Out the door she goes

I always hear the term "don't burn your bridges" - but at this point in the industry do the "bridges" really help much anymore? If you're leaving the industry and/or management hasn't exactly helped you out when you're there, what "control" do they have on you once you decide to leave?

 

In all l seriousness, how would one handle getting your insurance rates jacked way up without having your pay follow (i.e. your salary stayed exactly the same). That happened to me over the summer. The cost of keeping the family on the employee health plan pretty much doubled. Does that happen often? Thanks... Carry on...

 

My favorite quick departure story was a copy editor at a suburban paper where I used to work. They went through a period of insane turnover on the desk, even for them, and she got promoted.

She was engaged to one of the writers at the paper, so both of them being able to stay in the area was a good thing.

The paper had a pay scale that it followed for each position. Only one problem. They never gave her a raise to even the minimum for her position. Six months in she found out. She immediately complained and they fixed it....but only for her checks going forward. No retroactive pay for what she had lost over those six months.

So she walks in one day, tells the ME she's leaving and walks right back out. Turns out she had gotten a job at a bigger paper lined up and gave them zero notice.

Strangest part was the fiancee (now husband) never left the company.

A few months later, two editors at that same suburban waited until a week into January for their vacation to kick in and quick on the spot. Each of them had deals that gave them five weeks, so of course the paper did not replace them until they cleared them from the books....thus screwing both departments.

 

If she was a horseshit reporter, why are you pissed?

 

If you were to ever witness how a company treats people it lays off, you'd have no problem with the way your coworker acted.

 

News side hired a reporter once, a biker dude with the shaved head, bandana, leather jacket, tats, you know the drill. Guy had a weird vibe, but it seemed like he was doing his job all right.

On a Thursday probably 2 months in, he sends an email to the city editor telling him he's quitting and leaving for Iraq where he's starting a business with his brother.

The best part? He asked the city editor not to tell his girlfriend, who worked in classifieds.

 

I would always recommend giving two weeks and upholding it, but if you're employer treated you like shit and you don't fear the consequences - more power to you.

 

I've never not given my two-weeks' notice. I wouldn't feel right about walking out, no matter how shitty the company was.

 

Same here. I've probably fantastized (good and bad) about walking out with nothing but a ringside seat to my departing fat ass for notice, but when it comes down to it, I'm still going to be a professional. I can bitch about them after I'm gone.

 

By all means give two weeks notice. Those can be two of the best weeks of your stay at a place, since you don't give a hoot about all the daily worries. Besides, some places will then just cut you a check and let you leave early anyway.

Now, if the place has screwed you over or you've witnessed them screw over a colleague, you owe them no such courtesy. Sometimes they don't get to win, YOU get to win.

 

I loved giving my two weeks notice at my last shop. It was like running my victory lap - waving my flag, telling everyone goodbye. I remember they tried to give me some bullshit assignment that was one of the reasons I was leaving to begin with - I just told them no and went home. What were they going to do, fire me?

 

Usually, the last two weeks after giving notice are really enjoyable.