Quitting the Job

[Tayana42]

Originally Posted by Paul L

Number one is to not burn bridges.

That's what is wrong with the infrastructure in this country, too many burned bridges.[emoji6]

[SV DestinyAscen]

I think you need to give sufficient notice so your replacement can be recruited. If you don't burn your bridges maybe you'll get a nice consulting gig that feeds the kitty.

My last administrative position I gave notice about four months and they appreciated the time and I appreciated the opportunity to be repjnsiblr and train my replacement.

Depends on the job tho. Loyalty and commitment should he mutual.

[Cheechako]

Two weeks, more and no one takes you serious anymore anyway. Good to give them warning as you did though... depending on your job.

[a64pilot]

There is one other at work than can do my job, I hired him a few years ago as not having a backup should something happen to me is stupid. We can all get hit by a bus or have that heart attack we didn't expect.
Bonus is 15 Feb. I had already thought of that. Only reason I am still working is kid is still in school, which means I'm renting a house at $1,500 a month until she graduates, job or not, so I'm working and stuffing money in a sack and buying boat toys until I figure May anyway.
If I quit tomorrow we would still be Ok, just be hemorrhaging money until late May.

I still don't know when to tell them officially, however the HR person has an idea, she isn't stupid.

[ErBrown]

Talk about great timing...I literally just had this conversation with my wife today.

So, I have always been an extremely solid corporate citizen, always bust my butt and over deliver, as has she (my wife). So we're both trying to decide the right amount of notice to give, when we leave this spring.

I'm not sure there's a right answer here, but for me...I manage a team of folks who I highly respect and want the best for. I'd also like to do my best to help find my replacement, or at least ensure I do everything I can to ensure a smooth transition for the rest of the team. So I guess I'll likely give 2 months notice.

There is a slight risk that they will try to push me out immediately when I give notice. If that happens it would suck and I'd be fairly pissed, but I think it would be very hard for them to actually do and I guess I'd probably fight it if they did. That being said, I don't think it will happen and I feel strongly about not burning bridges. While we don't plan to go back to work, at our current ages...that's definitely a possibility. Who knows, maybe we'll hate cruising...man that would suck...

So my 2 cents, give as much notice as you feel you can or at least as much as needed to make you sleep well afterwards. I think that's different for every job and person. IMHO you've already gone way above and beyond by letting them know it's coming, we haven't done that and I am honestly a bit stressed about giving notice.

Of course, not enough to keep us from going...but it will be a tough process for me.

-EB

[a64pilot]

EB, my wife is a school teacher, who renews her ticket this year and she has not told them yet either, won't until after she renews her license.
I think that if we hate cruising and or lose the boat or something happens and I have it go back to work it would not be at the current job.
I sold the farm literally and this town is horrible, look up Albany Ga statistics wise and you will see, it's like a small version of what I have heard Detroit is like.
We would go somewhere much better to live, likely not in the US. I have my Retired Military and in seven years my SS, those two should get us through and I have enough cash to easily get us to there.
I know you cannot plan everything, God forbid one day I could be talking to a Dr who tells me the treatment that may save my Wife's life isn't covered, but 500K should do it.

I just thank God I'm not one of those that is so in debt that the plan is to work until they die. I know several that are in that situation.

[HopCar]

Don't forget that huge Hopkins-Carter bill that arrives with annoying regularity.

[FlyingScot]

That is an extremely tough question with no correct answer. Even knowing all the details, you still have to guess. Too short and you might not have easy money opportunities later with them or another similar firm. Too long and you could screw yourself out of retirement/bonus/pay grade/etc. Some companies will screw anyone, including employees to save a buck. I hate corporate america for just that reason. No clog too big or too small to screw over for a few extra dollars.

Personally I wouldn't have given the 'heads up'. I would have prodded along and at your level, I would have given a one month notice with opportunity for them to contract you for a few months after that. Triple the hourly rate of course.

[Joel E Felt]

64 pilot, talking with the HR person(if you trust them) can help. I have seen many an employee lose out on the employers contribution to the 401-k, because they didn't give adequate notice. Most of the above replies are pretty much true. And I worked as a business agent for 15 years in the SE Michigan area, and its hard to believe that anything, anywhere is as bad as Detroit. But I will take your word for it. The consulting gig is the way to go. Good Luck.


