How to Gracefully Exit Your Current Job

Photo: ColorJoy Stock

Leaving a job is never simple, especially when you want to stay on good terms with your boss, which is always a good idea. Burning bridges over the course of your career will only burn you. And chances are, you will quit a job at some point in your career.

In fact, people are quitting their jobs at record rates right now. Nearly 4 million Americans left their jobs this April, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, pushing the quitting rate to 24% higher than it was before the pandemic. 

So we’re answering your big questions about how to gracefully exit, prima ballerina style. 

Give Plenty of Notice

The hiring process is long, arduous, and complicated. Finding the right person to fit into a well-oiled machine is notably one of the hardest parts of running a company. And when a team member leaves, a major wrench is thrown into that machine, no matter how well executed it is. 

If you work at a corporate job, two weeks is a standard amount of time to give. However, if you work at a small startup, where your team members will be scrambling to cover your work and tasks, you should plan to give a month. That way, no one on the team is forced to work even longer hours than they already do.

Most employers admit that hiring into a small team takes a finer-toothed comb. And at startups, there aren’t temp employees or people working beneath you who already know your job. 30 days may seem like a lot, but it shows your soon-to-be former boss and colleagues that you respect them. It also gives you enough time to potentially train your replacement. 

You don't want to simply leave on good terms, you want to leave a good memory in the minds of your work peers. And what they are required to do post-exit, will color that memory for better or worse. 

Let Clients Know You’re Leaving (the Right Way)

Often, especially at larger companies, it is upper management’s responsibility to notify clients of your exit, as they are considered company property. No matter what, you should ask before making contact of any kind. 

That said, everything should be brief but positive. If you are resigning and already know your replacement, it is a good idea to introduce clients to the new team member. That way they know the transition is smooth, not messy, and they are still in good hands. The reality is: a client or work colleague’s number one concern isn’t where you’re heading next, but how their account will be handled. 

If however, you resign without a replacement, sending a mass email to your client list looks bad and it makes the company look bad. It looks like balls are getting dropped. Even if you’re leaving on good terms, it’s a surefire way to make your boss question your motives.

So, how do you handle leaving if you don’t have someone primed and ready to take over? 

1. Make sure you have a conversation first. Every boss is different, but taking the time to ask them how they would like you to handle, is a professional courtesy that will be appreciated.

2. If you are unwilling to ask, you should wait two weeks to announce your departure. Hopefully, in that time, the company has found your replacement and assured a smooth transition.

3. Send the email from your personal, not work email.

4. Do not discuss the “why” of your exit in depth. Bringing any kind of drama into a mass email is unprofessional, and it doesn't make the company look bad, it makes you look bad.

Define Your Duties Thoroughly 

Beyond creating a document that outlines all of your duties, you should also create a document of what you’re currently working on and where those things stand. Your boss will thank you (because you’re saving them the massive headache of sorting through what’s falling through the cracks), but so will the person who follows you. And you never know where that person might end up.  

People tend to think of exiting as it applies to the team they already know. But the truth is, the person who fills your job knows EXACTLY what kind of worker you are/were. Use that to your benefit. They see previous correspondence, how you interface with clients, and what you left hanging. If you want to make a good impression, make their transition smooth. You never know where they will end up either.

This story was originally published on January 4, 2019, and has since been updated.

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This Copywriter Quit Her 9-to-5 Job at Nike to Start Her Own Storytelling Studio

Photo: Courtesy of Rachel Leslie

Walking away from a 9-to-5 job with a steady paycheck and health benefits to start your own business isn’t easy. To help you to take the plunge, we’re introducing a new monthly editorial series The Case for Quitting where we ask self-employed women all about how they successfully struck out on their own, from how they balanced their side-hustle with their full-time job to how much money they saved before handing in their two-week notice. This month we chatted with copywriter Rachel Leslie who quit her job as a digital copywriter at Nike to start her own storytelling studio. Read on as she shares how she broke into the field, when she knew it was time to leave her corporate job, and why she recommends saving up a six-month safety net before quitting.

What was your major in college and what did you want to do when you graduated? 

I majored in journalism and minored in business administration. When I graduated, I wanted to become an arts and culture journalist. Think, William Miller in “Almost Famous” going on tour with bands, covering the latest shows and album drops. 

