How do you leave a job?

[terrawombat]

I've been trying to figure this one out for some time. How do you leave a place of employment when there isn't a good reason? I don't dislike anyone I work with - they're all really good people and have been in the industry for decades so I've learned a lot. The pay isn't bad - it gets me by but I wouldn't mind some more. I'm not trying to make anyone upset, but I know if I go and talk to my boss and give him my two weeks, he's going to be furious. There's lots of work to be done now and plenty of work down the road. Also, the only other person my age (also my friend from college) is leaving sometime in the next month or so to get a PhD. Starting next month my girlfriend will be permanently in Maryland - over 3.5 hours from me with no signs of her joining me up in NJ.

 

I've never had to leave a job before other than summer jobs where school began so it was a given that I'd be gone. My current job is a little different - been here over 2.5 years now, still involved in several projects, and my boss has me lined up to do several new projects. My boss knows my girlfriend is going to be in Maryland and has tried to make accommodations to make that easier for me - coming in late on Monday and making up lost time during the rest of the week. Not really a good solution and more of a band-aid, in my opinion.

 

Per my employee conduct manual, I need to give my two weeks in writing and notify one of the company officers. That's the easy part. The hard part is how do I go about doing this without burning bridges? Is wanting to move closer to your GF/fiance/wife a valid reason for voluntarily leaving a job? I've heard so many stories of guys making the 1.5-2 hr. one-way commute to continue their career and be with their loved one. They were also getting paid at least double of what I currently make, though!

 

Anyone with any voluntarily employment termination stories - both good and bad?

[Sir Sam]

All I gotta say is that it sucks not having a job right now.

[terrawombat]

All I gotta say is that it sucks not having a job right now.

 

Yea - I've looked at the job market in my area and around where my girlfriend lives and it looks bleak. I'm working on other solutions to maintain a steady income if/when I do leave. Thankfully, all of my debts are paid off - that was the first thing I did when I got my job. My current living expenses are pretty low (about $500/month for rent and utilities), however, I would lose health insurance coverage if I left my job, although they currently only pay for 50% of it and they have one of the most expensive plans on the planet. My total coverage is $828/month and I'm a healthy 26 year old male. If my company didn't foot half that bill, I'd be Audi 5000 for that "benefit."

[Sir Sam]

No kidding on the health insurance, I'm currently covered under my mothers family health insurance plan until I turn 26. So I've got a little less than a year to go, not sure what I'm going to do then.

 

We actually sat down and looked at the costs, and it ended up being cheaper to get family insurance through my mothers employer than it was to for me to get insurance on my own.

 

So now my parents have blue cross through my dads work, and we have blue cross through my mothers work, basically only so I can get insurance.

 

What a racket, its cheaper to get a family plan through my moms work just so one person can have it, than for me to get it on my own.

 

I can't offer you any advice on the job other than it sucks not to have one right now, and its not looking good for the near future either.

[terrawombat]

I can't offer you any advice on the job other than it sucks not to have one right now, and its not looking good for the near future either.

 

Guess it's time to start a multi-state Jeep business.

 

On the health insurance racket - I got to speak with a lot of my friends this past weekend since they were all home for Easter. I went off on a health insurance rant and they all looked at me with blank stares and told me it wasn't really that big of an expense. I asked each of them how much they paid and my jaw dropped. I got six responses between the ranges of $0 (company pays for it all as a benefit) and $120/month. Most were in the $20-$50 per month range. WTF.

[Sir Sam]

If I had a torchmate*hint* I would be using it to suppliment my income, the "what have you made with your torchmate" thread on pirate is full of cool stuff.

 

The real money is in making artsy-fartsy crap that housewives will drop bank on to decorate their house, much to the groaning of the husband.

[terrawombat]

If I had a torchmate*hint* I would be using it to suppliment my income, the "what have you made with your torchmate" thread on pirate is full of cool stuff.

 

The real money is in making artsy-fartsy crap that housewives will drop bank on to decorate their house, much to the groaning of the husband.

 

I don't have a Torchmate, though, just a measly ez-router :D

 

It's probably my number 1 method of raking in some cash when I don't have a steady paycheck to do so. Right now I live about 10 minutes from Princeton, NJ. The amount of money that the housewives spend on "artsy-fartsy" crap is pretty unbelievable. These womens will drop $300-$400 like it's nothing on potted plants and hanging baskets at my Mom's flower stand. Then they'll come back next week after Jose has planted all of the flowers and it still doesn't look "right."

