What To Do Once You Hand In Your Two Weeks' Notice
Congratulations (we think?) on handing in your two weeks' notice and being on your way to bigger and better things. Maybe you're leaving a job you hated for years, but did it because it paid the bills. Quitting a job you didn't like can be really empowering, but it may leave you in the lurch, wondering what's next.
Start Asking Yourself, "Now What?"
The first thing you should do is ask yourself, "Now what?" Whether you're leaving your current job for a new one in a month's time, or will be unemployed at the end of your final two weeks with your current employer, it's a good time to figure out what you want to do next.
Do You Want To Stay In Your Current Field?
Maybe your current job wasn't really the problem. Perhaps you've been getting tired of being in the field you've trained in. If, after your soul-searching, you find that this is the case, it might be a good time to get out of your current field. If this sounds like you, let's explore your options.
ANTONI SHKRABA production, Pexels
Retraining In A New Field
If your company was good enough to supply you with a generous severance package, you may be able to use some of that money as a cushion to give yourself some time to retrain in a field you've always wanted to work in. Some don't even require a college degree!
Go Back To School
If your desired field does require further education (and you have a three- to six-month emergency fund), then going back to school to get a new degree or certificate that would allow you to have a higher-paying job than the one you just left might not be a bad idea.
Take Time For Yourself
Sure, you've only got a couple weeks left, but there seems to be so much for you to do in your last two weeks on the job. Take the time to remind yourself that it's okay not to work overtime during these last two weeks (no matter how much your former company wants you to). Take the time to pursue other interests and hobbies.
Consider Your Successes
Maybe you didn't quit your job in a fit of rage, but it was just the right time to leave. If you left on good terms with your employer, they'll likely highlight some of your achievements. If you did rage-quit, well, you can probably kiss goodbye to a good reference letter. But, it's still important to highlight some of your successes with the company.
Update Your Resume & Cover Letter
You may want to leave off the fact that you rage-quit your last position, but it's important to take the time to update your cover letter and resume. Particularly if you haven't done so in a few years and have received training and obtained new qualifications through your old employer.
Find A Side Hustle
If you aren't heading for a new job right away, it might be a good time to look for a side hustle. Side hustles can be almost anything, from mowing lawns to dropshipping to Uber Eats, and much more. Side hustles are a great way to bridge the financial gap between full-time gigs, but don't rely on them too much.
Prepare Yourself For Your New Gig
If you rage-quit your old job because you've already accepted another job, then take the time to prepare yourself for the new position. If your new job has sent over onboarding materials, familiarize yourself with them. Or, go into their workplace if there's training that occurs a few days before your start date.
Warning Signs That It Might Be Time To Quit Your Job
While you don't necessarily have to rage-quit your job in spectacular fashion, if you've been feeling your blood pressure rising while at work recently, but can't figure out why—here are a few indicators that it may be time to call it quits.
There's No Upward Mobility
We all want to feel like we do meaningful work. Sometimes, we naturally hit a ceiling at our jobs, other times, we're passed over repeatedly for promotions, despite all doing our job to the best of our ability. If you've reached a place at your job where there's no upward mobility for you, maybe it's time to seek greener pastures.
A Restructuring Is Taking Place
Maybe your company is downsizing, or perhaps they're scaling up and are restructuring. Unfortunately, if your job is the one on the chopping block, you might not have much of a choice. Even if you aren't up for a "we have to let you go" chat, restructuring could mean you're made redundant shortly thereafter.
You Could Get Better Pay Elsewhere
Maybe you haven't gotten a raise in a year or two and being passed over for them is starting to feel like you're never going to get one. Maybe you've found a similar position elsewhere that will give you a better pay packet than the one you currently have.
You Are Over-Qualified & Under-Utilized
You may feel that you've acquired new skills that make you more valuable, but you aren't getting that recognition (and corresponding promotions/raises) at your current job. Feeling like you're worth more, like you could be doing more with your skills, is a frustrating feeling. It's important that your job brings you satisfaction. If you're over-qualified and under-utilized, maybe it's time to look elsewhere?
Your Work Environment Has Become Toxic
You might not realize the signs at first, but after a while, you'll notice the back-handed comments, the mean-spirited criticisms of your work, or the new boss with a massive chip on his shoulder that's castigating employees in full view of the rest of the office. If you feel like your workplace has become toxic, then its time to take your talents elsewhere.
Willyam Bradberry, Shutterstock
You're Moving Away
Despite the prevalence of work-from-home/work-from-anywhere jobs, maybe your job is one that can't be done remotely. So, you're moving away to start a new life with your family. This may well give you the excuse you needed to ditch the job you hated. Moving away might mean a nice send-off party from your co-workers. It could also provide you with a great opportunity to look for new employment.
The Company Really Doesn't Like You Taking Time Off
We all have personal stuff crop up every now and again—usually it's a short illness or a doctor's appointment. If your company is less forgiving than most with you taking sick days, you may want to start searching for a new job. Most companies offer two weeks paid vacation per year and anywhere from one to four personal days. If you're taking time off within those parameters, they shouldn't surreptitiously punish you for doing so at work.
You No Longer Find Enjoyment In What You Do
Unfortunately, many people find themselves in this cycle of living to work and working to live, without enjoying what they do. Life isn't all about money—the job you do should be fulfilling and enjoyable, as well as paying you fairly. If you find yourself not enjoying your day job, maybe it's time to make a change.
