longer needed, not when you resign. If a restructure is likely, get advice before you hand in your notice.
Is 40 too late to change careers?
No. At 40 you have experience, a network and plenty of working years ahead. The bigger risk is changing jobs without changing what the work is for.
A starting point
Before you write the resignation letter, get clear on where your Gap actually sits. It takes about 3 minutes.
