Firing someone is a whole different story. I'll keep that coffee defense in mind, whistler - it might come in handy.

At my previous firm a guy had left on some shaky terms, signing off with a bit of a "i'm better than this place" attitude. However our firm was one that placed job postings anonymously, and sure enough two weeks later my boss got the quitter's resume in his inbox. Pretty funny, my boss sent him back a quick email letting him know it's not so wise to send your resume to a place you left a few weeks before.

It's better to send your resume to a place that you left 2 weeks before than to send it to someplace that places job posting anonymously and turns out to be the place at which you currently work. That happened to a project manager at the first firm I interned at. Not only that, but he sent work samples that included a project from that firm that he hadn't worked on! But they didn't fire him for that (and they didn't fire the receptionist who left her resume in the copy machine either.)

I just told my boss I was taking another position, and shit just went to hell...He has always been non-confrontational, but I just told him I'm planning on leaving and he didn't even respond directly to me

So after giving him the usual polite informative info, I told him I wanted to try and work out a good time period to transition to the new company. Apparently he didn't hear this part, and only heard that the new place wanted me to start asap. Initially he ignored this, and told me to go email something for him..wtf?

I was so dumbfounded I actually did.haha. I decided to let him take it all in, came back 10 mins later to try and talk to him again, and he went on a rant about how his workforce is being stolen. I told him it wasn't personal, and I even would work nights/weekends to try and smooth things over. Still no reply, so now I'm sitting here with nothing to do not knowing if hes going to even bring it up again, I think hes pretending like nothing happened...

this is so awarkard, lol

solidsnake,
clearly your boss has taken a page from the costanza break-up avoidance manual.

this is one (sad) example of why it's always very important to put the essentials down in writing when resigning ... perhaps if the part about "working out a good time period to transition to the new company had been included in the letter, this might not have been so difficult.

it also may just mean that your boss truly values you, and what you offer to the firm, and he's shocked at the prospect of not having you around.

Last guy I let go was done as he was getting out of his car. I had to go out and meet him there as it was the only neutral place that served the purpose. Having him in the office then calling him into a meeting in front of all the staff would have been way too awkward for everyone. Same strategy as Whistler used the two weeks notice is basically a guide line that you need to allow for paying staff but they need not work that period. I saw the two weeks as period where I would pay their wages but I choose to not have them in the office to avoid the toxic situation that potentially might erupt.

Its a fast a quick end to a situation that had built up over a long period and met all the employee / employer standards. Best part was that the office never suffered, and everyone moved on.