I’m just leaving my first job after graduating college. It’s a small firm with 8 people, and it’s been a really difficult fit. I’m grateful for them but I’m super happy I’m leaving.
I’m nervous about putting in my two weeks. How do I tell them I’m quitting? I know they’re super busy and have also invested their time and energy into training me. I know it’s the right thing for me but I’m just kind of a sensitive dude and I hate letting people down.
Any advice?
28 comments
Eh, you just tell them you’re done. Don’t really owe an explanation, but no real harm in giving one either. It’s awkward a bit, but everybody understands that it’s a business decision.
Type up a brief statement signifiying your last day and hand it over. Then fufill your remaining shifts. Nothing more is needed beyond that.
I’ve quit a lot of jobs and I’ve found it goes one of three ways.
a) They say “okay bye, you don’t have to finish out the two weeks.”
b) They try to guilt you into staying longer, usually including training your replacement which is not totally unreasonable as long as you leave when you’re ready. You don’t owe them.
c) Polite congratulations on your new job and continuing to test treat you decently during your 2 weeks. I’ve had this happen most often when respectfully quitting to take a higher paying job or when I had to move far away.
If they are professionals there shouldn’t be a problem. I remember leaving my first job and it seemed like it was going to be awkward but my manager and the whole team were so supportive. Any good manager wants their people to succeed. The key to avoiding a bad situation is thank them for their support and all that in your letter. Managers like to be told they are appreciated and have made a difference, even the bad ones. Never hurts to schmooze them a bit and not burn a bridge.
They are not your family and friends. It is business. I have lifelong friends I met at previous jobs and me leaving never got in the way of that.
Remember, it is a business. They would fire you in a heart beat if it was needed.
Be polite, professional, and thank them.
Professionalism is key in a moment like this. You should have a single doc stating that you are putting in your two weeks. You can add any kind of hoopla you want to make them feel special but not needed. From there you will either be let go immediately or they will ask you to stay on for the two weeks.
Put on your big person pants, be polite, try not to dynamite any bridges leaving. Maintain a good work ethic if you stay the 2 weeks. No pressure what are they going to do, fire you?
You do it with respect and willingness to complete any work you’ve already been assigned and be willing to help out with the transition while you’re still working for them. You also show appreciation for what they’ve done for you, and for working with your supervisor and the members of your team (whether or not that’s actually true).
Your written letter of resignation should include those points, as well as a specific date for your last day. You should have a meeting with your supervisor in person to let him know and provide him with a copy of your resignation letter. It’s also a good idea to follow up on the meeting by email with the letter attached if you can, so there’s a trail of when you notified them (as an agent of the business) and what exactly you said. Keep a copy of that email/letter in your personal email (not your work email, if you have one, since that will likely get deleted after you depart) in case there are ever any questions about what you did when you resigned.
They will understand, you gotta move on sometime giving two weeks reasonable
1. I’ve accepted a job offer at another firm and my last day of work will be x.
2. I’ve really enjoyed my time here but I feel this opportunity gives me the best chance to grow professionally.
3. I’m willing to do whatever it takes between now and x date to get my replacement up to speed and help the company out in any way I can.
Felt great for me. When I finally left it felt like I had a huge weight lifted off my shoulders. Couldn’t have been any happier than leaving that shit hole of a company
Short timers syndrome sucks, your give a shit goes away and the days instantly double in length. It’s up to you how you want to play it, I’ve avoided giving notices when its a job I never wanted to come back to. Some places will fire you even if you were great, just based on damages and money you could cost the company before you leave. Good luck on your new venture tho!
Pure bliss of relief. Once that notice is in, you are no longer financially dependent on them and you can relax.
Hand in your notice in writing as per your contract and let it go it’s way.
Outside of what others have said, I try to have a document handy (email) that lists the tasks I have planned for the next two weeks, what I don’t expect to finish, who I’m working with on those tasks, notes on where I am etc.
Depending on your position within our company, we will either walk you out the door immediately due to security concerns (and pay you for your two weeks), or let you finish them out.
Most places expect you to leave after you graduate. If they really want you to stay they should have offered you a full time position by now that would reflect your new degree.
This is exactly what a 2 weeks notice is for. You give them notice, and continue to do your job while providing them some time to try and back fill your position and or transfer any critical knowledge you might be walking away with. Do it confidently and do it with respect. Because your new employer may reach out for a referral.
I always think they can fire you unexpectedly so you can fire them unexpectedly. See it as you doing them a favour by helping them cut their losses and a chance for you to move onto better things.
