Job dissatisfaction has never been stronger, and shocking recent figures reveal that nearly every UK worker (90%) is unhappy at work, the equivalent of over 27 million Brits.
Experts at Resume.io, sought the most commonly Googled terms related to resignation/quitting a job to analyse which UK cities are researching quitting their jobs the most.
Key findings:
- Bristol has the highest percentage of unsatisfied employees, with over 19,000 (400 annual searches per 10,000) people for keywords such as Resignation Letter template.
- Those in Bradford are the most satisfied in their role, with just 6,000 workers looking to quit their job per year.
- ‘Resignation letter’ was the most commonly searched term (118k annual searches),
- ‘Quiet quitting’ (15.6k annual searches), ‘good reasons for leaving a job’ (19.2k) and ‘how to hand in your notice’ (7k) all featured highly.
- ‘My job gives me anxiety’ is searched over 120 times a year in the UK.
Ranked: The UK Cities that want to quit their job the most
| # | City | Estimated Annual Searches for Job Quitting Keywords | Percentage of searches per population (annual) | Estimated Average Annual Searches (Per 10,000 people) |
| 1 | Bristol | 19,920 | 4.12% | 412.42 |
| 2 | Manchester | 22,920 | 3.95% | 395.23 |
| 3 | Cambridge | 5,760 | 3.84% | 384.09 |
| 4 | Newcastle | 11,760 | 3.77% | 376.95 |
| 5 | Reading | 6,480 | 3.64% | 363.64 |
| 6 | Leeds | 29,400 | 3.54% | 354.47 |
| 7 | Sheffield | 19,680 | 3.43% | 343.30 |
| 8 | Birmingham | 38,760 | 3.32% | 332.40 |
| 9 | Portsmouth | 6,960 | 3.31% | 330.96 |
| 10 | London | 289,680 | 3.24% | 323.83 |
The complete dataset used throughout this study can be found here.
People in Bristol want to quit their jobs the most
Bristol has the highest percentage of workers wanting to quit their job, with an estimated 412 searches per 10,000 people for terms related to resignation, equating to 4.12% of the population. Bristol received 28.5% greater searches than fellow South-Western city of Portsmouth in ninth place (330.96).
In second place is Manchester. Approximately 3.95% of the city’s 579,917 population searches ‘how to quit their job’ annually, equating to 395 searches per 10,000 people. ‘Resignation letter’ was the most commonly searched here, with 8,640 searches a year, followed by ‘Resignation letter template’ with 3,840 searches. Manchester generated over 3,000 more annual searches than Sheffield (19,680), the closest city in the top 10.
Cambridge came third, with an estimated 3.84% of the population searching ‘how to quit their job’, despite having the least annual searches than the other cities in the top 10 and having just ¼ of Manchester’s population. This highlights the impact that a smaller city has.
Bradford residents are happiest in their job
Those in Bradford are most satisfied with their job. Despite having 600,000 searches a year relating to queries surrounding resignation, this only equates to just 101 searches per 10,000 people (or 1.01% of their population). This is over three times fewer searches than neighbouring city Leeds, with 3.54% of their 829,413 population searching how to quit their job.
Amanda Augustine, careers expert at Resume.io provided tips on how to quit your job in a professional manner:
“First, carefully consider your reasons for leaving to ensure you’re confident in your decision. If there’s room for negotiation, discuss your concerns with your line manager to see if any changes can be made. If you find that you and your manager are at an impasse after you’ve requested changes to your role, your working arrangement or your compensation, then it’s time to make your move.
It’s typically easier to secure a new job while you’re still employed, so try to hold off on giving your notice at work until you’ve successfully landed your next job opportunity.
Draft a formal resignation letter, clearly stating your intention to resign, your final working day, and expressing appreciation for the opportunities you’ve had. This letter will be part of your employment records, so ensure it’s written professionally. Express your gratitude to your colleagues and employer, as a sincere ‘thank’ you can help maintain positive relationships and leave a lasting impression.
Finally, consider requesting a reference. Leaving on good terms makes it easier to secure recommendations that will be valuable in your future job search. This approach ensures a graceful exit while maintaining your professional reputation and keeping future opportunities open.”