What did you actually do after you graduated? What types of jobs did you apply to and what industry were you looking to break into?

I moved to Santa Barabara, California, for an unpaid internship at an indie newspaper called, The Santa Barbara Independent, where I was their arts and culture intern. In addition to my internship, I worked at a local restaurant as a host to pay the bills. 

Before getting that internship, I applied to any and all jobs and internships in writing for news publications, media organizations, and the list goes on. I was determined to write for a newspaper or magazine where they had a substantial section in music, events, art, and feature stories. It was a tough time to be applying for jobs in print journalism in 2013 as there were whispers that journalism was dying, print specifically. 

How did you get into copywriting?

When my internship came to a close in Santa Barbara, I started looking for other opportunities to continue writing. I contributed to the newspaper and got paid for my articles, but it was nowhere near enough money to get by, so I began exploring marketing and PR agencies. 

I was hired as a paid intern at a PR and marketing agency working with nonprofits and social impact businesses in the Santa Barbara area. I found this type of work interesting because I could still exercise my journalistic skills in a way, but on behalf of our clients. Plus, I could get behind what they were marketing as they were often community events, organic products, and so on.

My experience at that agency was my first foray into copywriting, and the rest is history; from booking a one-way ticket to Vietnam and working as a freelance writer for magazines and copywriting for five-star luxury hotels and businesses to moving back to the U.S. to join the agency world here in Portland, Oregon, and most recently, working at Nike as a digital copywriter.

What was it like balancing your full-time job with your side-hustle? Do you recommend starting a side-hustle while you have a full-time job? 

For as long as I can remember, I was always doing something on the side of my full-time job. Whether it was freelance writing for the indie newspaper on the side of my full-time internship or taking on copywriting projects here and there alongside agency work. It can be time-consuming if you let it. Like giving up your weekends and evenings to stay on top of your side hustle, but if the passion is there and you want to see if it’ll work, you’ll do it.

I recommend starting a side hustle while you have a full-time job because it gives you a chance to experiment with what works and what doesn’t as you work out the kinks and see if it’s really something you want to pursue full-time without the added stress of making rent.

How did you know when it was time to make the transition from side-hustle to full-time? What was your strategy for making the transition?

Starting my own business was something I always knew I would do. It was just a matter of when. I found this desire grew stronger and stronger to a point where I knew if I didn’t try now, I’d always regret it.

I was in two group coaching programs while in my 9-5 that gave me the tools, education, and resources to hone in on my copywriting service to expand that into a full-blown business. In addition to those programs, I began building up my client roster while marketing my copywriting and storytelling services to others online and through word of mouth. I wanted to prove that there was a demand for my expertise and services before saying goodbye to my 9-5. After juggling both for over a year, my business grew to a point where the time I was working in my 9-5 actually took away precious time from growing my business.

Another big part of this strategy was focusing on repositioning my mindset for entrepreneurship. Accepting and being open to the challenges, learnings, and failures that may come along the way while embracing them and keeping pressing forward is crucial to running a successful business. I’d have to say that this was (and still is!) one of the most challenging tasks in starting your own business. There’s a great deal of fear that comes with saying goodbye to what we’re taught to consider safe and secure (i.e., a stable salary, benefits, etc.). But once I realized that I’m in control of what happens and that I can do anything I set my mind to, that made the decision easy.

How did you prepare for the transition before quitting your full-time job? What, if anything, do you wish you’d done differently?

I spoke to my husband, who’s been my biggest supporter throughout all of this. We set a date and made it official! That felt so amazing to have a fantastic support system to back me up and to put a date in place.

Since starting my business, I kept track of my business’ income and expenses to see how much I needed each month to survive, and I did the same for my personal finances. I also hired an accountant for my business right before I left my full-time job to help me manage everything and have someone on hand I could turn to for questions as I navigated this new chapter. This helped put things in perspective for me as to what I needed not just to survive but to thrive in my day-to-day, as I had done before with a secure paycheck.

I also utilized my network of mentors and coaches during this pivotal time. As you can imagine, lots of what-ifs, thoughts, and fears came up in making this transition, and they were crucial in helping me get through this rollercoaster of emotions.