[Automan2164]

wkcoobYUu8g

:dunno:

Rob :D

[beepbeepmyredjeep]

I've been trying to figure this one out for some time. How do you leave a place of employment when there isn't a good reason? I don't dislike anyone I work with - they're all really good people and have been in the industry for decades so I've learned a lot. The pay isn't bad - it gets me by but I wouldn't mind some more. I'm not trying to make anyone upset, but I know if I go and talk to my boss and give him my two weeks, he's going to be furious. There's lots of work to be done now and plenty of work down the road. Also, the only other person my age (also my friend from college) is leaving sometime in the next month or so to get a PhD. Starting next month my girlfriend will be permanently in Maryland - over 3.5 hours from me with no signs of her joining me up in NJ.

 

Sounds like you've got two good reasons right there. Explain in your notice that you are leaving your job because you want to:

a) Move with your girlfriend, so that you can continue to have a serious relationship

B) Further your education - This sounds like a great opportunity to me: Maryland has some pretty good colleges.

 

I've never had to leave a job before other than summer jobs where school began so it was a given that I'd be gone. My current job is a little different - been here over 2.5 years now, still involved in several projects, and my boss has me lined up to do several new projects. My boss knows my girlfriend is going to be in Maryland and has tried to make accommodations to make that easier for me - coming in late on Monday and making up lost time during the rest of the week. Not really a good solution and more of a band-aid, in my opinion.

 

Sounds to me like your boss is trying to do what he can to keep you. That might not be a solution, but it's the best he can offer at this time.

 

Per my employee conduct manual, I need to give my two weeks in writing and notify one of the company officers. That's the easy part. The hard part is how do I go about doing this without burning bridges? Is wanting to move closer to your GF/fiance/wife a valid reason for voluntarily leaving a job? I've heard so many stories of guys making the 1.5-2 hr. one-way commute to continue their career and be with their loved one. They were also getting paid at least double of what I currently make, though!

 

Moving closer to your GF/fiance/wife is a very valid reason in my opinion.

If the company really wants to keep you, they might offer you a pay increase to stay.

 

Anyone with any voluntarily employment termination stories - both good and bad?

 

I've left only one full time position myself, and perhaps this will help, perhaps not.

 

I worked full time at a grocery store deli to help finish my (part-time) education.

 

I actually put in my notice twice. The first time, I put in my notice so that I could concentrate on school, with the plan of my wife supporting me financially until I graduated, as I explained in the letter. The deli manager talked me into staying, but cutting my hours back to 32 hr/wk instead of 40. This lasted for 2 weeks, then the other full timers started complaining that it wasn't fair I only had to work 32 while they had to work 40. So, I was put back on 40 hours, despite my protest.

 

I managed to pull through, but then my wife's grandfather passed away. He was owner of the family construction business, leaving only my father-in-law to work/run the business.

 

I put in my 2 weeks notice again, explaining that I needed to go help my father-in-law.

The store manager and deli manager understood completely, and actually let me leave early so that I could help my father-in-law the next week.

 

There were no hard feelings, and even though I was leaving them short handed, they were ok with it because they knew how important family is to me.

 

Hopefully, your employer will feel the same.

 

 

Now, with that said, is your girlfriend willing to help support you financially until you can find a job? Would she be willing to support you financially if you decided to go back to school and further your education?

 

Also, what part of Maryland are you looking to move to? I can provide a few local newspaper websites if you want to try to find help wanted ads, depending on the area.

[terrawombat]

Damn you Rob. Now I want to watch that movie...haven't seen it in years.

 

I don't know if I'd want to further my education (at least not the next logical step in my engineering path). I have a BS in Mechanical Engineering and all of the coursework needed for a MS, just need to finish my thesis and defend it. Now, as far as my GF being able to support me during a lapse in steady income - NOOOOOOOO WAY!!! She once gave me a figure of how much debt she is in and my jaw almost fell off it dropped so hard. She went to an out of state college and paid her own way so she has loans out the whazoo. I'm not looking for her to support me and I would never put her in that situation as it's just not fair. I'll figure out my own ways of maintaining a steady income - I'm not worried about that. In fact, I'm less worried about that than I am sitting down with my boss and explaining that I'm basically out and leaving him high and dry.

