Should I resign from my current position without a job offer in hand?
I have been interviewing covertly for the past two months, but I feel I might be able to kick the job hunt into high gear without having to worry about my present job duties.
On the other hand, I hear alot about employers who are less likely to hire you if you are unemployed.
It is difficult to conduct an active job search while employed full-time. However, if you've already been interviewing for the past two months with limited results it may be hasty to abandon your current position in a challenging job market.
While it can be a struggle to negotiate full-time work and a job search it allows you the luxury of being more selective in your job choice. If you resign from your job and your job search still extends another couple of months, will you have the same luxury then?
Can you pick up some contract work while you look for the next full time position? If so, then go for it! You'll likely be challenged with the new contract projects and feel energized. This new energy will show in your interviews.
Just be sure it's a calculated risk. I would not recommend leaving if you cannot afford to be without steady income for at least 2 months (maybe more). But that should be a no-brainer, right?
Sometimes you have to take a risk to get the most return...but not everyone feels comfortable with risk. Do you?