Lastly, I continued to market myself, show up and serve my online community every day. I had a few ongoing client projects in the works and a few lined up for the following month, so I knew I had some guaranteed income coming in for at least a few months after quitting my full-time job.

Were you worried about money? What advice can you share for people who are worried about leaving a steady paycheck to start a new career? 

Of course. As I was making the transition, I had many fears and worries about money, like, What if I don’t get any more clients after leaving my job? What if I don’t make any money next month? What if I fail? 

That is where that mindset work came into play again! I had to focus on rewiring my scarcity mindset to one of abundance and assurance. Instead of focusing on the what-ifs, I began writing affirmations and mantras like, “Clients come to me with ease,” and “What I focus on grows” and so on.

Journaling also helped me work through these fears and feelings about money. By asking myself, what do I need to feel safe and secure and what do those words mean to me, I was able to address these thoughts. 

On the more technical side, proving that my service was in demand before leaving my 9-5 and signing clients for future projects helped alleviate those worries about no money coming in. 

Did you save up first or did you just jump in headfirst?

I had a six-month safety net in place before I quit my job. This reassured me that if I didn’t make any money in my business, I had six months of savings in place to keep me going. So what I did was calculate my existing expenses to understand how much money I needed to make each month to pay my mortgage, bills and get by each month. 

What's the most important thing you have learned from making a big change in your career life?

I’ve learned that I’m in control of what I want to do in my life and in what makes me happy. And that there’s no point in waiting for something to tell you what to do next. It’s up to you. When I was making the transition from my corporate job to building my own business, I kept waiting for a sign. For something or someone to tell me, “Rachel, it’s go-time!” But I kept waiting, waiting and waiting and that sign never came. I realized that I just needed to take the leap and do it because there would never be a “perfect” time. 

It’s easy to celebrate the wins, but how do you handle failure or when something hasn’t worked out for you?

I treat it as an opportunity to learn and grow. As an entrepreneur, I’ve realized that things don’t always work out as planned, and that’s okay. When something doesn’t work out, I try to understand why and where I could have done better so that when I’m faced with a similar situation, I know how to approach it and hopefully, there’s a different outcome. 

What’s the biggest mistake you’ve made and learned from along the way?

When I first started, I created too many copywriting services. I quickly realized I was trying to do too many things at once. I overcommitted and under-delivered and I wasn’t able to produce top-quality services. I realized I could better serve my ideal client by focusing on what they specifically need and how my one or two niche services could best serve them.

When you look back and reflect on your previous career do you have any regrets or are you still really happy with your decision?

Every step of my career has prepared me to do what I’m doing today. I’m immensely grateful for the opportunities I’ve had and the people I’ve met along the way because it’s all shaped my values, beliefs, and my vision for the future of my studio.

Going after what you deserve in life takes confidence and guts. Does confidence come naturally to you or did you have to learn it? What advice can you share for women on cultivating confidence and going after their dreams? 

Funnily enough, I have a fraternal twin sister, and she’s definitely the more confident and outgoing one! So no, confidence did not come naturally to me. It took me a while to learn it and to embrace it.

One aspect that helped me gain confidence was surrounding myself with other leaders, mentors, and coaches who embodied the confidence I wanted for myself. Being around these people lit something inside of me that I could tap into and infuse in my own business. I also journaled (a lot!). A helpful exercise that helped in embracing my CEO mindset and imposter syndrome was writing out all of my accomplishments onto a piece of paper. It helped me realize that I was a skilled entrepreneur and that there was no reason why I couldn’t do this. I still go back and look at that list when I’m having an off day. 

What is the #1 career or money book you always recommend and why?

I love” You Are a Badass At Making Money” by Jen Sincero—especially the audible version! This book is raw, real, and eye-opening as to what is genuinely possible not just in your career but in your life. It gave me a whole new perspective into the power of your mindset and money and how the two can be truly life-changing.

What advice can you share for someone who is thinking about leaving their current gig to pursue their side-hustle or passion?

As my former employer’s tagline says… Just do it. Give it a try! And do your due diligence beforehand. First, determine if there’s a demand for your product or service; then, rally a community of mentors and friends you can lean on for support and get your finances in order so you can understand not just what you need to live, but to thrive, too (because if brunch with the girls makes you happy that should be factored in, too).