 

As for them wanting to keep me - they definitely do. My boss and the guy who is eventually going to take over the company took me out to lunch last month and basically asked me what I needed in order to remain at the company. It was incredibly awkward and uncomfortable for me and it happened out of the blue so I was totally unprepared for it. Even then I knew my days were numbered so I simply said I was content and didn't need anything. I felt like I would be taking advantage of the company if I requested anything knowing full well I wasn't going to be there much longer. I've been trying to distance myself and drop subtle hints here and there that I won't be there forever, but I'm not convinced its sinking in...or they're just trying to counter it by giving me reasons to stay.

 

I would be moving to the Eastern Shore, most likely. My GF's family is in Kent Island. My GF is currently in Ocean City, MD for the summer with summertime job and then she's got a full time one waiting for her back in Stevensville. Pretty sweet gig and I can't say I blame her for wanting to stay down in MD rather than live up here in NJ with me.

[Akula69]

I'm sure that you don't want to hear this, but this is the voice of experience talking:

 

don't leave a job until you have another one. If the relationship is good she will still be there.

 

just my .02

[500 MJ]

My fiance and I spent two years apart while she went to Grad school and I finished my last year at college and worked my first year at my job. For the first year we were 10 hours apart, the second year 6 hours. We've been together for just under 6 years now, we are getting married in just under 2 months now that we are both in Wisconsin together. I kinda used it as a good test to see if we could make it or not, the whole being away from each other thing. It wasn't easy, it wasn't fun, but it did prove to us that we both cared enough about each other to stick it out.

 

It sounds like you have a good job, knowing that you have that in the bag is enough of a reason to keep IMHO. Bite the bullet and get a gas-saver car and the drive won't be so rough. Gas is going up, gas-savers are going to be the way you're going to want to navigate to anyway in the next couple of years.

 

If you do leave your job, find a comparable or better job where you are going first. Quitting a job and moving onto the next one has got to be way easier to do than not knowing what lies ahead in my opinion. I've never quit a job though, so don't look to me for advise.

[dakal]

I'm sure that you don't want to hear this, but this is the voice of experience talking:

 

don't leave a job until you have another one. If the relationship is good she will still be there.

 

just my .02

 

 

 

 

mine too. get your other one before leaving.

[terrawombat]

I'm sure that you don't want to hear this, but this is the voice of experience talking:

 

don't leave a job until you have another one. If the relationship is good she will still be there.

 

just my .02

 

Many of my friends have said the same thing, too. However, define "job." I don't anticipate sitting on my bum watching TV all day while casually browsing the job listings on Monster.com and Craigslist (behavior taken from my old room mate). I'll likely be working longer days trying to get my metal cutting and fabrication business off the ground and earning a buck. I can also pick up some part-time work at my buddy's garage doing mechanic work and my parents have never turned down my offer to work on their farm.

 

My biggest issue I have right now is that I have so much money and resources tied up in my shop that I need a few months to get projects finished, vehicles/parts sold, and the facility returned back to its original condition. I thought I could get that done spending a few hours here and there at my shop after work and on the weekends getting things done. Unfortunately, it hasn't worked out that way. I've sold a few parts and a couple of vehicles, but there's still a lot more that needs to be done. What you see in my signature is merely a fraction of what I own. I'd like to see if my boss would let me go on a shortened work week - maybe 3-4 days, but I've heard that he doesn't like to do that so I'm not sure if that's a viable option.

 

I've been doing the long distance thing since summer of '08. I'm not sure how much longer I can do it. I feel like we've been at the same spot for three years with no real advancements in our relationship and I blame the infrequency in which we see each other as a reason for that.

 

I also read an article about how companies have been trying to discriminate unemployed people looking for jobs. Until it was ruled discriminatory there would be statements like, "Unemployed need not apply" on certain job advertisements. Can't say I understand their mentality, but just seems to be the way things are going...