joel

[Sea Dreaming]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

No contract. I helped grow the business, although I believe it is now headed for disaster by being run by an idiot who's ego is what will kill it.
We went through a change in ownership a few years ago when original owner died and his partner came in to run things, at first it was good as we continued on like normal, that lasted a couple of years, but the new owner is now large and in charge, and while we look prosperous it has come at the expense of huge debt, where the company had been debt free. We are living on a credit card I believe, sad as almost 300 families count on this place.
In answer to how its run, the only concern the owner has is money, he could care nothing at all about anything else, this place runs on ego and greed.
I ran a large part of the company a few years ago, then about a year or so ago the new owner began hiring people to replace what I had been running. To be truthful I was wearing too many hats, but he has a knack for hiring fools, very social people, but without the skills necessary.
In truth I don't believe he has any idea how skillful I am, I make my job look easy, where my job is usually where most of the drama is. He will find out when I leave and he replaces me, I believe. But that will not be my problem.
The quality of the product has fallen so badly in the last few months, that what I do has become unsafe and that concerns me greatly.

No, I will not be back, although the HR person has sort of pleaded with me to hang on as a consultant. She understands the mess we are in. I am considering the consulting thing, but think I will not like that.
I think two weeks sounds good, and if I'm lucky, they will say to go now

It sounds like you are "done". Don't agonize or antagonize. Give 2 weeks if you like. You don't seem to feel responsibility to the company. Your investment seems to be with the folk still working for the company. So how you feel about them may play a role in your decision. But you aren't going back, you aren't changing course for a new job. You are retiring and you get to "retire" your sense of obligation as your first move away from the working world!

It's a weird feeling but you no longer have an obligation to this company or to future jobs. Free my friend! Just let it sink in...if you want, quit tomorrow without notice! Just do it! You don't have obligations to do this the "right" way. Your actions here are irrelevant in the face of retiring.

[JPA Cate]

Hi, A64pilot,

All of us who have retired "early" have had to face up to the issues in our own ways. In retrorespect, I think they don't really believe anyone would go cruising as a lifestyle. They expect you to "get it out of your system" in a year or so. "They" may even be "right" for some.

Sea Dreaming wrote

It's a weird feeling but you no longer have an obligation to this company or to future jobs. Free my friend! Just let it sink in...if you want, quit tomorrow without notice!

, and I don't think that fits you so well, because of your sense of honor. If you have set your personal drop dead date at the end of May, I think two months notice at the end of March more than adequate. That covers you for 15 Feb. They may drop you like a hot potato, that happened to me once, with 2 weeks notice, so it is one possibility, but I think your team will appreciate being dealt with honestly, even if the big boss has a history of poor decisions. Two months should be plenty to transition the guy you hired as backup for you to taking over your worries, if that is what everybody decides. Then you can feel the lovely freedom that SD is high on, in good conscience.

Ann

[nhschneider]

My wife and I owned a company for 25 years and experienced a wide range of people moving on - sometimes with plenty of notice and sometimes with none. Even with key staff, sometimes it was just easier if people gave two weeks notice so we could move on. Many times we worried that we wouldn't be able to survive without a particular manager and yet not only would we survive but on occasion we'd find someone even more capable. I was frequently amazed at how our staff would pitch in to reach our goals.

A64, you've shown a lot of integrity and empathy towards the company you work for and their staff - that's a rare commodity these days. My congratulations on a career well served.

Good luck, fair winds and calm seas.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by brianlara 3

In my neck of the woods, if you are paid fortnightly then a fortnights notice is given by the employee/company. Ditto weekly/monthly...

Ditto hourly.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

EB, my wife is a school teacher, who renews her ticket this year and she has not told them yet either, won't until after she renews her license.
I think that if we hate cruising and or lose the boat or something happens and I have it go back to work it would not be at the current job.
I sold the farm literally and this town is horrible, look up Albany Ga statistics wise and you will see, it's like a small version of what I have heard Detroit is like.
We would go somewhere much better to live, likely not in the US. I have my Retired Military and in seven years my SS, those two should get us through and I have enough cash to easily get us to there.
I know you cannot plan everything, God forbid one day I could be talking to a Dr who tells me the treatment that may save my Wife's life isn't covered, but 500K should do it.

I just thank God I'm not one of those that is so in debt that the plan is to work until they die. I know several that are in that situation.

With that kind of funding behind you move to Portugal or Spain.. they'll welcome you with open arms.. and the savings on Medical Care alone will nearly equal your savings..
From a debt free work till they die person..
^^^^^^^almost^^^^^^

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by seamountie

I got news for you, you are already being treated differently. You will not be concidered for promotion, for courses, to lead new teams. To your company it no longer makes sense to invest in you, as you are an asset that is short term.

Sounds bitter, and it may be, but it is reality.

Yep I agree.

The first moment they find a replacement they will sack you.
I would tell them you have changed plans and will now continue to work for them for decades.

Treat business like business because that's how they will treat you.