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8 Signs You Definitely Need to Dump Your Job

Photo: Create & Cultivate

Spotting the warning signs of a bad relationship can be hard when you’re in the thick of it. Especially when you’re trying to stick it out for the sake of (insert life goal here). But a bad job, like a bad partner or friend, can be just as toxic. 

We’ve all had horrible Mondays. Where we feel like crawling beneath our desk and hiding out or napping for a few hours. That’s normal— even if you’re in love with your career, off-days are part of the deal. 

However, if driving to work is driving you low-key mental, or if it feels like every time you send an email, you’re sending off a tiny bit of your soul, it might be quitting time. You can suffer for your art, but don’t suffer for a job that’s going nowhere. If you’re looking for signs you should quit your job this may be just that sign.    

Here are eight red flags that the milk in your work fridge has gone sour, and it’s time to turn a page. (Hello, mixed metaphors to represent your oh so confusing mixed feelings about your j-o-b.) 

“if it feels like every time you send an email, you’re sending off a tiny bit of your soul, it might be quitting time.”

1. You feel creatively lost.

There are days when the ideas aren’t coming no matter how many cups of java you down, but IF you are coming up one espresso shot short every day, you might not be in the right job.

Before you take a dive into unemployment, try to do things that will reignite that spark with your job—like go to a lecture or take a class. If that still isn't working and you're drawing blank after blank, day after day, really consider why you think this job is the right job.

Sometimes things just fizzle out, and the best thing we can do for ourselves is realize that it doesn't have to be horribly wrong, for it not to be right.  

2. You have an abusive boss. 

Bosses, like partners, can be abusive. People who take advantage of their position of power. But being in charge doesn't give anyone the right to treat employees like animals. 

If heading into your boss’ office is something you dread because you know no matter what you do it won’t be good enough, it's time to reevaluate the situation.  I once had a boss throw trash at my head (yes, for real). I was out the door shortly thereafter.

Know your self-worth and trust in that.  

3. You’ve consulted everyone you know about hating your job.

Happy hour? What’s that? When you meet your friends after work, all you do is complain. About work.

The problem with negative energy is that little by little it starts to infiltrate every other part of your life. Others relationships suffer, and you become um, insufferable to be around.

Don’t let this happen. If your friends are avoiding your phone calls, there’s a good shot your endless complaints about work are dragging them down as well. 

“If your job makes you feel legit sad and question everything you’re doing with your life, it’s high time to move on. ”

4. You’re compromising your morals.

If you’ve found that you’re moving toward the Dark Side, without having any desire to do so, it’s either time to stand your ground, or change the ground your standing on.

Sometimes at work we are asked to do things we aren’t entirely comfortable with—but these should be things that advance our careers. For example, you don’t like public speaking, but your boss asks you to give a presentation—this is a step outside your comfort zone that’s beneficial to progress.

However if you’re being put in ethically, morally, or even illegal situations, no job is worth that risk. 

5. You can’t come up with five good reasons to stay.

Pro and con this beast. Make a list, check it twice, and if you don’t have five really solid reasons to keep your job—financial security aside—it might be time to start getting your ducks in a row. 

6 . Your job gives you every kind of the sads.

You know that feeling when you’re up at night, wondering why your dude is ignoring your calls, and you feel sad, lost, drained, pathetic? If your job makes you feel legit sad and question everything you’re doing with your life, it’s high time to move on. 

7. Your mom thinks you should quit.

Let’s consult Justin Bieber on this one. If you can sing, “My mama don’t like you and she likes everyone,” about your job… remember: Mom is always right. She was right about that 10th grade boyfriend, and she’s right about this job. 

8. You're letting other opportunities pass you by.

Some people in relationships are never satisfied because they are always on the lookout for the next best thing. That's not what I'm suggesting.

But if the work universe is offering up an out—or a better job, or maybe even a less financially lucrative, but potentially amazing job, and you're not taking it out of fear—close your eyes and take a leap.

More often than we care to admit, it necessary to take a step back in order to alter our course, and start down the more meaningful path.

This story was published on February 18, 2019, and has since been updated.

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