Comments on: Five ways to feel less guilty quitting – and why Gen Y feels guilt giving notice http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/09/12/five-ways-to-feel-less-guilty-quitting-%e2%80%93-and-why-gen-y-feels-guilt-giving-notice/ Advice at the intersection of work and life Fri, 29 Aug 2008 22:32:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: You and your boss–the breakup « Courting Your Career http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/09/12/five-ways-to-feel-less-guilty-quitting-%e2%80%93-and-why-gen-y-feels-guilt-giving-notice/#comment-149023 You and your boss–the breakup « Courting Your Career Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:50:45 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/09/12/five-ways-to-feel-less-guilty-quitting-%e2%80%93-and-why-gen-y-feels-guilt-giving-notice/#comment-149023 [...] you were in a truly “open” relationship, you’d work for an awesome boss who is totally supportive of your career development and advancement. In that case, there’s a good chance they’ll ask about your short- and [...] [...] you were in a truly “open” relationship, you’d work for an awesome boss who is totally supportive of your career development and advancement. In that case, there’s a good chance they’ll ask about your short- and [...]

]]> By: You and Your Boss–The Breakup : Brazen Careerist http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/09/12/five-ways-to-feel-less-guilty-quitting-%e2%80%93-and-why-gen-y-feels-guilt-giving-notice/#comment-149022 You and Your Boss–The Breakup : Brazen Careerist Wed, 18 Jun 2008 12:52:12 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/09/12/five-ways-to-feel-less-guilty-quitting-%e2%80%93-and-why-gen-y-feels-guilt-giving-notice/#comment-149022 [...] you were in a truly “open” relationship, you’d work for an awesome boss who is totally supportive of your career development and advancement. In that case, there’s a good chance they’ll ask about your short- and [...] [...] you were in a truly “open” relationship, you’d work for an awesome boss who is totally supportive of your career development and advancement. In that case, there’s a good chance they’ll ask about your short- and [...]

]]> By: Marla http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/09/12/five-ways-to-feel-less-guilty-quitting-%e2%80%93-and-why-gen-y-feels-guilt-giving-notice/#comment-148193 Marla Fri, 30 May 2008 07:46:43 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/09/12/five-ways-to-feel-less-guilty-quitting-%e2%80%93-and-why-gen-y-feels-guilt-giving-notice/#comment-148193 Penelope - you hit the nail on the head. I resigned from my job of 3 years today, first job out of college. The hardest part was telling my mentor, who has worked with me every day for the past three years, that I was just not that into it anymore and I needed to try something different. I spent a couple hours tonight feeling really bad about letting everyone down. But, you're right - they will get along without me there. If they really needed me as badly as I thought they did, then they would have tried to keep me by doubling my salary or something, but nobody really made an effort. One thing that you didn't mention in your article is the impact that friends in the workplace have on your decision to quit a job. I get along with all of my many coworkers and consider most of them friends. It was SO HARD to tell all of them that I am leaving. I will really miss them - I wish I could take them with me! It kind of felt like I was saying that I don't like them. Oh well, I'm sure I'll see at least a few of them again, since I am staying in the area. Thank you for the great post, I really feel like you are right about us Gen-Y's, and I feel grateful that I just happened to find this post on a night when I really needed it. Penelope - you hit the nail on the head. I resigned from my job of 3 years today, first job out of college. The hardest part was telling my mentor, who has worked with me every day for the past three years, that I was just not that into it anymore and I needed to try something different. I spent a couple hours tonight feeling really bad about letting everyone down. But, you're right - they will get along without me there. If they really needed me as badly as I thought they did, then they would have tried to keep me by doubling my salary or something, but nobody really made an effort.

One thing that you didn't mention in your article is the impact that friends in the workplace have on your decision to quit a job. I get along with all of my many coworkers and consider most of them friends. It was SO HARD to tell all of them that I am leaving. I will really miss them - I wish I could take them with me! It kind of felt like I was saying that I don't like them. Oh well, I'm sure I'll see at least a few of them again, since I am staying in the area.

Thank you for the great post, I really feel like you are right about us Gen-Y's, and I feel grateful that I just happened to find this post on a night when I really needed it.

]]> By: john http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/09/12/five-ways-to-feel-less-guilty-quitting-%e2%80%93-and-why-gen-y-feels-guilt-giving-notice/#comment-109773 john Thu, 18 Oct 2007 00:34:47 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/09/12/five-ways-to-feel-less-guilty-quitting-%e2%80%93-and-why-gen-y-feels-guilt-giving-notice/#comment-109773 I think that sensitive Millenials just reach a point, too, where all the emotional pressure of a job (rigid or awkward schedules, or anything thats incongruent with "who they are" or what they want to do in life) - builds up (after putting up with it for a while) - and they just reach a breaking point where they lose all enthusiasm for the job and just feel its over. I've seen it... even the sweetest associates at a retail store I worked in... just left... and... as a millenial generation X'er... I know what that feels like... to have those bonds with supportive coworkers, but to just not have my heart in the job or the system anymore. I think that sensitive Millenials just reach a point, too, where all the emotional pressure of a job (rigid or awkward schedules, or anything thats incongruent with "who they are" or what they want to do in life) - builds up (after putting up with it for a while) - and they just reach a breaking point where they lose all enthusiasm for the job and just feel its over. I've seen it… even the sweetest associates at a retail store I worked in… just left… and… as a millenial generation X'er… I know what that feels like… to have those bonds with supportive coworkers, but to just not have my heart in the job or the system anymore.

