About a third of workers in America changed jobs by choice in 2020. That’s more than any time in the past 20 years the statistics have been kept. And while that’s not completely new - about a quarter of all workers changed jobs voluntarily in 2019 - there’s no question many people are thinking of changing their work situations.

If you’re working, you could just quit. But through our decades of work with What Color Is Your Parachute?, we know from experience that it’s far easier to find a job when you still have a job. So, here are three steps to go through to make sure you make the best decision for your current work and life situation.

Step 1: Do self-inventory. If you want some quick insights, take the JUMP card sort on this site. You’ll review your favorite skills and interests, and walk away with some options for research. Even better, take the interactive Parachute Career Planning Course, and get some deeper insights into your skills and interests.

Step 2. Do your research. Take the information from JUMP or the Parachute Course, and build several scenarios for the kind of work you’ll want to do most. You might not find your ideal job, but having several work scenarios in mind will give you several options to explore.

Step 3. Start exploring those options. Find out what kind of compensation comes with the work that interests you, and how many organizations you’re interested in are actually hiring.

Step 4. Talk to your current work. So long as there is a chance to improve your work situation at your current job, it’s worth having the conversation with your boss, or with someone in your People or HR department. It’s far better to save the time and hassle of job-hunting if you can simply upgrade your current position.

Even if you find that it’s not workable to modify your existing job, consider delaying your “Great Resignation” until you line up a new job. A job search can always take longer than you think, and taking more time while you’re employed means the clock hasn’t started ticking on your search.