Not really advice, but just a heads up. I used to work in HR and whenever someone would put in their 2 week notice we would thank them, cut a check for any outstanding work plus the two weeks and send them home. The reasoning was that someone who had put in their two weeks was more likely to slack off at best and could sabotage equipment, files and relationships with vendors at worst.
At one place, I knew the policies of the company, so the day before I had cleaned out my desk, backed up the files I needed, and then essentially “reset” my laptop. That’s because I worked in sales and I knew that I would be thanked for my time and walked out of the building. But, they still paid the 2 weeks.
For my last job, I had a bit of guilt because it meant that I was the most senior rep and had to resign to a friend that had just been promoted to lead the team. He was in the middle of building a new team, and his schedule was insane. So, in between a couple of interviews, I had to resign. There was a look of “well fuck” on his face. I stayed for a week, handed off all my work, and was then told that I didn’t need to come in anymore. We had a big going away lunch, and it was great time.
I work for a really large company, and have for more than 25 years. I have always held to the belief that they owe me nothing, and I owe them nothing. I do work and we settle up every two weeks. This is an oversimplification, but if any company needs to let you go (for whatever reason), your feelings aren’t going to influence that decision.
Thank them for the opportunity, and move on. Be honest abo0ut why you are leaving.
Anticlimactic, mostly.
Like, a bit busy as you try to wrap things up (depending on your role and how obligated you feel), but people mostly just…still have their jobs to do and you are no longer a part of that.
It is a job. Odds are you will be forgotten in 6 weeks by most people. It is nothing personal, it is strictly business.
Give your notice, play nice on your remaining days and prep a summary of significant issues on your projects
If they fire you, they have to still pay you? Or you can get unemployment, not sure which.
Why would you feel guilty about doing what is best for you? Were you put on this earth to have a shitty life so other can have a better life? I was not. The only person who takes care of me is ME. If they say anything about ‘loyalty’ or try to guilt you, remember this (and tell them if you have the balls), “I work for money. If you want loyalty, hire a dog.”
Be professional. Wait until you can sit down with your boss (person to person). Don’t let them gaslight and try to make you feel bad. You are doing what you need to do to better yourself. Just try to be confident.
I had worked at my first after-college job for 15 years when I interviewed for a new position. (30 min shorter commute, public retirement benefits, $10k raise). Made the final decision Sunday night, had my notice typed up ready to hand in Monday morning.
Because I had worked for the same senior engineer all 15 years, and been through a lot with him, I called him on my way home from my fiance’s house Sunday evening. Explained that I hadn’t been looking, but the new boss (who had been a coworker under this engineer with me) had called and all but offered the job. Explained that it was a good enough offer I couldn’t pass up, and due to our history together I felt he deserved to hear it direct from me before I laid my notice on the office managers desk the next day.
My official notice simply said “I have been offered and have accepted a position with <new employer>, and am resigning my position with <then-current employer> effective <date 2 weeks in future>. This decision was not made in haste, or easily, is made in my personal best interest, and does not reflect any ill will or problems with the staff or company of <then-current employer>.”
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And a small tip: If they offer you more money to stay…. don’t. You’ve already shown them you are willing to look elsewhere (and if things get tight, you’ll then be the first name on the layoff list), and them offering more money tells you they COULD have been paying you more already, but didn’t think they had to. There’s several articles out there about why counter-offers are a bad idea for both you and the company.
The day I planned on turning in my 2 weeks, the GM came to our shop (faslube) to promote me to manager of the newest store. I thanked him and handed him the notice. The look on his face was one of stunned disbelief. I reminded him that at my interview 21/2 years earlier that I planned to stay for 2-3 years while I figured out what I wanted to do with my life after 3 years in the Army. He smiled and wished me well. I started X-ray school a couple weeks later.
I made more my first year at the hospital than I would have in 3-5 had I stayed with them.
That was 38 years ago.
I got you but like others say it is a business just be professional with them and straight to the point “thank you for my employment here but I have found another job/line of work that is more suited to me, I want to leave on good terms with everybody here’s my two week notice” and you can hand over or verbally tell them about your two weeks I have seen people do both.
I feel you man. I was in your shoes a few months ago. Here’s how I handled it in my corporate setting. Setup a meeting with your direct manager. Keep the meeting title vague and say you want to connect to chat. Break the news to them saying you want to formally put in your two-weeks notice and exchange formalities and thank them for everything. A response from any decent manager would be that they’re happy for you. Note, they may ask about what’s next for you – feel free to share but make sure to end things on a good note. After that, I would initiate any HR processes to leave the company and send out an email to your manager after to state your last day. Then, if there’s any tasks you need to hand off to another team member, make sure you document a transition plan. Best of luck!