Job and General Employment Thread

[King Colby]

Short and sweet in writing, be prepared to answer verbally why you made this decision and why you think that reason couldn't have been accomplished at your current employer. That's pretty much it.

[MalkinIsMyHomeboy]

honest question, any particular reason why you're doing it over Teams?

I personally would prefer to do the initial message in email or whatever is the main form of written communication. It would allow me to really develop my thoughts and how I want to present them. I'm sure my boss would want to have a meeting about it at some point too so I know that we'd end up at Teams but personally thats how I'd do it.

[NTP66]

As much as I'd have loved to have done so, I have never burned a bridge. I'd never advise somebody to do so, because you never know when you'd run into those people again down the line.

[skullman80]

I still think you don't give them much of a reason, unless you are on good terms with your manager or whatever. I know sometimes HR will have exit interviews and you can be more candid there (still without burning a bridge), but what you are saying is not really going to matter either way. So just leaving it as "I found a better opportunity somewhere else etc"...is fine and doesn't need to be expounded on IMO.

[NAN]

short and sweet is best, and then depending on the terms you and whoever you are giving notice to are on/will be on, feel free to give actual reasons why you're leaving. And if you don't have it in you to tell them why they suck, just say it was something you couldn't pass up

This. Keep it short. The more you talk, the more likely it will be you say something you don't want to say.

A lot also depends on how your relationship is with your manager. I saw you say though he/she wasn't a good manager, so I'd just keep it very short. If asked why, just say it's because you found a better opportunity if you don't have a great relationship with the manager.

You called it out, don't burn any bridges, even if you want to torch the place. You don't know when you will run into that person again, or go somewhere where they may know someone. It's really a small world out there at times. So keep it professional, short, and honestly while you may not want to, use your last week or two to help your fellow peers transition because again, it's a small world. You may run into them in the future and I think they'd appreciate you help. Don't kill yourself and bend over backwards, but also don't do Operation Shutdown.

[mamaemeritus]

honest question, any particular reason why you're doing it over Teams?

I personally would prefer to do the initial message in email or whatever is the main form of written communication. It would allow me to really develop my thoughts and how I want to present them. I'm sure my boss would want to have a meeting about it at some point too so I know that we'd end up at Teams but personally thats how I'd do it.

I thought the most professional way to resign is face to face? My boss sits in Chicago and I am in Pittsburgh so if we "meet" it's on Teams. Absolutely not being a jerk here, but I was always under the assumption that sending a resignation in writing first wasn't professional - i.e. you were kind of "hiding" behind email?

[NAN]

honest question, any particular reason why you're doing it over Teams?

I personally would prefer to do the initial message in email or whatever is the main form of written communication. It would allow me to really develop my thoughts and how I want to present them. I'm sure my boss would want to have a meeting about it at some point too so I know that we'd end up at Teams but personally thats how I'd do it.

I thought the most professional way to resign is face to face? My boss sits in Chicago and I am in Pittsburgh so if we "meet" it's on Teams. Absolutely not being a jerk here, but I was always under the assumption that sending a resignation in writing first wasn't professional - i.e. you were kind of "hiding" behind email?

I'd go the face to face route, then follow it up with a formal email or letter. I agree with you here, even if you don't want to, face to face (or Teams in your case due to the distance) is the better way to go.

[King Colby]

Yeah do it via video chat then send the email after

[MalkinIsMyHomeboy]

I understand what you mean but my response to that is "who cares if someone else thinks I'm unprofessional"

I'm a manager so I can very easily put myself in a manager's shoes. If a report of mind sent an email instead of Teamsing me, I wouldn't care at all. In fact, I would be happy and sad. Happy that the report is brave enough to make that decision and sad that I had **** up and let it get to the point where the employee wanted to leave but how they communicate it to me would mean little because the decision was already made

I know I'm a bit of a different type of manager too so take that for what it's worth. I just don't really like a lot of the "typical" advice in the workplace because a lot favors the employer, not the employee. Like, who cares if someone perceives it as unprofessional or not (not saying that to make you feel crappy, just saying it in general)...your decision is made and a good human being will understand it regardless

if someone gives you **** for it then they can ****

[willeyeam]

short and sweet is best, and then depending on the terms you and whoever you are giving notice to are on/will be on, feel free to give actual reasons why you're leaving. And if you don't have it in you to tell them why they suck, just say it was something you couldn't pass up

This. Keep it short. The more you talk, the more likely it will be you say something you don't want to say.

A lot also depends on how your relationship is with your manager. I saw you say though he/she wasn't a good manager, so I'd just keep it very short. If asked why, just say it's because you found a better opportunity if you don't have a great relationship with the manager.

You called it out, don't burn any bridges, even if you want to torch the place. You don't know when you will run into that person again, or go somewhere where they may know someone. It's really a small world out there at times. So keep it professional, short, and honestly while you may not want to, use your last week or two to help your fellow peers transition because again, it's a small world. You may run into them in the future and I think they'd appreciate you help. Don't kill yourself and bend over backwards, but also don't do Operation Shutdown.

yeah, i really wanted to the first time I left a job - I wasn't thrilled with some things, they knew it and eventually something else came up. But I just took the high road and let it be.. 7 months after leaving there this gig came calling, and we're one of my old firm's biggest clients so I'm in contact with them weekly. Would have been a much different dynamic, you just never know

[willeyeam]

also my second bit of advice is not to take mimh's advice

[mamaemeritus]

The more you talk, the more likely it will be you say something you don't want to say.

Yes, this exactly is my fear.

