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Subject:Re: FWD: About giving notice... From:Melissa Fisher <mfisher -at- AUTOMATEDLOGIC -dot- COM> Date:Mon, 8 Mar 1999 10:09:08 -0500
Dear Anonymous,
There is a lot to be said for being considerate of your current employer's
situation, and doing what you can to leave your company on good terms. But I
would caution you to look out for yourself in this case. Things to think about:
1) Your new job sounds like it will consume all of your life for the time being.
Not only will you being moving your whole life to a different state (even if you
are single and travelling lightly, there is a lot to arrange with this kind of
move), but if you are moving into a different field of work, even if it's a
field you have some experience in or familiarity with, there will be many new
things you will need to learn. You may be trying to absorb a lot of new
information and a lot of personal changes during this time. A commitment to your
previous employer, however good your intentions, may add an unwanted (possibly
unmanageable) burden that you could easily grow to resent.
2) Managers know that at any time they can lose one or more employees, and while
you hope for 2 weeks notice, that's no guarantee. It's not something you can
plan for, but neither is being hit by a bus. Being a manager means you have to
face this possibility. That's why you get paid the big bucks! <g> Seriously, it
is part of your boss's job to have to deal with this sort of thing. Don't stress
yourself over it.
3) Remember (and I don't mean to insult or to belittle anyone's work here) that
your current employer is not likely to go out of business if the website is not
updated for a few weeks or a couple of newsletters don't go out or even if work
on the manuals is delayed. If the situation is that serious, your manager will
either find a way to get it done (again, that's why he or she is the manager) or
you are better off getting out of there anyway.
Personally, if it were me in your shoes, I would give as much notice as I
possibly could, wrap up as many projects as I could during the notice, and leave
detailed notes on the status of any outstanding projects. Then I would let them
take me out to lunch on my last day, smile and shake hands, and get on with my
life.
Melissa Fisher
mfisher -at- automatedlogic -dot- com
