Leave Your Job Like A Boss!

Depart on Your Own Terms and Forget Old Rules That No Longer Apply.

Rick Ross is known as "The Boss". Can you honestly say you are the boss of your career trajectory?

Navigating the job landscape can be challenging, especially when it comes to deciding when and how to leave. Many professionals find themselves stuck in roles with little growth potential.

If you feel like you've hit a wall after years of hard work, it's time to think about how to exit on your own terms.

Profit's "Sick Leave" Story

My employer, the Administration for Children's Services (ACS), had a policy where you couldn't cash out your sick time.

I had about 9 full days of sick leave, so I wasn't going to leave a grip of money on the table AND still show up 8am to 5pm to work up to the bitter end.

I was oven baked done!

Plus, this employer scapegoated it's staff to the media during times of crisis, so I had no love for them. Nor, did I want to return.

Is it my fault ACS is chintzy with the sick leave I accrued through time and hard work?

F that!

I promptly arranged a doctor's appointment, went on a stress leave, and drained almost 9 of my last sick days. I came back on my 2nd to last day to get my things, do my exit interview, and peace out.

ACS's own stingy policy resulted in losing my expertise to train my replacement, retaining my network of community contacts, or creating "best practices" templates.

Their loss. This post will offer 4 essential strategies for leaving your employer with no money left on the table and how to exhaust all your corporate resources before you kick rocks.

The moment of serenity before one hands in their letter of resignation.

1) Recognize Stagnation and Decide You Deserve Better

If your salary or benefits haven't increased in two years, your upward mobility is stunted, or if you feel undervalued, it's time to explore your options in the job market. A study by PayScale shows that professionals who switch jobs can average a 15% to 20% raise. This is a significant increase that can greatly enhance your quality of life. Companies, especially large ones competing for talent, often offer enticing salaries to attract new employees or lure talent away from competitors.

Consider this: if you’ve consistently exceeded your performance goals yet your salary remains stagnant, why not seek a position that truly recognizes your value? Leaving a role that doesn’t appreciate your contributions can lead you to a more rewarding job both financially and personally.

This is the exodus that occurs when star performers realize their salaries are frozen - and bolt for new opportunities!

2) Observing How Employers Treat Departing Employees

Before making your move, pay attention to how your employer treats those who resign. Are departing employees celebrated with send-off parties, well wishes, gifts, and revelry, or are they treated coldly? A report from SHRM indicates that 34% of companies manage employee departures poorly. They create a toxic environment, showing a lack of respect for those leaving. It's become increasingly common for companies to immediately terminate those who give a 2-week notice, don't allow workers back to workstations to box up their belongings, and escort workers out by security - often without the chance to say goodbye to colleagues! Solution: If your Employer Overlord immediately terminates those who give notice, don't give them a courtesy 2-week notice. Use all your sick time before you resign and quit at your optimal convenience.

Consider how you’d want your exit to feel. Positive practices, such as farewell gatherings or thoughtful goodbyes, help maintain professional relationships and can even lead to future opportunities.

If your organization doesn’t respect its outgoing employees, it might be a sign that it’s time for you to move on, too.

3) Utilize Your Sick Time Before You Go

Did you know most employers won't cash out your unused sick time like your paid time off or annual leave? It’s essential to use it wisely before you leave. Many people tend to use their vacation time first, but research from The Balance Careers shows that 57% of employees forfeit sick leave, costing them financially in the long run.

Taking full advantage of your sick leave allows you to utilize your benefits while also giving you a chance to recharge mentally. Preparation for a new role is crucial, and taking a breather can help you approach your next adventure with a positive mindset. Solution: If you have enough sick time and are stressed out, burned out, or suffering from anxiety - simply get a doctor's note - to use your remaining time to eat up a significant portion of your "2-week notice".

That is, if you still choose to give a traditional 2 week notice!

Everyone has SOME mental health issue or another. Work it for your advantage by wisely addressing your mental or physical health needs on the company’s dime during your “2-Week Notice” period.

4) The 2-Week Notice Isn't Set in Stone

When is the last time your employer gave you a 2 week notice - that they weren't legally required to do, as in WARN situations - when they were going to terminate you or lay you off?

Don't be a simpleton! Don't give your outgoing employer more power than necessary!

It's like following your "soon-to-be" ex wife's "no smoking indoors" rule while in divorce proceedings. Your last weeks at your current employer is not about them...it's about setting yourself up for success at your NEW EMPLOYER! Sure, if your boss was dope, your colleagues were a delight, the work was great, and you feel you would be rehired - there's nothing wrong with fulfilling a classic two week notice to ease their transition without you.

It's About You and Your Immediate Future Now

However, considering your last days in the office, remember that the classic two-week notice is flexible. Employer Overlords shouldn't expect loyalty that they don't give. Employers typically will guilt you to follow this norm, but if a new job requires you to start sooner, don't hesitate to prioritize your career. Your new job opportunity is precious, and your old employer shouldn’t decide your timeline.

If you don't have any remaining sick or annual leave - and you are in a good financial situation - use this 2-week period you would have gave to your old employer, to focus on your well-being and tending to overdue, neglected personal business.

This might be the only time in the next few years you get to "catch up on you", as it's hard getting extended time off at a new job. Attend health check-ups, push a side hustle forward, complete lingering household projects, or simply reconnect with family and friends. Taking these steps can refresh you for the challenges ahead in your new role.

You deserve a smooth transition to this exciting new chapter in your career.

Embrace Your Journey

Leaving a job doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By recognizing your worth, observing how employers treat their departing staff, effectively using your sick time, and feeling empowered to adjust customary notice periods, you can exit like a true boss.

Stand tall, do what's right for you, and take charge of your career.

Outdated 2-week notices do not apply to underserving Employer Overlords!

It’s your journey, and you have every right to navigate it confidently - even if it's a middle finger going out the door - after you quit on the spot.

That priceless feeling when you leave on your own terms.

Sources PayScale

SHRM

The Balance Careers