My boyfriend and I are moving back across the country back to NC! With all the excitement that comes with this new adventure comes a lot of logistics, timing and organization. Luckily, to-do lists come naturally to me as does mapping out things in my cute Lily planner. First things first, if you’re planning on leaving your job, and making a big move with nothing else lined up (safety net be damned!) you’ll have to do some serious planning
First things first, figure out when to leave. My lease is up at the end of April and I knew it would take a while to pack everything up and I definitely wanted a couple of weeks to say goodbye to all my favorite places and people in Los Angeles before hauling it across the country. Plus Harry Potter World at Universal Studios Hollywood is opening on April 7th and I couldn’t miss that. So I decided that April 1st would be a good last day of work, it’s a Friday and conveniently is payday as well. My job as an assistant is one that requires a bit more than two weeks notice, it takes a while to find a temp or train someone on my desk so I opted to give three weeks notice instead. If you have this kind of flexibility and you’re not in a time crunch to leave your job I recommend this option, especially if you work in a specialized field or one that requires a bit of training time. In addition to the extra week, my Type A personality really came in handy as I decided to write up a document detailing all my daily tasks, how to deal with any and all emergencies and contingencies and how to navigate all the systems I use on the reg. This seemingly small idea turned into an eleven page document. There’s nothing like truly realizing how much you do on the daily and I SO recommend this to anyone leaving their job. Not only will it provide a super smooth transition for whoever comes after you, but can also be passed along down the line. Plus this can be used as an outline if you need to train someone.
Next you’ve got to tell your boss/direct supervisor that you’re outta there! I decided that Friday afternoon would be the best option, it gives time for a quick conversation and then the rest of the weekend for your office and boss to adjust to the news. If you work in a super formal setting, you may want to prepare a resignation letter. All this would be is a piece of paper stating that you’re leaving your job, when your last day of work would be and maybe a sentence or two about how you’re happy to train a replacement and have enjoyed your time at the company – even if you haven’t, it’s always best to leave on a good note.
I’ve heard that people really only remember how you were at the beginning of your job and at the end. It’s totally true, I’ve seen people seriously check out and become supremely unhelpful during their last few weeks at the job and it definitely leaves a bad taste in people’s mouths. Keep this in mind when you’re thanking your boss for the wonderful opportunity of working with them, but you feel it’s time for you to move on and you’ll be leaving, but of course will make the transition as smooth as possible.
They don’t need any more information than that and if you don’t feel comfortable sharing where you’re working next or future plans, don’t feel like you have to spit all that info out. In my case I was moving so I felt no qualms with letting everyone know why I was leaving. Also be sure to tell your boss your plans first and foremost. I know it’s tempting to let your work bff know you’re leaving but try not to spill the beans until you tell your boss first, it’s the respectful way to do things. After this conversation feel free to let everyone else in your department know you’re leaving – you don’t have to shout it from the rooftops but definitely mention it sooner rather than later to the people who interact with you on a daily basis so they’ll know a transition is coming up.
After all the announcements, continue to do a kickass job and leave on a good note, you’ll want the glowing references from your former team, especially if you’re in an industry that is kind of small where everyone seems to know everyone else. One bad moment could really come back to bite you so just be the best version of yourself and finish it out with flair. From one twentysomething to another, happy adventuring and good luck!
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