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Job Leaving Etiquette

watermelonsunday

Hi all,

I’m planning to leave my job for other better opportunities. I’m currently employed as an intern at an acronym on a temporary contract. It’s my first job out of bachelor’s. I want to leave on good terms, without burning bridges. I know the arch community is tiny, and word definitely travels… so how should I inform my boss I want to leave before the contract ends? 

 
May 8, 23 12:30 pm
Bench

You might need to give a little more info on what the 'contract' is. Generally that doesn't really apply to intern / junior positions, as far as my own experience goes, they are usually hired as regular staff in the office (not tied to a specific length of time, and not to a contractual deliverable).

Usually 2 weeks notice for any junior position is sufficent; that should be the base expectation. So give your 2 weeks notice however best of a way seems to you. The last time I left a firm, I was working for an architect who I had a great relationship with and admired both on a personal and professional level. I asked to talk with him at the end of a Friday evening, explained the reasoning for why I needed to resign, and promised to succinctly wrap up my current project progress. Its never an easy thing to do, and I was nervous as hell, but he was very understanding of the professional decision I was making and supportive of my thought process on it (well except for the part where he lost an employee).

And follow it up in writing after the fact for posterity. You want a record of it, no matter what.

May 8, 23 1:20 pm  · 
2  · 
reallynotmyname

In the USA, you customarily do these things:  1) write a resignation letter and 2) give it to your supervisor in person and 3) do items #1 and 2 a minimum of two weeks before your last day.

Unless you are breaking some kind of promise you made with your employer to work the full length of the "temporary contract", I don't see how you are burning a bridge here, as long as you give the employer a reasonable amount of time to bring in your replacement.

May 8, 23 1:23 pm  · 
1  · 
reallynotmyname

And, assuming you gave adequate notice, a couple of things to keep your last weeks professional and help ensure a good employer reference going forward:

May 8, 23 1:27 pm  · 
 · 
reallynotmyname

a) unless the employer asks you not to, work the full term of whatever notice period you provide.

May 8, 23 1:50 pm  · 
 · 
reallynotmyname

b) make an honest effort right up until your last day. That said, if your employer is any good, your workload will taper off organically as others step in to take over your work.

May 8, 23 2:00 pm  · 
1  · 
Non Sequitur

sidenote, if the role you're leaving is an unpaid internship, then burn every bridge on your way out.

May 8, 23 1:40 pm  · 
5  · 
Bench

OP is out of undergrad so that seems unlikely. The unpaid internship thing really died off about 10 years ago ..

May 8, 23 1:55 pm  · 
 · 
natematt

Now we are all about severely underpaid internships (stipends), mostly for people in school still :)

May 8, 23 2:31 pm  · 
2  · 
reallynotmyname

Exactly. People will some offer pittance amount that doesn't come close to covering living expenses.  The only people who can take the job are those rich enough to pay the difference.

May 9, 23 1:25 pm  · 
2  · 
x-jla
atelier nobody

I wonder how much that band costs...I mean, umm, asking for a friend...umm, y'know, just in case...

May 14, 23 7:51 pm  · 
 · 

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