Hello everyone, my name is Andrew, also known as gunnarolla of youtube.
Now before I decided to pursue the life of a rich and famous YouTuber...
I'll let you know when I get there, I, like many of you watching, once had a full-time,
stable, respectable, traditional, "real" job...
working for the man.
Not being sexist.
Literally, a man ran the company.
Of course, I had to leave that job to pursue what I'm doing now so I thought today I'd
take you through the steps of how to quit your job.
Step number one: Make sure you really want to quit.
It's a tough world out there, and although there is no such thing as job security, you
want to make sure you can always afford the basic necessities of life...
like toilet paper.
Been without it; not good.
So why might you want to quit a job?
Well maybe you've realized that there are no opportunities for advancement or professional
development.
Maybe your job description has changed to something you're not comfortable with.
Oftentimes if you are striped of responsibilities, it's a sign that the company you're working
for doesn't know what to do with you, or has other devious plans.
Maybe the company you're working for is restructuring or downsizing.
Change is normal in any company but if you go through a long period of instability, you
may want to get out ahead.
Maybe you got another opportunity, or you realized that you want to do something completely
different, or maybe you're part of a toxic work environment.
If you are getting into frequent disputes with your coworkers, management, or clients
and it's causing you a lot of undue stress, it might be time for a change.
Once you've identified the reasons why you want to quit, think about whether or not you
can resolve your problems with communication, time off, or the help of your HR department.
Keep in mind that there are a lot of things that we depend on our jobs for besides money,
like structure, benefits, opportunities for training, discounts, basic everyday human
interaction and a sense of purpose.
But!
If you are determined to quit let's head on to step two: Make sure you have a plan.
Whether you want to quit your job to take time off, to travel, or pursue another opportunity,
it's very important that you have at least a vague idea of how to support yourself, while
you remove the safety net of employment.
Saving and budgeting!
If you really hate the job that you are in right now, it's very easy and dangerous to
make an emotional decision.
Instead, start looking around.
Update your LinkedIn profile, look on job boards, get in touch with old contacts, and
make sure that your resume, portfolio and contact information are all up to date.
Just make sure to do all this as discretely as respectfully as possible.
So, you've got a plan, now it's time for step three, give sufficient notice.
Two weeks notice is the bare minimum, However you may wish to give more notice if you rent
an apartment or manage multiple projects and people, and also consider your pay periods
and when might be an optimal time for you to leave.
Also consider if you have any sick, vacation or lieu days banked; it may be a better idea
to try to use these instead of getting them payed out once you quit.
And, depending on the circumstances around your departure, you may be eligible for a
severance package, but that's a discussion you will have to have with your HR department
and a lawyer.
Keep all of this in mind before you set a start date with a new job, it may be tempting
to get the hell out of there as soon as possible, but it's still important to follow your companies
policies and try to help make as smooth a transition as possible.
Step number four: Make it official.
Schedule a meeting with your management and tell them face to face so that there are no
misunderstandings.
It might be awkward, but remember: Breaking up is a skill, so why not practise it on someone
who is not in love with you!
Make sure to submit a letter of resignation so that everything is documented.
Keep your letter simple and positive and remember to thank your employer for giving you a job.
So you've quit!
It's time for step number five: Leave on a high note.
No matter what your opinions on your soon-to-be former employer, you want to make sure you
leave on good terms.
Follow your companies communication plan; that includes when and how to announce
your departure.
When
in doubt, ask.