]]> By: Selena http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/09/12/five-ways-to-feel-less-guilty-quitting-%e2%80%93-and-why-gen-y-feels-guilt-giving-notice/#comment-109386 Selena Mon, 08 Oct 2007 00:21:44 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/09/12/five-ways-to-feel-less-guilty-quitting-%e2%80%93-and-why-gen-y-feels-guilt-giving-notice/#comment-109386 by him in my last post, i mean my husband.. sorry for the missunderstanding by him in my last post, i mean my husband.. sorry for the missunderstanding

]]> By: Selena http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/09/12/five-ways-to-feel-less-guilty-quitting-%e2%80%93-and-why-gen-y-feels-guilt-giving-notice/#comment-109385 Selena Mon, 08 Oct 2007 00:20:02 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/09/12/five-ways-to-feel-less-guilty-quitting-%e2%80%93-and-why-gen-y-feels-guilt-giving-notice/#comment-109385 <p>how to tell a boss your quitting, even though you owe them money? </p> <p>Thats a topic i want answered. My employer helped me through school (truck driving) so that i can go on the road with him. He's forced him to go in a truck that , if inspected by goverment officals would be put out of service and ticked. now being 5 weeks not with him has pushed us to the edge and a unsafe truck has us worried. what to we do when he has me contracted to work for him even though hes forcing both of us in to that truck?</p> * * * * * * <I>You don't owe him the money back. If the agreement was that you would go to school so that you could drive for him, it is implied that he provides a truck that passes inspection. Quit. He will have a very hard time coming after you for the money when he is operating trucks illegally. Penelope</I> how to tell a boss your quitting, even though you owe them money?

Thats a topic i want answered. My employer helped me through school (truck driving) so that i can go on the road with him. He's forced him to go in a truck that , if inspected by goverment officals would be put out of service and ticked. now being 5 weeks not with him has pushed us to the edge and a unsafe truck has us worried. what to we do when he has me contracted to work for him even though hes forcing both of us in to that truck?

* * * * * *
You don't owe him the money back. If the agreement was that you would go to school so that you could drive for him, it is implied that he provides a truck that passes inspection. Quit. He will have a very hard time coming after you for the money when he is operating trucks illegally.

Penelope

]]> By: Startup Signal - Today’s Top Blog Posts on Entrepreneurship - Powered by SocialRank http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/09/12/five-ways-to-feel-less-guilty-quitting-%e2%80%93-and-why-gen-y-feels-guilt-giving-notice/#comment-109021 Startup Signal - Today’s Top Blog Posts on Entrepreneurship - Powered by SocialRank Mon, 01 Oct 2007 10:51:33 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/09/12/five-ways-to-feel-less-guilty-quitting-%e2%80%93-and-why-gen-y-feels-guilt-giving-notice/#comment-109021 [...] Five ways to feel less guilty quitting – and why Gen Y feels guilt giving notice [...] [...] Five ways to feel less guilty quitting – and why Gen Y feels guilt giving notice [...]

]]> By: James Landrith http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/09/12/five-ways-to-feel-less-guilty-quitting-%e2%80%93-and-why-gen-y-feels-guilt-giving-notice/#comment-108202 James Landrith Wed, 19 Sep 2007 03:32:27 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/09/12/five-ways-to-feel-less-guilty-quitting-%e2%80%93-and-why-gen-y-feels-guilt-giving-notice/#comment-108202 Great blog posting. While I am Gen Xer (born in 1970), I did feel a great deal of guilt leaving a position I'd been in for 8 years. My supervisor valued me and fought to have my position realigned to be more in concert with my career goals. His boss, however, saw me as only ever occupying that desk and even went so far as to change the goals on my annual review two years in a row to reflect such. I hated leaving as I felt intense loyalty to my boss. However, his boss made it clear she felt no such loyalty to me and her constant belittling manner, tendency to raise her voice, and general disrespect to everyone in the office made leaving a lot easier. I worked there from 1998 and left in 2005 to begin a new job - with a nice promotion and decent raise. This summer, I left the next job when it became clear the board and certain senior executives were all about the money and had zero loyalty to employees who were vastly understaffed, often working 12 hour days with insignificant annual pay adjustments. While the business was growing, many high paying positions that did not contribute to the bottom-line, ops or generate revenue appeared in satellite offices and money was flying around willy-nilly. In the meantime, ops staff was begging and pleading to add a few 30-35K staffers. When it became clear that a certain executive was mismanaging things, he was canned. However, the Board who was sleeping at the switch for over two years decided to try and make up for their lack of supervision by firing half the corporate staff (not in the loop to the out of control spending) as a cost savings. My job was one of them selected for the chopping block. My supervisor and the brand-new financial manager raised hell and barely kept my job. In companies that size, my workload was normally handled by three full-time employees. Most of my days averaged 11 hours and sometimes weekend work as well. I was not an hourly employee, but I feel that the company gained a few thousand hours for free and the Board's liaison repaid me by attempting to fire me to make up for their lack of responsibility and their dereliction of duty with regard to company finances. Surprisingly, I was given an equivalent counter-offer by one of the newer senior staff and was subject to vigorous lobbying by a few senior staff who knew the full story and didn't want to see me go. I politely declined and have made my self available to my former supervisor (who I bear no ill will towards) for questions about operations and other issues related to my former position. I'm not burning that bridge as none of this is her fault. I've moved on and am now much happier. A little bitter for the experience, but my loyalty meter now scans in more than one direction. I'm far less likely to give so much in return for so little again. Great blog posting. While I am Gen Xer (born in 1970), I did feel a great deal of guilt leaving a position I'd been in for 8 years. My supervisor valued me and fought to have my position realigned to be more in concert with my career goals. His boss, however, saw me as only ever occupying that desk and even went so far as to change the goals on my annual review two years in a row to reflect such. I hated leaving as I felt intense loyalty to my boss. However, his boss made it clear she felt no such loyalty to me and her constant belittling manner, tendency to raise her voice, and general disrespect to everyone in the office made leaving a lot easier. I worked there from 1998 and left in 2005 to begin a new job - with a nice promotion and decent raise.

