i've written up the letter of resignation. I have the new job lined up as well. but i'm really worried i'm doing something rash.

help me people!

why on earth would you think it was rash?
do you adore your current place of employment?
will you never be as happy as you are at this job?

or are you just freaking out over change?

You looked for another job for a reason.
Give proper notice, ( 2 weeks, or check employment criteria: my job requires 4) state how you enjoyed working there, etc..and move on. Keep in mind you may need a recomendation at some point from the job you just left. Don't burn any bridges. Even if, when asked about why you are leaving, keep it tame.....depends on your relationship with your employer.
I read the WSJ M-F, and have for 25 years. I'm giving you the perspective of employers. There's always tons of articles on good employees and bad.
[Edited 10/16/07 20:01pm]

xplnyrslf said:

see that's the thing. my boss and i have come to some serious verbal blows already in the past three weeks and she's not taking any advice from me or anyone in the office on how to make things run better. not to say that i have been perfect, but i really feel that the damage is done.
my house mate is a recruitment specialist. he says i should quit before i get fired.

If you already have a new job lined up I'm not sure why you think it's "rash"...

drama-

I quit my job on Monday. I can't help you.

Milty said:

Your friend is right. I had a job like that before at a restaurant where the owner and I had had several "run ins" and you can never win in a situation like that. I realized it was better to quit and get something else rather than get fired because then you have to explain that to any future employers and that's not always easy.

You're doing the right thing. You need a clean slate and a new start!

I quit my job almost 3 months ago after nearly 20 years with the same company, didn't have anything lined up but I just couldn't take anymore of the B.S. after the place was taken over by new owners.

I mentioned to a friend that I had resigned and within 30 minutes she had found me a position with her brothers company earning more money and and only having to work 4 days a week!

So quitting was definetly one of the best things I've ever done..

Hope that helps.

Milty said:

You have every reason to quit. Just don't give her an excuse to give you a bad recommendation. Try to keep it as civil as possible, until you're out of there.
(There's also plenty of articles on lousy employers and good ones.)
If you've worked there very long, you may not want a gap in your employment history, that needs to be explained on your resume' (should you decide to not put it down.)
There's also laws that protect you from a vengeful ex-boss. She shouldn't interfere with your ability to work in the future, unless she has legitimate documented proof you didn't do your job.
Some employers, seeking references, get around that by asking: "Would you hire this person again?" Even if the recommendation is great, the answer to the question says alot more.

ok, I'm totally not being an ass when I ask this question, but I'm totally curuios.



From the age of 15, I've never been "not employed". I mean never. I've always been payed by somebody for something. I've never been laid off, I've never been fired, I've never quit without having a job I can just transition into the next week.


Sooooo, my question is, how do you survive if you quit your job, but don't have one immediately lined up? Are there government services, etc.etc. that assist? I mean, my mortgage payment alone requires that I maintain an income twice that of miniumum wage, etc. etc. I just don't undertstand the mechanics of it.

And the reason why I'm asking, is that in my career field, and working for corporate America, your job is NEVER guaranteed. So it may happen to me one day.

Imago said:

I've thought about this too. "People" suggest you always have an "oh shit" fund stashed away. For most people this should be equal to what you need to get by (cover all bills and food) for 3 months, for those who freelance or are self-employed it should be 6 months.

I have never, ever been able to save this amount.

CarrieMpls said:

I don't think anybody does.

Which is why I'm curious as to how anybody quits their job without one lined up.
I mean, if I got laid off, I'd have to put my house up for sale like right away. Then use more than half the earned equity to pay off my other debts.

And being that houses aren't selling now, I simply can't get laid off until the market improves again.


I'm not criticizing folks in any way , shape , or form, because like I said, I'm getting nervous about my job prospects lately, so I really just need to know--how do folks survive when most live paycheck to paycheck (this isn't me, but I'm not exactly that far above them), without a steady incoming stream of cash?


Maybe I'm just not saving up for a rainy-day fund like I should?



[Edited 10/17/07 8:21am]

Imago said:

That's pretty much it.

Unless you want to rack up hefty amounts on credit card(s), you've got to save at least a few grand (not including mortgage, in your case) if possible. There's always the prospect of earning unemployment pay if you're laid off or fired (this can vary), but in CA, unemployment pay can take up to two months to start appearing. I've never done it for that reason.

Lots of people in the corporate world decide to cash out on their 401(k)s when they quit or get canned, which, well, I don't need to go there on how NOT intelligent that is.

I've had over thirty jobs in my life so far, and I've actually been fired a few times (all high school screw-off under the table waitressing gigs save for one). The one time I was canned from an actual corporate atmosphere, I couldn't get unemployment because it was due to absenteeism. Though I'd made my supervisors aware of my medical situation and kept in very close contact, they had to replace me due to my workload. My unemployment counselor said that if the condition I had was deemed malignant (it wasn't, yet required time away), I would have qualified. But I didn't. So there are all sorts of loopholes they have, and even when it seems like a clear-cut unfair situation (downsizing, etc), there is absolutely no guarantee you're going to qualify.

It's just not smart to not have a few grand sitting in savings. It sounds impossible, but it's not. And I probably make a third of what you make dude, and with CA rent and $300/month auto insurance, don't say my expenses aren't similar to yours. We're always living above our means. That's why debt exists, eh?

Save some cash, keep that resume current, and network like no tomorrow. Networking fields jobs faster and more often than newspapers, paid agencies, or craigslist. Apply for jobs even if you're not officially 'looking' yet, just to see what's out there & what you're offered. The best stuff usually comes when you're not desperate.

INSATIABLE said:

Not only beautiful, but wise in so many ways. That's why I love you.


I am totally being smarter now. Making my own food, spending as little as possible a day on anything.



But you ain't gonna get me to go to Fantastic Sams for a haircut

Ok so I did it today. i wasn't even nervous. i knew exactly what i had to do and i just did it.
she didnt even seem phased by it. until it all went silent in the office and you know when you can hear the wheels in someone's head turning without even looking at them?, she says that she thought i was going to leave at the end of the year (which i was) so i calmly looked at her and said "well i think it's best for all the parties involved if i leave now rather than later." it was as if i was firing myself.

she did that little "hmm-fft" thing that people do when they are "miffed".

then i left for a shoot that i had scheduled.

i can't wait to start the new job!

Milty said:

Good for you. Fear is useless!