When I consider looking at other jobs, I always find myself thinking it's not the right time to leave. Other people seem to move jobs a lot more than me.
Do people generally just abandon the work in progress that they're doing or do they finish it out?
I prefer to arrange an in-person meeting with my direct manager. If that's not possible, Zoom/other video platform.
If it's impossible to get facetime in some capacity, phonecall/email is a last resort.
Always on a Friday. Ideally in the afternoon (3PM).
I rip the bandaid off quickly and tell them I've decided to move on and X day will be my last with the company (don't bury the lede). I thank them for being great. I talk a little about why I'll miss the team and company overall.
Generally, the manager will want to notify the team. If it's going to be more than a week in the future, I tell my closest work colleagues and ask them to keep it quiet for the "formal" announcement.
We then start the handover process. Document anything major that's fuzzy. Finish anything that you can. Don't be one of those people that coast for the next 2-4 weeks and do nothing.
During the exit meeting, I never throw shade on the company. SHUT YOUR MOUTH. There is no benefit to YOU by unloading all the issues with a company. Sure, it might help them, but you will be leaving a bad taste in their mouth, which may come back around in the future (be selfish - shut up). I outline my reasons (almost always it's money, remote work options, or leaving to join a scrappy startup with a nice equity package).
If you get a counter offer (after resigning, not during a normal salary negotiation), do not take it. You will regret it, trust me.
I took a bunch of Psych classes in college, and one of the experiments I retained is that if you ask someone to recall their time on a long "thing" (e.g. a job, a relationship, etc.), they place much more emphasis on memories from the beginning and end of it than they do on the middle. So it's not just first impressions that are important, but last impressions too. This goes for pretty much everything btw. Same applies to sales calls, interviews, etc.
I got a counter-offer, took it, stayed for 3 more years, never regretted it.
Also, I complain A LOT to my managers about what sucks in the company. They seem to like having someone open and honest when talking to them.
That said it all depends on your reasons for leaving. If it is environment only, then definitely no. If it is more money maybe, but expect to be high on the layoff list should the economy turn.
After you had already resigned? Glad it worked for you. I had a horror show and have met several people in similar situations.
> Also, I complain A LOT to my managers about what sucks in the company. They seem to like having someone open and honest when talking to them.
Sounds like you work for a very decent company. Do you think that's a better strategy than STFU (not being a dick, I actually would like to know your opinion)?
That being said you have to do what is in your best interest. In both cases, the move I made was just what I needed at the time and improved my outlook and passion moving forward. To make up for some of the guilt, I worked like hell the last two weeks, cleaning up as many outstanding issues as I could and documenting everything I could. I also made myself available for questions after I left, though you want to be careful about committing too much time there.
And guess what...in both situations the company moved on and eventually got past the initial hurdles of replacing me. It's likely the same will happen in your case and you'll realize you spent way too much time worrying about something that should you decide to leave, is no longer your responsibility.
A job can possibly last for a hundred years. Do you want to spend a hundred years on the same thing? CAN you spend a hundred years on the same thing?
Your jobs only last as long as you want to stay. It's not your business (usually) so it matters not to you whether that project ever finishes. If it does matter to you, then you have taken possession of it to your own detriment. That's akin to working for free. But that's your choice if you wish to devalue your worth.
(Devalue?? If you're working for 60 hours and being paid for 40, you value your time at 2/3 what it should be. Similarly, if you take possession of the job/project and are not being paid for your emotional input, you're devaluing your emotional worth.)
If that's still not getting the message across, think of a house that you own. Many people consider a house emotionally: "That's my 'home'. I can't leave it." Others of us consider a house as 'just a pile of bricks' which has mere monetary worth, and can be discarded without a moment's notice.
No, it’s just business. It’s not your project, it’s the company’s project, and it’s their responsibility to ensure the project continues to run smoothly. What is important is that you cooperate in the ways they ask and make sure you prepare your colleagues as best you can to continue on without you. Most people will have no hard feelings and will even be excited for you. It’s not personal.