You Spend A Lot Of Time Driving
Unless you're a trucker or delivery driver for a company, or work full-time for Uber Eats, Lyft, or another door-to-door service, you shouldn't spend more than an hour of your day driving to work. The cost of gas of driving two hours each day to and from work eats into your take-home pay significantly.
You've Started A Family
Perhaps you've just started a family (or will have one imminently) and want to extend your parental leave by a few more months. While many jobs in the United States offer parental leave, some do not. If yours doesn't and hasn't given you any indication it will, it's time to find a job that's going to understand and not view you as another cog in the wheel.
How Do You Explain Your Reason For Leaving To Your Future Employer?
If you ended up rage-quitting your job, maybe don't go into all of those details with your new employer, but you'll still need to explain to them why you left your former job. Here's how to explain a rage-quit to your future employer.
Keep It Short, But Be Clear
Your first priority should be to keep this answer short. They don't need to know the ins and outs, but do be clear about your reasoning. Instead of saying, "I wasn't happy," you could say, "I wanted to grow, but my room for growth was limited there".
Be Honest About It
Without going into too much detail, it's important that you're honest with your future employer. Even if you were fired. It's going to come out in the wash that that's what happened, so there's no point in lying about it. Starting off your employment with a lie is going to either land you with no job, or in hot water almost immediately at your new job. Not a good look.
Do Not Badmouth Your Former Employer
Even if you quit due to a disagreement, it's really important that you remain graceful and professional when answering this question about why you left. Do not badmouth your former employer. That is not a good look and will not win you any points with your prospective employer.
If You've Taken Extended Periods Off, How Do You Explain That?
If you've taken extended sabbaticals to care for a sick family member or to travel and left significant gaps in your resume, how do you explain this to the hiring manager at your new job?
Prepare For More Questions
You should know that any hiring manager worth their salt is going to ask questions about your time off. You should have honest answers ready for them. They get it: life happens and people sometimes need to take time off, but don't be surprised if they ask you about it.
Write It Into Your Resume
Something you could do to try and get ahead of any questions is to write it into your resume. List your sabbatical length and the reason why you took it. Help the hiring manager by giving them context before the round of questioning. Keep it brief and get to the point, but clearly explain why you took the time off.
Include Referrals
It's important that hiring managers can verify the information you're giving them, so be sure to include people who can verify that you were taking this sabbatical and can verify the reason why you took it. You could include signed, sworn statements to this effect, or letters from doctors, nurses, and others who are in good standing.
Assure Them It Won't Reoccur
Reliable employees can be hard to come by and replacing an employee who didn't work out in short order is expensive. Any hiring manager who's offering you the job wants to know that you're good for it. Assure them that you've taken all the time off that you needed and that you're looking for a stable, long-term position.
Photo By: Kaboompics.com, Pexels
Turn The Conversation Positive
Even if you've taken a sabbatical, it doesn't mean you didn't do or learn anything valuable during that time. Try and steer the conversation towards those things you've learned that make you an asset. Even if you took night classes to upgrade your education, that shows a willingness to go above and beyond to better yourself—companies like that.
Make The Rest Of Your Resume Shine
Despite the gap in your resume, there's still plenty of room to make it shine. Try not to focus too much on the sabbatical and instead tailor your resume to the job description of the company you're applying with. Sure, having a gap in employment isn't great, but that doesn't mean you're unemployable. Just make sure that the rest of your resume stands out to the hiring manager.
Ensure You Write A Cover Letter
A cover letter is an extension of your resume that provides more opportunity to explain the contents of your resume. You could use your cover letter as an opportunity to provide a brief explanation of the gaps in your resume, but again, keep it short and simple without going into too much detail.
Write A Functional Resume
If you have more than one gap in your employment history, it might be a good idea to write a functional resume. This is a resume that replaces the traditional chronological order of a resume with a "skills and projects" (or similarly named) section. That way, you don't have to explain the large gaps in employment, just fill the space with what projects you worked on during that time and what skills you learned.
Be Engaged While Unemployed
Unemployment doesn't have to mean being disengaged. In fact, it'll benefit you to remain busy with things like freelancing to make a few extra dollars, or volunteering with groups that interest you. Showing that you're able to remain engaged despite not being employed will be a huge benefit for your application.
What If You Ran A Business That Failed?
If you took some time off to become self-employed—but it didn't work out—that's not necessarily a bad thing. It demonstrates confidence, risk-taking capability, and the courage to start something on your own. Be honest about why it failed, but don't avoid explaining it to the hiring manager for fear that it will look bad.
My Sabbatical Occurred More Than 7 Years Ago, Should I Include It?
Yes and no. If your sabbatical occurred more than seven years ago, your hiring manager likely won't care, regardless of the reason for it. If it occurred within the last five years, it's a good idea to include it in your resume and cover letter. The most relevant employment history for almost any would-be employer is generally the past five years.
When Should I Not Include My Reason For Leaving In My Resume?
In general, you don't need to put any reason for leaving a company in your resume or cover letter. It detracts from your accomplishments and highlights the wrong things about you as a potential employee (particularly if you were fired or left of your own accord). If you don't need to provide a reason, don't.
If You Know You're Going To Become Unemployed, Plan Ahead
Even if you're planning to rage-quit your job, it's important to plan ahead. Do some research on what your options are post-employment. Are you going to jump right back into another job, or retrain in something else? Take the time before you hand in your notice (in spectacular fashion) to do some soul-searching and figure out why you're quitting and what you want to do instead.
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