Stats: Quitting Trend Shows Job Market Confidence

PHOENIX - It's a sign the economy is improving -- not the fact that more people are working, but because more people are saying "I quit."

In the past three months, more people quit their jobs, than were laid off, in the United States. All that quitting could be a great sign of the strength of the job market -- people feel confident enough to quit their job.

Even though we're still recovering from a massive recession, more and more workers are giving their 2-week notice.

Katie Charland says it was not an easy decision for her. She packed up and left her old job, but for her, quitting has worked out great.

She got a better job offer. "They offered me this position and I'm like of course this is my dream job!"

Charland is now Director of Operations for a nonprofit business networking company in Chandler, called Gangplank. She left behind a stable position at a children's magazine. It was a bold move.

"I just bought my first car on my own, so there was a little trepidation as to making sure I have an income now. There's a bright future here but yes its a little bit of a risk."

Charland is part of a positive economic trend across the country. More workers are jumping ship, confident they can find a better gig.

"When the economy improves a bit and people see there are opportunities out there they'd like to try, that's when they start to give up their jobs voluntarily and that's the start of the sign that things are improving a bit," says Tim James, an economics professor at ASU's WP Carey School of Business.

In the middle of the recession, a lot of people took jobs just to stay afloat, James says. Now they're being more picky.

"Maybe now some people are saying now's the time to go back to what I really want to do, or move onto something that more fits with what I see my long term career holding for me."

According to government figures, 1.75 million workers were laid off this past April. During the same month, nearly 2 million people chose to quit their jobs.

Charland took a leap on a new career, and she's not looking back. In terms of salary, Charland adds, she made a lateral move.

Quitting your job isn't necessarily about the money -- James says when people change over to jobs they enjoy, they tend to be more productive, and that makes for a stronger economy.