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How to Quit your job?

OneLostArchitect

how does one go about quitting your job?

 
Nov 12, 17 7:20 am
Non Sequitur
Put in your resignation and offer to complete / clean up all existing projects to make the transitions for your replacement easier.
Nov 12, 17 7:44 am  · 
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randomised

And what about quitting during your trial period? Asking for a friend...

Nov 12, 17 8:34 am  · 
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archietechie

"Asking for a friend"

Nov 12, 17 9:19 am  · 
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archietechie

I see what you did there xD

Nov 12, 17 9:20 am  · 
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randomised

Nothing? :'(

Nov 12, 17 6:26 pm  · 
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icksdeh

shit on the bosses desk? No seriously just talk to the boss and say it's not what you are looking for and go.

Nov 13, 17 3:06 am  · 
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ArchNyen

Draw a sketch of an elephant on a piece of paper, and below it, write "this is a drawing of an elephant and also my two weeks notice." Then hand it to your boss. The satisfaction of the look on his face will be priceless.  

Nov 12, 17 10:34 am  · 
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JLC-1

Like this

Nov 12, 17 12:52 pm  · 
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JLC-1

sorry, like this

Nov 12, 17 2:00 pm  · 
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OneLostArchitect

what if I don’t have a replacement lined up yet?

Nov 12, 17 10:35 am  · 
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curtkram

what level are you in your firm? you're not responsible for finding your own replacement. it's unlikely you should have to give them more than 2 weeks notice.

Nov 12, 17 8:55 pm  · 
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geezertect

Lots of good ideas on how to commit career suicide.


Nov 12, 17 10:41 am  · 
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LITS4FormZ

+1 just put your notice in and move on.

Nov 12, 17 12:49 pm  · 
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bowling_ball

Before my time at my current office, one guy got super pissed off and threw his office keys at the boss, screaming obscenities. I almost wish I'd been there to see it.

Nov 12, 17 12:46 pm  · 
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citizen

Almost?

;o]

Nov 12, 17 3:13 pm  · 
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bowling_ball

You know, you're right. I DO wish I'd been there.

Nov 12, 17 11:19 pm  · 
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geezertect

Self indulgently burning bridges is never, ever a good idea.  Be an adult, give reasonable notice and finish your work, and then move on.

Nov 12, 17 12:58 pm  · 
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citizen

Whoa, whoa... that's just crazy talk!  Where's the fun, adolescent narcissism in that?

Nov 12, 17 7:02 pm  · 
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x-jla

ha

Nov 12, 17 1:59 pm  · 
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That's a class act.

Nov 12, 17 5:57 pm  · 
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OneLostArchitect

I remember one guy quit right at lunch. Went on lunch... never came back. Had to bring him his bucket of peanuts to him the next day. Guy wanted his peanuts.

Nov 12, 17 2:10 pm  · 
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Was the guy an elephant?

Nov 13, 17 11:47 am  · 
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tduds

"this is a drawing of me and also my two weeks notice."

Mar 22, 19 6:51 pm  · 
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citizen

"And this is a drawing of you begging me to stay, offering another $30k plus more vacation."

Mar 22, 19 8:10 pm  · 
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Wilma Buttfit

I quit over email while the boss was out of town once. Then he convinced me to stay. But seriously, you resign with a letter, you print it off, sign it, give it to them and tell them what it is. Google resignation letter. Do what you can to make a smooth transition as in wait until a project has wrapped up, try to not leave everyone in a pickle. 

Nov 12, 17 2:49 pm  · 
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thatsthat

A woman who worked at my firm before my time gave the bosses her 2 week notice.  The weekend before her last day, she came to the office, and squirted Elmer's all over the carpet.  She made a mess of everyone's desk.  The owner of the firm is known to keep a messy desk, so she went and organized/filed everything, but put everything in non-sensical places. (Which drives him crazy.)  For others, she turned everything upside (pencil cup, chair, keyboard, phone, etc.,) emptying binders onto the floor, and all around making a huge mess.  She ripped papers into shreds, and laid the fragments out as a collage on each person's desk.  She was escorted out by senior partners the minute she arrived the next morning.

Nov 12, 17 6:13 pm  · 
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G4tor

Brilliant. I'm assuming she did this after work hours?

Mar 21, 19 10:25 pm  · 
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randomised

Most examples here are about how not to quit your job like a professional, typical.

Nov 12, 17 6:28 pm  · 
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OneLostArchitect

anyone serious on this forum or all architects lol?

Nov 12, 17 7:19 pm  · 
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Non Sequitur

I was being serious.

Nov 12, 17 9:21 pm  · 
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Smile of Fury

How is this even a discussion?


Nov 13, 17 9:15 am  · 
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Two weeks notice, no reasons needed. Seriously do not give reasons as this can lead to problems.

Nov 13, 17 9:32 am  · 
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If they press, just say "I don't think it is the right fit for me here" and leave it at that. If the higher ups can use that as a reason to let someone go, you can use it for giving your notice.

Nov 13, 17 11:48 am  · 
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I've never resigned with a letter. I've always just scheduled a quick meeting with the boss and said I appreciated the chance to work for them and told them I was leaving and why (taking an offer at another firm, moving, etc.). They've always been understanding and professional about it probably because I've made it a business decision rather than a personal one. Every time they've either offered to give me a raise to keep me to stay, or left me an open offer to come back. YMMV.

