I graduated from law school and began my first job as a lawyer eight months ago. I'm unhappy with it and am not sure I even want to stay in this field. I'm considering a career in human resources instead. Should I quit my job to look for another one or stay in it until I find something else, even if I feel my emotional health is at stake?
Before you switch careers, determine if it's the job that's lost its appeal, not the field. You might be more satisfied with a career in law if you focused on a different area. Talk with members of your class to see what their first-year experience has been and find out if there's another way for you put your law degree to good use.
Second, make a list of what attracts you to a career in human resources and ask people who work in it if your expectations are accurate. See where your background and skills overlap with the field's requirements to make sure that it's better matched to your personality and needs. You don't want to find yourself unhappy for a second time because you didn't fully research your decision.
As for leaving your current job to look for another, we advise you to hang in there as long as you can. It's often the case that if one company wants you, you become more attractive to another.
If your mental or even physical health is suffering too much then quit and begin a full-time job search. It won't do you or your employer any good if you're not in top form, so don't allow yourself to suffer in a situation that you can't resolve. But before you quit, try to negotiate for at least a 30-day period during which you remain an employee on the books. This way, a potential employer can contact your firm to verify your credentials without knowing that you're technically unemployed, thus maintaining your image as a candidate in a secure position. If you've performed well, your employer will likely grant you this request, allowing you time to undertake your job hunt.