This summer, I left the next job when it became clear the board and certain senior executives were all about the money and had zero loyalty to employees who were vastly understaffed, often working 12 hour days with insignificant annual pay adjustments. While the business was growing, many high paying positions that did not contribute to the bottom-line, ops or generate revenue appeared in satellite offices and money was flying around willy-nilly. In the meantime, ops staff was begging and pleading to add a few 30-35K staffers. When it became clear that a certain executive was mismanaging things, he was canned. However, the Board who was sleeping at the switch for over two years decided to try and make up for their lack of supervision by firing half the corporate staff (not in the loop to the out of control spending) as a cost savings. My job was one of them selected for the chopping block. My supervisor and the brand-new financial manager raised hell and barely kept my job. In companies that size, my workload was normally handled by three full-time employees. Most of my days averaged 11 hours and sometimes weekend work as well. I was not an hourly employee, but I feel that the company gained a few thousand hours for free and the Board's liaison repaid me by attempting to fire me to make up for their lack of responsibility and their dereliction of duty with regard to company finances.

Surprisingly, I was given an equivalent counter-offer by one of the newer senior staff and was subject to vigorous lobbying by a few senior staff who knew the full story and didn't want to see me go. I politely declined and have made my self available to my former supervisor (who I bear no ill will towards) for questions about operations and other issues related to my former position. I'm not burning that bridge as none of this is her fault.

I've moved on and am now much happier. A little bitter for the experience, but my loyalty meter now scans in more than one direction. I'm far less likely to give so much in return for so little again.

]]> By: Recommended Reading at Race in the Workplace - how diversity, race and racism influence our working lives http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/09/12/five-ways-to-feel-less-guilty-quitting-%e2%80%93-and-why-gen-y-feels-guilt-giving-notice/#comment-108063 Recommended Reading at Race in the Workplace - how diversity, race and racism influence our working lives Mon, 17 Sep 2007 14:06:15 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/09/12/five-ways-to-feel-less-guilty-quitting-%e2%80%93-and-why-gen-y-feels-guilt-giving-notice/#comment-108063 [...] Five ways to feel less guilty quitting, and why Gen Y feels guilt giving notice - Brazen Careerist b... “So Generation Y leaves a job when there is not great personal growth. But in each job they have, they are great at asking people to help them, so they generally feel guilt when they leave one of those people for a new job offer – because Gen Y feels loyal to people who help them…. If you are a young person worrying about quitting, though, here’s a reality check. The company is going to be fine when you leave.” [...] [...] Five ways to feel less guilty quitting, and why Gen Y feels guilt giving notice - Brazen Careerist b… "So Generation Y leaves a job when there is not great personal growth. But in each job they have, they are great at asking people to help them, so they generally feel guilt when they leave one of those people for a new job offer – because Gen Y feels loyal to people who help them…. If you are a young person worrying about quitting, though, here’s a reality check. The company is going to be fine when you leave." [...]

]]> By: Charlie http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/09/12/five-ways-to-feel-less-guilty-quitting-%e2%80%93-and-why-gen-y-feels-guilt-giving-notice/#comment-107968 Charlie Sat, 15 Sep 2007 01:08:49 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/09/12/five-ways-to-feel-less-guilty-quitting-%e2%80%93-and-why-gen-y-feels-guilt-giving-notice/#comment-107968 So true. A company won't suffer much from a single employee who quits. Some companies manage to continue with their businesses even with employees going in and out of their company. So true. A company won't suffer much from a single employee who quits. Some companies manage to continue with their businesses even with employees going in and out of their company.

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