How I Quit My Job & Explained My Next Move

Published by Ryan Paugh on September 20th, 2007 in Work, Work/Life | 14 Comments

The first time I quit a job, I was 18 years old. I was a cook and a baker at a bagel shop in Jersey, but it was time to leave for college. I didn't think twice about leaving.

As you can imagine, roughly six years later, with a respectable corporate job and a decent starting salary, "I quit" didn't seem to cut it anymore.

"So…," I'd say, "I decided to move to Madison, WI, and pursue my passion for entrepreneurship. I'll be making no money, living on bread crumbs and braving the grueling winters of 'lake country.' Thanks for having me."

I could only imagine her response: "Hmmm…I hear they have good cheese there." I wasn't too far off

After all was said and done, I realized quitting a "real job" is not as hard as it seems – depending on the manager of course. After I left the hot seat I knew I approached things the right way.

Timing is Everything

We all know that "giving your two weeks" is pretty standard, right? Well I decided to give my "three and a half." I should've given my "four," but I spent one-too-many days pacing around thinking things through to make that happen.

My point is, there really is no standard. If you have enough leeway, you should weigh the timetable of your current short-term projects then decide how many weeks your boss needs.

But be prepared to work your ass off. Believe me, if you're an asset to your team, they'll wear you down before they let you go.

Know Your Leader

Everyone has a point in their day where you just want people to back off, especially your boss. Choose a time to talk when you know they're going to be calm, cool and collected because you're about to drop a bomb.

I chose to have my "talk" at the end of the day, when most of the workforce had already left. It guaranteed an uninterrupted meeting. There's nothing worse than delivering bad news when the recipient is already in the midst of chaos.

I'm convinced. My experience went so well mostly because I knew WHEN to "let the cat out of the bag."

Be Humble

I couldn't be happier with the opportunities my manager gave me. I worked on projects most entry-levels never get a taste of. I was grateful, and I showed it.

But maybe you're not so grateful…

Maybe your job sucked and your manager rode you like a mechanical bull. That's fine – just don't leave on a sour note.

The past can haunt you. If you're boss is as big of a jackass as you think, they wouldn't think twice about ripping you a new one when a recruiter calls for references.

Plus, you should try to leave with at least one good recommendation letter. I hear employers sometimes read those.

The Climax

So there I was – heart pounding, palms sweating, ready to give my leave. I knocked on the door, asked to talk, came in and sat down.

"Okay, here it goes…"

I told her about my plans from A to Z – from Madison to Penelope to the really tasty cheese. And you know what? She was thrilled.

As it turns out, a really great manager recognizes that each person's career path is their own.

"You gotta do, what you gotta do," she said.

We sat and talked for at least 45 minutes. Not only did I break the news in the right way, but I got my managers blessing. Go figure.

Weeks later, just before I was about to leave, the team took me out for some beers at the local pub. They were all proud of my decision to take a risk so early in my life.

"Now or never," one of my co-workers said.

It was a great evening. They even chipped in and got me a little something – a fabulous new cheese cutter for enjoying Wisconsin's finest delectable.