Yearly performance review is coming soon, but I'm thinking of leaving the company. Should I do so after the review?

As someone who had changed 5 jobs over the 6 years period, here's my thought process:

1. Is it all about remuneration? What about growth opportunity?

2. If there's intangible learning environment / new skillset to come / growth opportunity, what is the timeline that I am giving myself to commit?

3. Not happy with existing opportunity and remuneration? Have you communicated this (regardless directly or not) to your managers? Don't just drop the bomb of resigning as if you deserve attention as they are also humans like us busy with many other things we can't apprehend of.

4. Regardless, I am still always open for opportunities and hear them out, so also to know the latest demand/trend in the employer market and see where I stand

5. With all these, you DO NOT need to wait for your annual performance review, if your manager is compassionate enough, there's no excuse to say "ahhh let's wait till our review to talk about this". I will straight up to my manager and raise this up.

6. Yes you can wait for your pay increment, that's solely on a financial aspect, but consider the opportunity lost as well if there's another company offering you higher mean time.

Many have rightly said that this is a unique season where we are in the middle of a pandemic and anyone with liability at hand will hold our spoons. But that does not mean that we are hindering ourselves from exploring opportunities and understanding if our skillset deserves the existing remuneration that we are getting, or there is somewhere outside there that can grow you further.

Start applying, big companies usually take some time to process your applications.

By the time you start getting offers, it'll coincide with your pay increment period. You'll need time to negotiate those offers as well.

Stay and complete the review, but be prepared and have options if things don't work out in your favour.

Another thing to note is regarding bonus (if applicable). If it's during EOY, then you might want to even consider staying until then. Otherwise you'll miss out on the payout which you have already worked so hard for. If this is the case, start applying right after you receive your pay increment.

However, if you're ONLY staying for the salary and work has been a torture, use the yearly performance review to have an honest conversation with your manager. You'll know what's the best course of action to take after that. ​​​