[Dirteatr717]

If you haven't had any advancements in your relationship she may be waiting for you to make the next step and from what I've read about your situation I'd finish up what you have to do for your shop, find another job and continue working for company you do now as a safety net.... Yes you'll be away from your lady for a little whole longer bur explain to her how it'll be better for the both of you if you both have solid ground to stand on.... Just my opinion! Good luck with your endeavor

-Nick

[JeepcoMJ]

I would like to quit my job for the reason that I hate my boss, and I hate feeling that nothing I do is good enough.

 

 

but, I'm staying, I'm enduring, and I'll get a different job before I ever quit this one. there is nothing out there for good paying jobs that offer full time hours right now.

[baldntatted]

i just started a new job at Apple fastener as an outside sales man took me about 3 hrs of posting resume's there out there just really have to look and make sure your resume looks nice clean without gaps of employment. the job markets flooded with resumes but if you take your time and get it right. you will be able to find a job....Good luck

[terrawombat]

I appreciate the responses, fellas.

 

We seem to have strayed off the topic a bit. I was primarily looking for advice on how to break the news to my boss so as not to burn bridges and not make the remainder of our working relationship extremely awkward. I've honestly never been in this kind of position so I don't really know how to approach it other than handing him my notice of two weeks and saying thanks for everything, but I've got a GF 3.5 hours away that I'd rather be with.

 

I'll worry about finding another job. Although the market isn't really looking great, I have a plethora of other things that generate revenue and could keep me going if it came to that. I'm going to first make my boss completely aware that I am going to be looking for employment in the area close to where my GF will live and put the ball in his court and see what kind of mutual agreement we can come to. I think if I worked a shorter week on an hourly basis, I could put a lot more focus on getting the things in my shop completed and out the door, while still maintaining an employment record and bringing in the paychecks.

[Automan2164]

Maybe offer to stay on longer than a couple weeks if you can finish out part time, and help train a replacement.

 

Rob

[terrawombat]

Maybe offer to stay on longer than a couple weeks if you can finish out part time, and help train a replacement.

 

Rob

 

I was thinking of submitting pre-two weeks letter that would basically say exactly that.

[ejndssn]

go to usajobs and see what they have to offer in the maryland area and may land you a gov'y job just a thought and if your boss is any good he will understand. No BS just the truth :cheers:

[beepbeepmyredjeep]

I would be moving to the Eastern Shore, most likely. My GF's family is in Kent Island. My GF is currently in Ocean City, MD for the summer with summertime job and then she's got a full time one waiting for her back in Stevensville. Pretty sweet gig and I can't say I blame her for wanting to stay down in MD rather than live up here in NJ with me.

 

Stevensville is less than an hour drive from Baltimore and Annapolis. I pass by there at least four times a year.

 

 

Your best bet is probably going to be getting a job in Baltimore or Annapolis.

 

I don't know the paper for Annapolis, but here's the paper for Baltimore:

 

Baltimore Sun:

http://www.baltimoresun.com/classified/jobs/

 

I did a quick search, and saw a lot of jobs you're probably qualified for.

 

 

If you're looking for a place to live in that area, I'd highly recommend the Edgemere area - that's where my dad grew up.

 

And finally, and MOST IMPORTANTLY...

 

While in the area, you should go to Captain Harvey's in Dundalk.

See: http://www.bestcheesesteaks.com/cheesesteaks/md.htm

 

And yes, their subs really are worth having FedEx'd to California. :brows:

[whowey]

And finally, and MOST IMPORTANTLY...

 

While in the area, you should go to Captain Harvey's in Dundalk.

See: http://www.bestcheesesteaks.com/cheesesteaks/md.htm

 

And yes, their subs really are worth having FedEx'd to California. :brows:

 

 

Thanks!! I may be going out there for a couple days. Now I know where I can find some grub other than seafood and chain crap.

[terrawombat]

Just in case anyone wants to keep tabs on me, I informed my company last week that a move is in my foreseeable future. Hopefully the boss and boss-to-be will both be in (they were both out at sites today) so that we can sit down and discuss what options I may have. If all goes well, I'm going to go to part-time, paid hourly, so that I still have some income coming in to pay the monthly bills, but will also have the freedom to take extra days to begin the clean-up and clean-out of my shop and continue looking for jobs and housing in Maryland.

 

I guess worst case scenario would be that they fire me on the spot.

 

I suspect that they won't allow me to go part-time and will ask for a definitive date that I will be leaving and I'll work full-time up until that day.

[dakal]

thanks for the update