You should be ready to leave immediately

February 19th, 2010 · Comments

Jake called me yesterday morning. He informed me that he just gave notice to his boss. He was leaving his employer. Jack called me because I was one of his customers, and we had collaborated for the past three years.

Jake was a member of the senior management team in his company. On the surface, he got along really well with the president. They worked together at another company before they both came to work for Jake’s current company.

Jake told me that his last day would be two weeks from yesterday. In the high tech industry, the "norm" is for employees to give at least two-week advance notice.

Jake emailed me this morning at 5AM. Today is his last day.

Yes, he is supposed to be in good terms with everyone in the company. He doesn’t have any performance issue. His team has been performing well. He is a member of the senior management team. He did the right thing by giving two-week notice. But, he was still asked to go immediately.

I’m NOT surprised. For most of us, unless you belong to an union, the employment contract you sign is at-will. Either employer or employee can terminate the contract at any time. The two-week advance notice is a common courtesy, but employers are NOT required to honor your courtesy and professionalism.

When you offer your resignation, you really don’t know how your employer will react. You need to protect yourself. You need to expect the worst.

So, before you offer your resignation, you should be ready to leave immediately.

You should clear out your office, save contact information, and clean up your computer.

You should be ready to leave the second you tell your boss that you’re leaving.

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