Regarding helping people - I am torn on that. I would never do "Operation Shutdown" but a few years ago we all had to do a process documentation project - where we literally wrote out every step of everything we do. I was the only one that did it. I'm also the only one out of my group that follows processes meticulously and gets my work (and theirs) done on time without issue. So, I'm not really keen on having to show them how to do their jobs now that they're f*cked and won't have someone else to do it for them. So I'll be walking a fine line. I plan on - "the process document is <<here>>" and "last year's file is <<here>>" I am not going out of my way to "train" people that should already know what they're doing. Not to mention, we have people in place that should have been assisting me all along but were instead put on administrative (vs technical) tasks because they don't know their ass from page 12 (lied on resume/interview) yet are still employed at a senior/bonus eligible position because said boss would "feel like a jerk" firing them.

I'm going to be giving this clown show 3 weeks notice, which kills me to do. I honestly don't want to give any more than 2 but am trying to give the impression that I "care" about not leaving them in a lurch.

[skullman80]

Give them 2 and don't feel bad about it. Giving them 3 for the reason you stated is silly.

[NAN]

Yeah, there is no reason to give more than 2 weeks. Sometimes the employer wants to move on as well instead of dragging out a lame duck employee.

2 is fine and I wouldn't feel bad about it.

[NTP66]

Yeah, I wouldn't give them any more than 2, especially based on how things have gone for you.

[mamaemeritus]

Yeah, there is no reason to give more than 2 weeks. Sometimes the employer wants to move on as well instead of dragging out a lame duck employee.

2 is fine and I wouldn't feel bad about it.

I'm stuck on a comment my boss made not that long ago - that anyone above a staff level (I'm manager level) only giving 2 weeks notice is unprofessional. (He comes from public accounting.) The chances I ever have to deal with this guy again in my professional life are slim, but I can't get that comment out of my head.

Right now, I'm planning on giving notice Tuesday in our status meeting (assuming he doesn't reschedule it). There's also a holiday in there. So, it's a few days shy of 3 weeks.

[NTP66]

You know what else is unprofessional? Knowing there are issues and doing absolutely nothing to address them. They don't deserve that extra week of notice.

[Rylan]

3 weeks is trying to hold you hostage with that comment. Break free from the abusive relationship that is that boss.

[MalkinIsMyHomeboy]

Yeah, there is no reason to give more than 2 weeks. Sometimes the employer wants to move on as well instead of dragging out a lame duck employee.

2 is fine and I wouldn't feel bad about it.

I'm stuck on a comment my boss made not that long ago - that anyone above a staff level (I'm manager level) only giving 2 weeks notice is unprofessional. (He comes from public accounting.) The chances I ever have to deal with this guy again in my professional life are slim, but I can't get that comment out of my head.

Right now, I'm planning on giving notice Tuesday in our status meeting (assuming he doesn't reschedule it). There's also a holiday in there. So, it's a few days shy of 3 weeks.

I guess similar to what I said before, since you're at a manager level, what would you think if you were in his spot and one of your reports (who was manager level) gave 2 weeks notice? would you think that's unprofessional?


honestly just sounds like your boss is a shithead which sucks

[skullman80]

Based on your relationship they don't deserve two weeks. There is no hard rule that you even have to give two weeks to be honest. Doing 3 in your situation is just prolonging your own torture. Two is plenty....you owe them nothing.

[mamaemeritus]

Good points by all of you, thanks. I have some time to mull it over - which I will likely be doing nonstop between now and then.

[MalkinIsMyHomeboy]

I've only had to give a resignation twice and both times really the biggest factor is "how much am I **** over the people on my team that I like?" by only giving two weeks. The answer was minimally for both so it didn't affect my timeline at all but if I felt like I was screwing over people I liked significantly...that would really be the only thing that would get me to do more than 2 weeks

that said, we all work in different industries so it's hard to say if your boss thinking you're being unprofessional or not really is a massive thing or not. in some industries I could see it being a thing. I'm in software and I had no issue burning bridges at my last job because I would rather be derelict than work for some of my previous leadership

[Morkle]

Short and sweet. It's up to you to provide any clarity on why you're leaving or not. Every time I've left a job, I've kept it incredibly short, and saved any mention of why I'm leaving for the exit interview.

[NAN]

Yeah, there is no reason to give more than 2 weeks. Sometimes the employer wants to move on as well instead of dragging out a lame duck employee.

2 is fine and I wouldn't feel bad about it.

I'm stuck on a comment my boss made not that long ago - that anyone above a staff level (I'm manager level) only giving 2 weeks notice is unprofessional. (He comes from public accounting.) The chances I ever have to deal with this guy again in my professional life are slim, but I can't get that comment out of my head.

Right now, I'm planning on giving notice Tuesday in our status meeting (assuming he doesn't reschedule it). There's also a holiday in there. So, it's a few days shy of 3 weeks.

That's stupid IMO (what your boss said). Everywhere I've ever worked, regardless of level, 2 weeks is the standard.

[NAN]

I've only ever had to give my resignation twice.

First time was at a small CPA firm I initially worked at out of college. I worked there for 3 years. My parents were actually friends with the one partner, and he knew he couldn't pay me well and there were bigger things in my future, but he got my foot in the door, got me experience, helped me pass the first 3 parts of my CPA exam, and is still my mentor to this day. So he knew it was coming at some point, just a matter of time. He even mentioned it to me a few times. That was a bittersweet one. Hard to leave him, but I knew I had to do it unless I wanted to cap out at like $40K a year.

Second time was with a the Big Four firm I went to. Worked there for 4 years. They have so much turnover, they are used to it. I had a few senior managers I worked on audits for and enjoyed them all. I was just done with all the travel and wanted to settle into a Corporate job since I was getting married. Left on really good terms.

I've now been with the company I left for for 16 years, and work with a few people I worked with at the Big Four firm. And our relationships have helped where I'm at now. To be honest, unless I get laid off or fired, I'm probably going to retire here. I've been very fortunate.