A JetBlue flight attendant did it. After an altercation with an abusive passenger, he ranted his resignation over the plane’s PA system. Once safely landed, the flight attendant grabbed a beer and made an unforgettable departure by deploying and then disembarking via the emergency slide.
A Goldman Sachs executive did it. He quit over the firm’s ‘toxic’ culture in a very public resignation that was splashed all over the op-ed pages of the New York Times.
Maybe you want to do it. (And if you do, who could blame you?)
Sure, unemployment can be deeply discouraging. But under today’s do-more-with-less work conditions, employment can also be incredibly stressful.
If you’re “mad as hell and not gonna take it anymore,” think long and hard before pulling a Jerry Maguire. After all, no matter how miserable you are in your current position, it almost always pays to make your exit on good terms.
When is it OK to say, “Take this job and shove it?” NEVER!
Here are 3 reasons why…
1. What goes online, stays online forever: With the explosion of social networking, what you do at work — especially if it is perceived as damaging — can come back to haunt you later in your career. The past no longer stays in the past. Mistakes and missteps are ALWAYS there for everyone to see.
2. Dropping the bomb will leave collateral damage: An explosive, unplanned and immediate exit will make your boss look bad, of course. But what about your co-workers? They are the ones that will be left behind to pick up your workload. They may be forced to cancel vacation plans or work long hours to make up for your unexpected absence. Those former colleagues may, one day, be in a position to help (or hurt) you.
3. Silence will not be golden: Even if your former managers or co-workers choose NOT to directly attack you during reference checks, their silence or unenthusiastic responses to prospective new employers may sink your future job searches.
As much as you may want to “stick-it-to-the-man”, it is much wiser to handle the resignation process with an air of professionalism, thoughtfulness and appreciation.
Once you’ve landed a new opportunity, sit down with your boss and resign in-person. Provide a brief letter of resignation if required by your employment contract. Make sure you give the appropriate amount of notice, be it 2 weeks or longer. If an exit interview is conducted, relay your reasons for leaving as tactfully as possible, understanding that criticism may not be taken well. Also, be prepared to address a possible counteroffer (which is rarely wise to accept for many, many reasons). Remember to thank your colleagues for their camaraderie and suggest that they contact you if they have questions about projects or work-related issues. Finally, leaving your files and notes neat and organized for your replacement will garner good will.
What do you think? Is it ever ok to say, “Take This Job and Shove It?”
I like this post and can totally relate to it. Just wondering — WHEN do you think it is ok to accept a counteroffer??? I always read that it’s a bad idea but why? I’m certain that people have accepted them and gone on to succeed at the job.
There’s good reason why recruiting professionals advise agains accepting counter offers. First of all, statistically 90% of those who accept a counter offer are no longer employed with the company after 9 months. Counter offers can be considered as stall tactics … a way for an employer to gain time to replace you. Your reasons for wanting to leave generally don’t change after you receive the counter-offer.
And if there’s a reduction in workforce, guess who may be the first to be let go… YOU! (After all, you are no longer considered a loyal, team player AND you are a flight risk.) Of course there are exceptions, but 9 times out of 10, this is the rule.