Nov 13, 17 11:55 am  · 
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s=r*(theta)

Moving on with class and dignity is ALWAYS the right move, no matter what, at least they have on record how you came and went

Nov 13, 17 12:28 pm  · 
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For a record is where a letter would perhaps be better than my conversational approach. Perhaps I've been lucky to work at places with good bosses, but I could imagine if your resignation really makes the boss upset, they may not be inclined to file the letter away as a record. 

At any rate, you could follow the conversation up with a write-up of what was discussed; I'm leaving and my last day will be MM/DD/YYYY, I will transition these project responsibilities to Bob, and these ones to Sally, the firm will pay out my unused vacation days on my last paycheck to be issued MM/DD/YYY, the firm will allow me access to project images for use in my portfolio, etc. etc.

Nov 13, 17 1:50 pm  · 
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s=r*(theta)

I appreciate your method of quitting, but Ive learned in this business the paper trial is only required in litigation. boss could say you stormed out and took software you didn't pay for and most mindless morons will believ e it

Nov 13, 17 2:22 pm  · 
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null pointer

Option 1: 

Name your price and negotiate around it.

Mine was a 25k raise. Clearly impossible being that I had 3 year's experience, but their counter offer sets you up for a good bit of info as to how much you're worth. These guys couldn't get to the offer I had gotten elsewhere and went on a fucking bullying crusade trying to make this argument about my services not being worth that much money. That was funny as fuck given that I had calculated my peak billing efficiency at a couple of thousand dollars an hour - fixed fees are a motherfucker - and the work was there, it was just being assigned, mostly, to old unqualified personnel.

If you're going to go out in flames, your goal in quitting a job should be to pierce into management's operations so that you can take some bit of learning from your exit. If you're going to burn a bridge, you need to make sure you learn all that you can.

That place was so toxic.

Option 2:

Alternatively, which I also did once, write your letter and be as civil as possible. Offer to help. Thank your employer profusely. Tell them what your goals are. I've gotten dozens of client referrals from my prior employers just because A) I wasn't a dick and I refer them whenever it's a project that my firm cannot handle (be it us being overwhelmed, client temperament problems, or just plain scope - I have zero interest in doing a 100,000 SF building these days. I have other goals) and B) I've remained friends with them.

I probably spent 15 hours wrapping up work after-hours after leaving the firm. On my last day, I left the office at 10:30pm because I wanted to make sure EVERYTHING was documented in my hand-off summaries for all of the projects I was running.

The offices where I did this were amazing. I credit them with where I am today and I am very happy where I am today.

Just really choose: Be a dick or be awesome.

Nov 13, 17 4:12 pm  · 
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randomised

Thanks for all the tips and pointers. "My friend" just quit his job this Friday, there were smiles, thank yous some laughter and a general good atmosphere post-quitting. It's like employers respect and value you even more when you tell them you're leaving. Would definitely recommend taking the high road and deliver the news as a shit sandwich, something negative (the leaving and reasons for leaving) wrapped in two slices of positive (their work, approach and general atmosphere).

Nov 27, 17 1:12 am  · 
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The tips in this thread were a good reminder for me this week. I took my previous advice and kept it professional as I resigned from my current position. I sat down with my boss after work and gave him the news. He took it pretty hard and started to scramble a bit to get some answers for why and what they could have done differently. I was honest, but didn't really elaborate on the reasons why I was leaving. He set up a meeting with his bosses shortly after that to try and see if they could negotiate to get me to stay. I shut it down pretty quickly and professionally though as my mind was made up, and I don't think they were really willing to cut the type of deal to get me to stick around. If they had been willing to make that deal, I wouldn't be in the position of looking elsewhere as I haven't been holding back when it comes to asking for things that I want to see happen ... they apparently didn't think I was serious enough to listen at the time. 

I did write an official letter of resignation and I sent it to the bosses after our meeting (CCing HR) which was something I hadn't done before. I hadn't really ever worked at a firm the size of which warranted something like this before now, but I think it was good this time around. The word had started to get out and it was good to just get in front of it with the letter rather than let it be a rumor that spread through the firm. I expressed my appreciation for the opportunity to work with them, and will continue to do so years after I'm gone. I progressed a lot here both personally and professionally, and even though there are things I think they could change in their culture, I know that elaborating on them would not effect change ... so there's no reason to even get into it. 

I've given them plenty of time to transition me off projects and I fully anticipate working longer hours these next weeks to get things wrapped up and handed off as best I can. If I'm honest though ... they will have a hard time replacing me and I think it is starting to dawn on them. Even more so as they start recruiting and interviewing for my replacement. There is a big demand right now for people like me and not enough supply. In the time since I accepted an offer and gave my notice, I have been contacted by two other firms and a head hunter for a third and fourth looking to poach me away from the offer I already accepted.

Mar 21, 19 1:35 am  · 
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citizen

Well-played. Good luck in the next go-round.

It is so very tempting to go for the quick, cheap high of unloading all one's frustrations-- even if they're legitimate and it's done politely.  But as many here have pointed out, the potential downside can be significant-- and impossible to anticipate.

Mar 22, 19 5:52 pm  · 
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nabrU

Ask Theresa May.

Mar 22, 19 10:56 pm  · 
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