Work is never finished in IT :-) My advice is be advenurous with eyes wide open. There's a lot of fantasy thinking in our geek corner of the world that says everyone is awesome and can be a huge financial success. That doesn't sit right with me. What I know for a fact is that you can make a good living if you have invested your work life in IT.
And to specifcally answer your question...leave your job being grateful for the opportunity and resources the job gave you. Everyone will be happy then.
On a Thursday I turned in my resignation and gave my 2 week notice. I called out sick on Friday. I had vacation scheduled for the next 2 weeks.
Sayonara bitches!
The other thing is we were allowed to take as much vacation as we had saved up. The only criteria to take it was you had to schedule it more than 7 days out AND only a certain amount of people could be off at anyone time. Scheduling time off was automated so it would only could get it if you met those 2 criteria.
There were many people who thought it was a horrible place to be (in the field). I was not one of them. It was probably the best 14 years of my life. But I could not wait to get away from being "upstairs".
If this had been a traditional 9-5, office setting then I definitely would not have done it this way. And honestly no one bats an eye at this at this department. It wasn't that long ago if you turned your 2 week notice in and they found out you were going to another department they would usually just tell you not to show up the next shift. That was a different time with different management.
0) figure out policies re: PTO at termination, vesting, etc, so you don't get screwed
a) find new job
b) plan how to distribute knowledge to others in 2-4 weeks (or whatever separation time is customary)
c) bring plan to current management
d) work on the plan if management accepts, or chillax if management deems resignation immediate (or check with new employer about moving start date)
Or
0) same as above
a) plan to retire
b) make it known you are planning to retire and push back on new work
c) finish up things / document and hand them off
d) when you run out of things, give 2-4 weeks notice
e) tie up loose ends you forgot (or don't if your resignation becomes immediate)
f) chillax (and fix a lot of stuff at home you didn't have time to realize was broken)
If something gets lost in progress, it’s not your fault, it’s your company’s fault for not making sure there was coverage.
Realistically, I'd give 2 weeks notice. From the experience of others, they would have me train others and create additional documentation for my areas of knowledge.
Don't forget that if you were to suddenly abducted by aliens or fell into a time portal your work would replace you, quickly, and the jobs would go on.
1. Find out your company's policy. For a lot of companies in the US it's 2 weeks, for a lot of Indian based companies is 3 months. So figure out how long ahead of time you need to let them know. (let's call this X)
2. Figure out how much PTO you have. (let's call this Y)
3. Do you have a new job lined up? When is their start date? (let's call this Z)
4. Ideally you want X + Y < Z, so you can take your PTO and work however many weeks you have and then start your new job. Otherwise you can X < Z + Y (where you are taking PTO and working on your new job)
Personally I don't like taking an extra break between work, so I have my last day on a Friday and then on Monday I am starting the new job. If you have PTO time you can at least get paid for not working. I have had about 11 different jobs and I can still contact old co-workers and managers and get recommendations when I need them. No reason to burn bridges.
Even in very toxic environments there are still some co-workers that I appreciate, or as a manager people that worked for me that I appreciated.
Having said all of that to respond to your question
> Do people generally just abandon the work in progress that they're doing or do they finish it out?
There is always a work in progress. Isn't that what working is? This is why you give your 2 weeks notice or whatever. If it's not time sensitive you can talk to your manager, tell them that you are going to quit, but work with him on the exact date. What you do in that 2 week time frame is either finishing what you want finish OR documenting / training the next person to take over.
One of the personal things I do, and I am probably a rare case, is to give everyone that mattered me to a hand written note of what I like about them, anything I am thankful for etc. With my direct manager I do the same, but I will add what I feel was the most frustrating point of working for them. There is no menace there, but more like a "hey I am leaving, here are my honest thoughts". I tend to do this the last day, drop things on people's desks, preferably when they are not around.
> Other people seem to move jobs a lot more than me.
I was that person, I moved jobs, a new job every 2-4 years. Any of the 4 year spans usually involved some internal move. Now that I am older, and perhaps wiser I have realized that if you find a company you like, it's fine to stick with it and grow with them. I have been with my current company for 8 years and I haven't really thought about leaving. I have changed 4 titles though, Jr Dev to Dev Lead with everything in between.
