Getting fired for performance can hurt your reputation. Unfortunately, most hiring managers and recruiters display an inherent bias when they see that a candidate was fired from a previous role.

If you get fired, it may be possible to negotiate a neutral reference check in settlement agreements so that your employer can't say something bad about you.

If you're unemployed because you chose to quit, getting unemployment benefits will generally be more challenging.

Before you wait to lose your job, try to calculate how much you would receive from severance and unemployment benefits and whether going through a termination may be worth more than quitting. Keep in mind that severance is not always guaranteed.

If you quit voluntarily, pursuing a wrongful termination or retaliation claim against your employer will be harder.

You will often forfeit those claims if you leave wilfully. However, states also recognise that people can be forced to resign because of intolerable work conditions like discrimination or harassment. If you can tough it out, a wrongful termination claim will be more easily available.