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KristineS
06-23-2010, 04:33 PM
I've always been a advocate of the "don't burn any bridges" school of thought. Even in jobs that really made me want to torch the building on my way out, I've always tried to leave on good terms.

I think leaving a job is a skill that a lot of people haven't mastered. They tend to either stick with the job far past the time they should have left, or they tend to just snap one day and leave badly.

If you were conducting a class on how to successfully leave a job, what would be your number one piece of advice?

Spider
06-23-2010, 06:24 PM
Don't get mad ... and don't get even, either. Be happy. You are leaving - for better things and brighter days.

Thank everyone for being who they are. Wish them well.

KristineS
06-23-2010, 06:26 PM
That's what I've always thought too, Frederick, and it has served me well. I have good relationships with all my past employers, even the ones I really didn't like.

I just think a lot of people don't think ahead, or get caught up in the moment and burn bridges they really don't have to burn. Leaving a job or any sort of relationship successfully is not something most people get taught how to do.

vangogh
06-23-2010, 07:47 PM
You're best bet is always to leave on good terms if you can, though don't follow my example since I tended to burn bridges when leaving many jobs. Not all, but a good number of them. I can't say I've suffered from it or had any regrets. Maybe some immediate regrets, but usually when I left a job is what because I was trying to tell myself I needed something better. Part of me might have wanted to go back, but it was always better for me to move on.

Still it's better to leave on good terms. I would never advise anyone to burn the bridge on the way out the door.

dynocat
06-24-2010, 01:13 AM
I've burned a few bridges, but they were already on the demo list, in my opinion.

If I had to give advice, I'd say "As soon as you realize you're not happy with your job, make a plan to leave." Knowing me, I wouldn't have taken that advice though. Since I'm pretty much an optimist, I always thought the job would get better or I could make it better. Never happened that way though.

vangogh
06-24-2010, 01:23 AM
As soon as you realize you're not happy with your job, make a plan to leave.

Good advice. I think it's mainly the loss of income that makes it tough for most people to quit the way they want. It's hard to walk away from a steady income and toward the unknown.

For me it would have been difficult to being a business while I was working for someone else. The working in a bad situation usually left me with little energy. However it's probably the best advice for most. If you can get something started on the side, even if it's small that unknown will be a little less unknown and you'll have more confidence to walk away from the job.

Harold Mansfield
06-24-2010, 01:40 PM
In the hospitality industry, I have burned plenty of bridges. Most of which are no longer in service anyway.
Out here, you don't give 2 weeks notice or you leave yourself wide open to get fired. It's just how that business is out here, so usually when I was done, I just walked mid shift.

Any 'real" job that I have had, I left on good terms with proper notice. The very last job I had, I went to human resources right before lunch and was officially out of there by 1 p.m.,and drinking by 2.
We had already been given notice that it was the end anyway and I wanted to get a head start

KristineS
06-24-2010, 02:15 PM
If I had to give advice, I'd say "As soon as you realize you're not happy with your job, make a plan to leave."

Best advice I've seen so far. I think far too many people fail to do this. They either complain about their current circumstances, or fail to notice the signs that things are going bad. A lot of angst could be saved if people would pay attention to how they feel and than act on those feelings.

billbenson
07-01-2010, 02:23 AM
Based on the other thread, the best way to quit would seem to be smoking crack daily :)

KristineS
07-01-2010, 11:48 AM
If you're smoking crack daily you're probably not that worried about keeping your job anyway. You certainly have bigger problems than being jobless.

prova.fm
07-01-2010, 12:25 PM
It takes a strong person to suck it up & leave with a smile on their face (IF it was a bad job), but I think it's highly important. You may be surprised to find a future employer knows a past employer. How horrible would it be if you didn't get a future job that you wanted because of a past quitting mistake?

Plus, you're proving to yourself you've got character. I can't say I've always done the right thing. I too, have suffered from sticking around far too long in a company that I was miserable in. 1st job out of college, newly married, with a mortgage, in a small city with no better looking opportunities on the horizon... What's a guy to do?

billbenson
07-01-2010, 12:32 PM
Jeez, I was just kidding.

KristineS
07-01-2010, 05:30 PM
I knew that Bill. I was just kidding back.